(no subject)

So my local library has put out its winter reading program. Theme is 'prime'. Five points: read a book with a prime number in the title. Five points: read a book with a cover that is predominantly a primary color. Five points: seventeen is a prime number, Jan 17 is Ben Franklin's birthday, Ben Franklin originated public libraries (um, wasn't Alexandria a public library? for given values of 'public', but...), celebrate by joining the Friends of your local library, which involves donating money to same. (Cute.) Fifteen points: read a book with a Dewey number (decimals omitted) that's prime. Fifteen points: volunteer at the library for a prime number of hours. (Again, cute.) Etc, so forth, but the one that's got me ticked is a ten-pointer:

Primitive suggests characteristics of the origins or early stages of development of original things. Read a book, then watch a film, describing the following: primitive tribes, primitive conditions, primitive customs, primitive tools.

*sends politely pissy email to library*

Regarding one element of the winter reading program

Specifically the one about 'primitive tribes and primitive customs'. Please define both terms without condescending to people who belong to one of such tribes or follow one of such customs, and without implying that members of such tribes are inferior to more 'advanced' peoples or that followers of such customs are inferior to followers of more modern customs.

I'm also curious what y'all mean by 'primitive conditions'.

Thank you,

alexseanchai