Cultural Eyeglasses and Cranes Summary

Jensen begins the chapter "Cultural Eyeglasses" by talking about the effect of isolation on monkeys then expands this idea to discuss the dangers of the isolation of people from the natural world and from each other. Jensen then talks about what he refers to as cultural eyeglasses. He says these "eyeglasses" are a way of thinking that a society puts on its people to determine or guide their way of thinking. Jensen refers to Christianity as one example of these eyeglasses. He says a form of these glasses were also worn by those working in Nazi death camps.

Jensen next discusses his memories of elementary school where he often challenged his teachers to tell him why when all they wanted to teach him was how. In college Jensen remembers that he and his fellow students were tempted...