"Harsh environment makes for fierce and violent people"

Me staring at this bad writing trope in Inuit

I see all these authors writing books like #Dune or #WheelofTime where the "harshest land creates the harshest people" and honestly as an Inuk I have thoughts about how far from the mark that is.

I can't speak for others similarly living, such as desert people, but my guess; they are as culturally obsessed with hospitality and politeness as Inuit are.

Sure my family, it has been commented, are a hard people, but harsh... No

Living in a harsh landscape makes you hyper aware, makes a culture that is about being hyper aware, and if anything that makes us super nice.

The one thing I'll always remember about my grandparents is that they never had time for harsh words, they'd cut you loose but they were always polite, overly polite.

they lived by the adage everyone has their own way, and if I don't like it, I'll just not share your life.

I think @AndQuaq said it best in their pod cast, when they said (paraphrasing) being so aware means, being aware the world is hard enough and it's a choice to just not make it harder on others.

I mean the joke I hear is "Inuit are so nice we have to be invited twice."

And there is truth to that, truth to the idea that we are so concerned with not invading a space, that we often politely decline an invitation the first time because we aren't sure we are really wanted

Trust me, I've lost several relationships because I just don't want to bother others.

I honestly think this fierce land fierce people trope comes from this European idea that humans are naturally violent and can only solve problems with dominance. The only way to dominate is being more powerful then what's around you.

They apply it across the board with weird ideas about how logic and reason are somehow disconnected from emotion and empathy.

Like what a weird idea that increasing rational thought wouldn't increase empathy...

They just assume that this is the logical way for humans to exist in a difficult world, they don't even consider the fact that in reality cultures developed in the harshest environments do so through relationships.

Relationships with the land,
Relationships with the people (human and otherwise),
Relationships allow for survival.

A culture of harsh violent people simply can't survive true challenges.

Let me say that again, a culture of harsh and violent people simply can't survive true challenges.

Because they can't survive in a world that is obviously filled with beings of greater power then them.

If the harsh land is indeed a "crucible" it will destroy them.

Inuit culture excels at one thing, survival.

And it does it through hyper-awareness, self-accountability, adaption, and relationships.

We are taught to be aware, we are taught to protect relationships, we are taught to quietly observe and then act.

And we are taught it is our responsibility to self monitor.

The Inuit governess is the self. Sure community has a role, banishment is there, but banishment is for those that refuse to hold themselves accountable, community is too busy working together to survive, either you get on board or get left in the cold.

Inuit don't have time to put up with bull shit, or get dragged into it.

We care for those that need it, without infantilising those that don't.

The one core tenant I learned from my grandmother is that as an Inuit I don't have time to yell and scream or manage others, I need to live with joy, I need to survive.

Which let's explore that for a moment, all these fictions have these harsh violent mean folk, sucked dry of joy.

But again, look at Inuit, where joy and laughter is central to every home.

Like working so hard to survive, means joy must be embraced in all moments, laughter can echo in every situation.

I mean we go to funerals almost weekly, we face food insecurity, the simplest mistake can lead to death, and yet, there is always a twinkle in an Inuk's eye.

Inuit put the fun in funeral

Because we know what it takes to survive, and it isn't harshness.

Harshness is what we survive, not what we become.

Survival requires relationships.

Survival requires participation from everyone.

Survival requires adaption.

Survival requires laughter.

Survival requires nice.