When ice first became available in Sri Lanka, fishermen were finally able to sell their catch in urban markets. With rising incomes, many decided to emulate their middle-class superiors by buying televisions. They proudly placed the new TV sets in the very center of their huts—in villages that lacked electricity. To solve the mysteries of human behavior, bioanthropologists point to instincts. Psychologists suggest manias, phobias, and disorders. Economists assume rationality. But the Sri Lankan fishermen’s behavior is best explained through conventions—namely, actions taken in pursuit of
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