[Discussion] The Pedagogical Tribal System of Primitive Cultures of thescienti fic community

[Paksoy, Hb]

The Pedagogical Tribal System of Primitive Cultures of the Scientific
Research Community 
This study deals with a pedagogical tribal system with definite, almost
overwhelming paternalistic mores and codes. I had had some difficulty
studying these tribes because they are quite fierce and often impossible to
communicate with except in their own languages, which are diverse and may
have roots in latin. (I, however, tend to hold that these languages are a
development of the tribes themselves and are a major contributory factor in
their continued isolation from the global community.) In general, members
also appear to have little ability to learn new languages. To overcome these
barriers, I am attempting to infiltrate a tribe and become a full-fledged
member of it. I am currently undergoing initiation rites in a southeastern
tribe called "Physiology and Pharmacology". This is a preliminary report of
my current findings. The adult males of any of the tribes which can be
grouped under the broad designation "researchers" are called "professors"
and sometimes "doctors". The terms are not entirely interchangeable as the
higher ranking males are always referred to as "doctor" whereas "professor"
is a more generic term for all adult males who have completed any variation
of the initiation process which is called "graduate school". There are two
groups of females in this culture, one group is granted low ranking status
as a quasi-male with responsibilities similar to the very low-ranking males.
They are referred to as "professors" also, but are never actually allowed to
progress beyond certain set hierarchial levels. This group is not often
granted reproductive status. The second group of females could be classified
as sub-adult, as they are never granted any of the rights of the full adult,
which is, of course, always male or quasi-male. They are termed "professor's
wives" and may only assume any status through the male to whom they are
attached and by telephone calls to secretaries. The phone calling privilege
is unique to the "professor's wife" and is *never* usurped. Interestingly,
offspring of these unions are not acknowledged within the culture and leave
the tribe upon reaching adolescence. Reproduction is quite unusual and very
interesting! The tribes call this "recruitment". Several select members of
the tribe, usually middle-ranking males and even a few quasi-male females
travel to distant tribes called "undergraduate colleges" where they put on
quite lovely displays and make generous offers to the neonates from the
"undergraduate colleges". This is similar to courtship in some cultures, but
is directed at procuring neonates. The neonates put on a secondary display
for the professors of their chosen tribe, wherein they accept the wondrous
offers. These are very intricate dances, and only the best research tribes
and neonates are successful. Once the new tribe members have arrived at
their new tribe, however, initiation may take anywhere from four to seven
years. I have seen examples of initiates being subjected to trials for eight
years! This does vary somewhat, but the general rule is an extraordinarily
long and quite demanding set of incomprehensible tests that the candidates
for initiation must perform well on. These are similar to the tribes of
Africa who have to walk on hot coals in bare feet or draw elaborate scars on
all parts of their bodies. The actual trials are called "preliminary exams"
"qualifying exams" and, of course the dreaded "dissertation defense" rite.
Unfortunately, I have not yet been made privy to all the innuendos of this
final rite. Although I have been allowed to watch during several. I was
actually required to watch this horrible test of human ability to withstand
the agony of hours of questions in very highly ceremonial language, many
words of which I am not yet informed. The medicine man of the tribe changes
for each different initiate. He is called the "major professor", possibly
referring to his power during the rite of passage. The power of the medicine
man is reflected on the initiate and will follow him through his entire
adult life. These tribes have not yet been well characterized. This is
understandable in light of the extreme reclusivity and exclusivity of all of
the research tribes I have encountered. Yet this should not preclude further
in-depth analysis of a truly unique way of life. I shall continue work
within my present tribe in hopes of becoming a full fledged member, as it
were, and of coming to full understanding of this culture. --by a female
grad student