Anthropology. Sounds like a complicated word. But simply put, anthropology is the study of human beings. But wait, what does that even mean? Like what do you study of human beings? I'm always asked this question.
During my graduation, well I studied everything I could possibly study. Not being cocky here.
Some of the subjects in my coursework included, archeology, gerontology (scientific study of the process of ageing), nutritional anthropology (focuses on how cultural food habits/taboos affect nutrition), forensic anthropology (application of the anatomical science of anthropology in solving criminal cases), IPR (Intellectual Property Rights), Immunology (study of our immune system), Human Ecology (study of the relationship between humans and their natural, social, and built environments), Biological Diversity in Human Populations (how and why we are all different biologically), Social Work, Psychological Anthropology (studies the interaction of cultural and mental processes), Epidemiology (branch of medical sciences that studies distribution and determinants of diseases), Genetic Diseases, Museology (study of museums and the curation of artefacts) etc. The list goes on. I had Biostatistics also, so yes I did have maths too :/ (keep in mind how diverse all these subjects are)
Coming to what I have learnt as a student of anthropology. Human beings are the most complicated organisms on this planet. Well, that was definitely my first learning. The more I studied about why we are all different, the more it intrigued me.
On a more serious note, one of my most important learning is that diversity defines us. Every behaviour, attribute and action should not be seen in isolation, but should be understood from the fact that years of enculturation and various social/cultural processes have shaped one's worldview and this has inherently influenced their identity. So if someone wears their clothes inside out, don't laugh. Ask why. Get to know why they think the way they think.
One thing Anthropology has taught me is to see things from multiple perspectives. Yes, we all say that we do this, but do we really? Multiple perspectives for me is to understand how the intersectionality of different identities play out in various situations, and why an individual chooses to prioritise a certain identity over the other. (Read this to understand the intersectionality of identities better)
Lastly, we are the product of our environment. The way food reaches you (from the soil to your table), the technology that surround you (all the blue light from your devices), the architecture of your working space, the amount of greenery in your surrounding, amount of sunlight you expose your body to etc. all affect your biological processes internally as well as externally and this in turn this affects your cognition.
Everything and everyone around us make us who we are. I guess this is the crux of what anthropology is all about :)
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