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The Ways of Mankind

Explore the various facets of cultures and explains not only how they differ, but how they are fundamentally the same in many ways.

Ways of Mankind

5 old time radio show recordings
(total playtime 2 hours, 1854 min)
available in the following formats:

1 MP3 CD
or
3 Audio CDs


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Play a sample episode from December 14, 1952:

"A Word in Your Ear"



... or click here to save the Mp3 file to your computer
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Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

Early in the age of radio, there came a realization that the media had a unique power to not only reach people and entertain them but to educate them as well. When broadcasting first began to be regulated, there was even resistance to the notion of commercial broadcasting. The attitude was that the public airwaves should be used to support the public interest, especially in the form of news and educational programming.

Walter GodschmidtThe First Amendment of the American Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression, opened the door for commercial broadcasting. Still, every commercial broadcasting company has had serving the public as part of its licensing agreement. All of the networks produced educational content to a greater or lesser extent, but there were still many who felt that the educational needs of the listening public were not being met. The National Association of Educational Broadcasters (NAEB) convinced the Federal Communications Commission in 1936 to reserve five channels for educational broadcasting, which became the forerunners of PBS and National Public Radio.

In 1952 and 1953, the NAEB produced a series of lessons in anthropology titled Ways of Mankind. The series was scripted by longtime UCLA professor Walter Goldschmidt. Professor Goldschmidt did his undergraduate and Master's Degree work at the University of Texas before going to UC Berkeley to attain his Doctorate. He was a prolific writer who felt that his mission "was really looking for the motivation of human behavior." He studied the Hupa Indians in Northern California and tribes in East Africa, but his most celebrated work was among the farming communities of the California interior where he showed that people living in family farming communities tended to engage in more social institutions than did those who lived in communities dominated by agribusiness, and enjoyed a higher quality of life.

The 26 episodes of Ways of Mankind explore the various facets of cultures and explains not only how they differ, but how they are fundamentally the same in many ways. Among the topics explored are language, art, ethics, values, religion, education, law, and others. The episodes take the form of dramatic sketches which represent the cultural facet being discussed in the episode.

Listeners on both sides of the Atlantic found Ways of Mankind to be easier to listen to and learn from than British Radio's famed series of lectures by noted anthropologists, if not as scholarly and learned. The difference between the two approaches comes down to the fact that commercial broadcasting never quite caught on in Great Britain. To put it another way, a lecturer on British Radio never had to compete with Fibber McGee and Molly.

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

These classic recordings are available in the following formats:

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    I first heard these great programs in the late '50s and early '60s on WFMT in Chicago.

    Jonathan Verified Purchase

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  • MP3 CDs are delivered by mail. These archival quality MP3 CDs are playable in your computer and many MP3 player devices.



    5 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00. Total playtime 2 hours, 1854 min
    5 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00
    total playtime 2 hours, 1854 min
    Add MP3 CD Collection to Cart

    1. 5 shows – total playtime 2 hours, 30 minutes
    2. Ways Of Mankind 521214 01 Word Your Ear Study Language.mp3
    3. Ways Of Mankind 521228 03 Desert Soliloquya Study Eductn.mp3
    4. Ways Of Mankind 530104 04 Greek Meets Greek Study Values.mp3
    5. Ways Of Mankind 530111 05 T C O Sea Lion Flippersa Ethics.mp3
    6. Ways Of Mankind 530301 12 I Know What I Likea Study Arts.mp3
  • MP3 downloads are available instantly after purchase!



    5 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00. Total playtime 2 hours, 1854 min
    5 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00
    69 MB – total playtime 2 hours, 30 min
    Add Instant Download Collection to Cart

    1. 5 shows – 69 MB – total playtime 2 hours, 30 minutes
    2. Ways Of Mankind 521214 01 Word Your Ear Study Language.mp3
    3. Ways Of Mankind 521228 03 Desert Soliloquya Study Eductn.mp3
    4. Ways Of Mankind 530104 04 Greek Meets Greek Study Values.mp3
    5. Ways Of Mankind 530111 05 T C O Sea Lion Flippersa Ethics.mp3
    6. Ways Of Mankind 530301 12 I Know What I Likea Study Arts.mp3
  • Standard Audio CDs are delivered by mail on archival quality media with up to 60 minutes on each CD and play in all CD players



    5 recordings on 3 Audio CDs. Total playtime 2 hours, 30 min
    5 recordings on 3 Audio CDs
    total playtime 2 hours, 30 min

    Ways of Mankind Disc A001

    1. Ways Of Mankind 521214 01 Word Your Ear Study Language
    2. Ways Of Mankind 521228 03 Desert Soliloquya Study Eductn

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Ways of Mankind Disc A002

    1. Ways Of Mankind 530104 04 Greek Meets Greek Study Values
    2. Ways Of Mankind 530111 05 T C O Sea Lion Flippersa Ethics

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Ways of Mankind Disc A003

    1. Ways Of Mankind 530301 12 I Know What I Likea Study Arts

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00

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