Savage or Civilized?

Exploring the fundamental prejudice against human wildness

Photo by Joel Munizon Unsplash

The word “savage” is emotionally charged. Once uttered, images of men (usually men, not women) engaging in diabolical acts spring to mind: burning, raping, maiming, pillaging, torturing and killing with reckless abandon. Savages are ignorant, thoughtless and out of control. They are superstitious, childlike and impulsive. They are godless and unreasonable. They are the…