42 I Can Read You Like a Book
By addressing this topic of culture up front, I want to arouse
your awareness of how imperative it is that you ask yourself, “How
important is it that I’m American or Japanese when trying to read
that person’s body language?” “How much do my Islamic or Jewish
beliefs affect my perception of the meaning of her gestures?”“How
much does the fact that I’m a staunch Republican or a devoted
Communist color my understanding of his presentation?” And,
as corollaries, you will ask questions such as, “Am I a typical
Republican?” and “Is she a typical American?”
Ape culture is simple. Big alpha-male dominates; paired with
alpha-female, he becomes the ruling hierarchy. Other male apes
may scheme and attempt to breed part of the harem without the
knowledge of the alpha-male, but alphas absolutely control social
norming. At one point in our development, human culture was likely
very similar to the super-typical—clearly defined.
Looking back at the Celtic chieftain I mentioned in the opening
of this chapter, we can see a more sophisticated model in his cul-
ture than in the ape world. The king and his sub-chiefs were the
super-typical. Going against the rules—publicized by word of mouth
and personal observation—resulted in retribution. In their shaved-
ape world, king and chieftains became the alpha-chimps. Consis-
tent with their primate nature, people recognized the super-typical
and began to emulate.
On the rare occasions when a “superior” member of the clan
copied behavior of someone with less stature, he wanted something