Why did humanity switch from hunter-gathering to farming?

[NoMoreWhiteWoman2020]

Hunter gatherers had no sense of property, with everyone following herds, causing more disturbances and conflicts. Farming increased stability and also allowed for the domesticity of animals, which was also just as critical as farming in my opinion. Hunting became a commodity, not a necessity

 

[toomanydoses]

Domesticated animals and crops along with storage techniques (salting, smoking) made village and later city life possible as there was no need to go meal to meal needing to forage or hunt.

 

[KodeBlue]

Hunting isn't as efficient as breeding fecund (high producing) livestock. Plus, livestock aren't usually carnivorous, so they don't out up much of a fight in captivity. Much more efficient than hunting.

 

[Berniewood Hogan]

Yes, the first farmer probably got clowned by the hunters. But not for long.

"Look at you. Planting. I'm out here plucking fruits off trees and following this herd of antelope."

"That's cool. Do your thing, playboy."



fast forward ten years...



"How you got all these kids? How you got all these wives? What the fukk is this building you live in?"

"I invented the town, breh. Got a food surplus. I'm a fukking mayor."

"...............................""Can you spare some food, my man?"

"Nah. Just invented something new. Exile."

 

[Trajan]

It's funny when you think about how some who come from agricultural farming to nomads and how some look down upon it. Especially in an area like Ethiopia where drought effects everybody, but in my opinion it would affect nomads first obviously. It's just not practical, but that's all people know and what they've built their lives around, herding livestock, and a nomadic lifestyle of moving from place to place. There's no constant place they live in, they're always moving around. My mother looks down on her nomadic roots in favor of her families farming culture because she thinks it's lowly. To others it's a symbol of pride, men are hunters, and having your livestock and herd is a sign of wealth. Masai are a good example.

Somalia too and across certain Middle Eastern societies.

The nomadic tribes would look down on those who earned their living by farming and especially fishing.

They attach a certain honour to tending to the nomadic lifestyle. And even when it comes to animals.... Camel herders looked down on cow herders.

Being a camel herder was top of the food chain.

And due to the harsh environtment and constant warfare over grazing...nomadic tribes became tougher and better fighters. They ended up dominating the sedentary farmers in all the above societies.

 

[JahFocus CS]

Steadier food supply, mostly.

There are, of course, tremendous social implications of the transition.

 

[NotAnFBIagent]

U believe having to hunt for your food every time u get hungry was more desirable than growing and maintaining a steady food supply

 

[Elle Driver]

Somalia too and across certain Middle Eastern societies.

The nomadic tribes would look down on those who earned their living by farming and especially fishing.

They attach a certain honour to tending to the nomadic lifestyle. And even when it comes to animals.... Camel herders looked down on cow herders.

Being a camel herder was top of the food chain.

And due to the harsh environtment and constant warfare over grazing...nomadic tribes became tougher and better fighters. They ended up dominating the sedentary farmers in all the above societies.

That's what my mother concedes even though she takes great pride in being an Amhara (farmer lineage), she will readily admit the warrior mentality in Afar people of her grandmother made them tougher. Then you think of how peasant farmers are being taken advantage of, e.x. feudalism. Being a nomad or a hunter gatherer provides one a level of autonomy.

 

[Trajan]

Hunting isn't as efficient as breeding fecund (high producing) livestock. Plus, livestock aren't usually carnivorous, so they don't out up much of a fight in captivity. Much more efficient than hunting.

They worked less hours than farmers. They studied modern hunter-gatherer societies and found that they typically work 3-5 hours.

Farming is hard work breh.

 

[Madrasas]

Because it was easier?
Contrary to the rosy picture of the hunter gatherer lifestyle that you paint, it was actually incredibly brutal. With no capacity for food storage the population had to be regulated at the carrying capacity of the worst year. With no access to contraceptives this could only be achieved by massive infanticide, especially of female babies.

Also, the thing about hunter gatherers "only working 5 hours a day" is very misleading.

 

[Trajan]

Being a nomad or a hunter gatherer provides one a level of autonomy.

Yep. Which makes recently nomadic societies very difficult to govern. E.g Saudi Arabia (managed chaos lol)...Somalia. They're used to living free and coming and going as they please.

Farming usually leads to villages...organisation...hierarchy..

 

[MarcMan]

I agree with all that.

But I'm more interested in the initial decision to switch over. It was more work and more malnutrition

I'm no expert on the subject, but from what I've read civilizations would resort to agriculture when it was easier or more reliable than hunting. Necessity is the mother of innovation, as they say. I do believe this accounts for the advancement of certain early civilizations relative to others. If you're trying to survive in the sand dunes of Egypt for example, you'd better get real creative, real quick.

 

[Elle Driver]

Yep. Which makes recently nomadic societies very difficult to govern. E.g Saudi Arabia (managed chaos lol)...Somalia. They're used to living free and coming and going as they please.

Farming usually leads to villages...organisation...hierarchy..

It also means you're charged to live. Nomads don't even understand the concept of being charged to live, like rent, bills, etc. It's a hard ass lifestyle but it makes me proud to have that in my lineage. Capitalism has made it a fact of life, to be trampled all over and controlled by the elite who work less than you, but take most of your profits, and then charge you to live. It's lunacy.

 

[Music Fiend]

Humans aren't made to compete with animals. Sometimes hunting and gathering meant following prey for hrs or miles until it became exhausted.

Also farming allowed for family. No need to worry about your kid in the field with u while u hunt.

 

[KodeBlue]

They worked less hours than farmers. They studied modern hunter-gatherer societies and found that they typically work 3-5 hours.

Farming is hard work breh.

That's true, but farming yields a profit, while hunting didn't.