"Our humanity rests upon a series of learned behaviors, woven together into patterns that are infinitely fragile and never directly inherited"

In this quote, anthropologist Margaret Mead recommends that our humanity is not something that we are born with, however rather something that we discover through our habits. She describes that these habits are intricately woven together to produce patterns that are delicate and quickly broken. Our humankind, therefore, is not a fixed characteristic, however rather a constantly evolving and delicate construct. Mead likewise emphasizes that these patterns are not inherited directly from our ancestors, but rather passed down through found out habits. This highlights the importance of cultural and social impacts in forming our humanity. Overall, Mead's quote highlights the complexity and fragility of our humankind and the role that discovered behaviors play in its formation.