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The biblical parable of twin brothers Jacob and Esau, found in the Book of Genesis, is the story of humankind’s transition from the independence of nomadic life to the restrictions of civilization. Beginning 6,000 years ago, we traded the risks and hardships of the nomad tribe for the security and safety of the city dwelling laborer. Through those six millennia many have tried to escape Jacob’s village and join Esau’s tribe, but at this moment in history we are virtually all captured in the thrall of civilization, that complex society characterized by the empowerment of the state, social stratification and constraints, work specialization, urbanization, and depictive forms of communication.