Marshall Sahlins’s *Stone Age Economics* is a seminal work of modern anthropology that established its author’s reputation as a leading figure immediately upon its initial publication in 1972. By ambitiously interpreting the nature of economic activity as a cultural phenomenon, Sahlins radically revised traditional views—not only regarding hunter-gatherers but also concerning primitive society and the concept of subsistence economies as a whole. It was here that Sahlins identified the "original affluent society"—a concept that became his anthropological trademark and defined the scope of debates for decades, extending far beyond academic circles. Yet, just as it did half a century ago, the hypothesis that early humans may have lived better without the benefits of modern civilization remains provocative, prompting a continued search for evidence to either confirm or refute it.