I am a social scientist (Anthropologist and Sociologist) who works in the field of marketing and advertising. Since the year 2000 I have helped companies be more human by giving them a perspective on how to understand the humans they serve.
I also am eternally enamored by humankind – for better or worse. I think it’s important for all of us to, on occasion, frame or reframe the way we look at other humans – to truly seek to understand before judging and to ultimately realize we all belong to one another.
Humans are silly creatures – spiritual beings walking around in skin suits trying to get through this “thing called life” the best we can. I started this blog many many years ago as an experiment in anthropological observation – taking a tongue-in-cheek approach to creating somewhat ethnographic but mostly “editorial” observations about my day to day human experiences. The goal – to make an anthropological perspective accessible to anyone who is interested, instead of just my professional peers. I’d tried a blog like that before. It’s boring.
In any case, I have evolved this platform over time to begin including professional articles I’ve published elsewhere so folks can see how this kind of insight gets applied in the private sector…and ultimately how the companies you buy stuff from use social science to inform their strategies to get you to buy more stuff. 😉
Recently, however, I have had a wake-up call of sorts. I decided to use this platform as a way to focus on the culture (or arguably, the many cultures) of America. Why? Because I do believe that opening up to other perspectives is the pathway to change for the better…because it enables us to find common ground. And America could use that these days.
So, I hope you find the value you are seeking here.
And I encourage commentary from the blogging community, because human observations only have meaning if assigned it by other humans. I am deeply interested in the meaning others find out there. So, please share.
For professional consulting and media inquiries, you can find me on linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/pub/jamie-gordon/1/181/b7 or email me: brandsherpajamie@gmail.com
The Narcissistic (American) Anthropologist 
What’s ‘reality TV’? Why you talk funny? What’s ‘American Culture’?
I’ll be back to check up on you.
Wonderful blog! Congrats on Freshly Pressed!
Thanks, David! 🙂
There is no meaning out there. Take a look at yourself.
We put ourselves “out there” every day. So logic would have it that the meaning we find within becomes more meaningful when experienced as a collective. Everyone needs a roadmap to find it every now and then.
Reality TV? No thanks. Watching real people being silly in a retail environment, now that is fun.
Couldn’t agree with you more. Consumers are funny creatures. But those “Real Housewives” paint a pretty silly picture too. 😉
I might have a few useful keywords about american culture here:
War
Obesity
Ignorance
Consumerism
Fear
& and cheesy movies!
I hope it’s not too negative, though all of them seem true to me. 🙂
Love
Andy
You are an anthropologist, Andy! 🙂
Now remove your personal biases (tough to do, I know) and use objective words and narrative to describe those observations. Yours definitely all “work”, but te challenge is to look at it scientifically to understand the “why”.
it’s a basic human problem…which is why I try to mollify my self-deprecating-American tendencies with some humor in an attempt to understand what drives our culture and potentially what needs to happen to steer it toward a more universally “sustainable” place. Thanks for reading and I hope you get some fuel for thought. 🙂
You definitely gave me some fuel right there!
Scientifically speaking, I would say that the lack of knowledge and personal growth is the root of these problems. The lack of personal growth could come from the lack of knowlegde, though, and the lack of knowledge could be rich people’s lack of compassionate education of lower class people.
I hope this makes some sence, and that I’ve hit the nail just a little… And I’m sorry to use up so much space on your about page! 🙂
Thanks for the reply!
From your blog you sound like a remarkable young man, Andy. Take up as much space as you need. The world could use more explorers like you. And I am delighted that you have found a perspective in my blog to contribute to the scenery along your journey. Keep searching and inviting the us all to come with you…
I’m grateful of your kind words! 🙂
I will definitely keep searching every corner of everything searchable!
Keep up your own journey as well! 🙂
Are you really a 16 year old boy?
I would like to know what makes a person tick that loves reality tv and Behind the scenes of any thing, I am proud to be an american, but our downfall as a culture may be coming due to a lack of wisdom, we have great knowldege but lack the wisdon to know how to use the knowldege we do have. Humans in general pave their own way through life, If we had all the answers that we seek then the rest of our lives would be boring and meaningless. What humans of any culture not just american culture need to be doing is working to make life better and let the answers find us.
Ok am I broken and not normal? by reading what your wrote made me think and this is what came out of my brain. Am I missing your point? the why is the question of the universe we may never know.
Just to get an anthropological flavor of some of the impacts of such things as medical practices on culture, you might want to consider this article: titled: “Obstetric care and proneness of offspring to suicide as adults” http://www.bmj.com/content/317/7169/1346.full Although this connection was noticed in Sweden, I think it shows how deep it environment can go toward shaping culture and personal identity. Periods of famine, economic factors and so on are probably part of the equation.
This is a great blog. Thanks for all your posts. Do you have a Twitter or a LinkedIn?
Glad u like he blog. Find me @thebrandsherpa on twitter and WordPress blog by same name will have connection to my LinkedIn account. 🙂
I consistently enjoy your blog posts. Thanks.
Thanks, Robert. Makes it worth the effort knowing folks like you are getting something out of it. 🙂
LOVE this post. You sound amazing and your words resonated a lot with me. You are a great writer and very intelligent. I am also what you call an “observer.” Amateur one at that, but I am fascinated with all that is society and culture. Please check out my blog, I would love your input!
I recently completed my undergrad in Anthropology. I can’t possibly fully articulate how excited I am that you are freshly pressed and that I’ve found you through that avenue. JOY!
I’ve just come accross this blog and I would be interested to read more of it in the future as well as share the ‘meanings [we] find out there’. As far as I’m concerned that’s the most we can do for each other.
I would also be grateful to receive some feedback on my recently started initiative in a similar field of inquiry.
Best wishes.
You might find this of interest:
http://anthropologicalobservations.blogspot.com/2013/05/economics-and-anthropology-stated.html
Such a great blog, you’ve realy opend my mind!
Everyone observes the world in their own way.. but most of us, wish for humanity to be alive in every other person’s heart….
your blog is very inspiring!! 🙂
Wow. Thank you for the compliment. So happy you have been inspired! 🙂