Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2006 7:10 am
Hi Diane...at long last I reply... well sort of.
Actually you make your points so well I dont really have much argument to offer.
But instinctively I somehow feel that the worlds so vastly different as theirs and ours cannot co-exist in a state of quiecense without entropy and diffusion occurring and without our active willingness to prevent that diffusion. That is, the rest of us have to actively want to let them live in that state. So basically the 'modern' world become their zookeepers.
You mentioned about the Andamans tribes being affected by the tsunami in your pm. Well I do know that the indian airforce tried to airdrop food packets in the dense forests in the islands without intruding. No doubt it was well-intentioned but under natural circumstances these tribes would be left to their own devices to survive or not by such a natural disaster. I dont know if the tribes actually got to the food packets or not (in fact nobody knows and furthermore nobody really knows their diet in the first place, and what would they make of polythene packets) but the point is if they did then already the modern world is interfering with their natural destiny.
The other point I want to make is we know very very little about these tribes precisely because they are isolated. Often it is mentioned (i think by yourself too) that we can learn a lot about our past by observing them.
But how? The very act of observing these tribes to learn more about our past will involve contact which means we will be influencing them with our culture too. They will then no longer be isolated. As they say in high school chemistry you cannot observe the position and velocity of an electron without disturbing those quantities it simply by the act of measuring them (or something like that).
Your ancestors and my ancestors were once such isolated tribes just like everybody elses until they got assimilated by a more dominant 'civilization'. No doubt the transition was painful and bloody for a few generations. But am I losing sleep over it today? Nope...I just get on with my life and very glad with where I'm at in the 21st century world (no doubt my friend bossman has other thoughts about that). But it is the way of the world.
As you have mentioned somewhere that the idea of the noble savage is a myth. Those who are clamoring for the simpler, wilder ways close to earth and nature - I read somewhere that the nomadic bushmen of africa leave their old behind to die because being nomadic by nature old folks would simply drag them down and threaten their survival in the wilds.
Very logical and practical.....under the circumstances. I'll take the health care system here any day even with all its flaws.
Well anyway thats what I wanted to say I guess....I am not trying to contradict your arguments directly becoz they are very sound but just my thoughts on it.
I do believe Captain Picard and his merry crew have thoroughly investigated this matter from every angle and in a very philosophical manner. Can't remember which episode though....if I find out I'll let you know.
Actually you make your points so well I dont really have much argument to offer.
But instinctively I somehow feel that the worlds so vastly different as theirs and ours cannot co-exist in a state of quiecense without entropy and diffusion occurring and without our active willingness to prevent that diffusion. That is, the rest of us have to actively want to let them live in that state. So basically the 'modern' world become their zookeepers.
You mentioned about the Andamans tribes being affected by the tsunami in your pm. Well I do know that the indian airforce tried to airdrop food packets in the dense forests in the islands without intruding. No doubt it was well-intentioned but under natural circumstances these tribes would be left to their own devices to survive or not by such a natural disaster. I dont know if the tribes actually got to the food packets or not (in fact nobody knows and furthermore nobody really knows their diet in the first place, and what would they make of polythene packets) but the point is if they did then already the modern world is interfering with their natural destiny.
The other point I want to make is we know very very little about these tribes precisely because they are isolated. Often it is mentioned (i think by yourself too) that we can learn a lot about our past by observing them.
But how? The very act of observing these tribes to learn more about our past will involve contact which means we will be influencing them with our culture too. They will then no longer be isolated. As they say in high school chemistry you cannot observe the position and velocity of an electron without disturbing those quantities it simply by the act of measuring them (or something like that).
Your ancestors and my ancestors were once such isolated tribes just like everybody elses until they got assimilated by a more dominant 'civilization'. No doubt the transition was painful and bloody for a few generations. But am I losing sleep over it today? Nope...I just get on with my life and very glad with where I'm at in the 21st century world (no doubt my friend bossman has other thoughts about that). But it is the way of the world.
As you have mentioned somewhere that the idea of the noble savage is a myth. Those who are clamoring for the simpler, wilder ways close to earth and nature - I read somewhere that the nomadic bushmen of africa leave their old behind to die because being nomadic by nature old folks would simply drag them down and threaten their survival in the wilds.
Very logical and practical.....under the circumstances. I'll take the health care system here any day even with all its flaws.
Well anyway thats what I wanted to say I guess....I am not trying to contradict your arguments directly becoz they are very sound but just my thoughts on it.
I do believe Captain Picard and his merry crew have thoroughly investigated this matter from every angle and in a very philosophical manner. Can't remember which episode though....if I find out I'll let you know.
... "Don't worry, their time's coming. Won't be long now."
.
...