An American anthropology professor is lecturing on how to recognize the dominant features of a culture.

An American anthropology professor is lecturing on how to recognize the dominant features of a culture.

"It's quite simple," she says. "Just look for the things to which, or for which, people make great sacrifices. In medieval Italy, look at how much money the people gave to the Catholic Church in their devotion to Jesus and the Virgin Mary. In pre-Columbian Mexico, look at the sacifice of humans on the Aztec altars of their gods. Even in modern India, look at the outrageous burdens placed on people in their remarkable veneration of cows. When people let something dominate their entire lives, to the extent that they don't even notice it anymore, that's the key sign of cultural obsession."

"As a final note," she goes on, "it's striking that America is free of any dominant cultural obsession. That may be one of the hallmarks of a true demcracy."

She begins to pick up her books. "I'm sorry, but that will be the end of lecture for today. My car's in the shop to have its radio repaired, and I need to get my rental car out of the parking lot before I get a fine, buy some gas, get across town before the rush hour traffic gets too bad, and pick up my car before the garage closes. I'm sure you all want to beat the traffic too. Class dismissed."