Changing the cultural myth: hunters and gatherers on the coast.

The people of the coastal edge of Texas today are concerned with gathering the fruits of their hard work, but the present generation is living on the edge of a drastic change in their quality of life. Factors leading to this change include: 1) increasing population in a limited space, 2) clashes of economic interests, and 3) the retention of outmoded and self- destructive means of earning a living. Traditional myths, public policies, and political perspectives that forestall coordinated solutions to problems aggravate the situation. The hunting and gathering lifestyles of many coastal Texans are now creating serious problems. Attempts to respond to these problems, such as coastal zone management programs, have not met with complete success. The severity of some of these problems may be mitigated by the humanities, one of whose major purposes is to promote communication across hardened economic, cultural, ethnic, and political boundaries.