Summary

Kimmerer discusses the fact that the current version of an economy that functions in the U.S. today is not the only kind of economy that can exist. She refers to an anecdote from the linguist Daniel Everett which was featured in the book The Gift by Lewis Hyde. He spoke of a hunter in a community in the Brazilian rainforest who caught more meat than he and his family were able to eat. The hunter was quizzed on his plans for storing the surplus meat, which confused him as he intended to give away the excess to his neighbors by holding a feast. He replied to the queries, “I store my meat in the belly of my brother” (25). The author notes that in a gift economy, wealth is defined by how much you give away rather than how much you accumulate. However, she...