

Uncontacted Amazonian tribe photographed - babul
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1022822/Incredible-pictures-Earths-uncontacted-tribes-firing-bows-arrows.html

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hugh
What I don't like is the presumption in this article that it would be best if
these "uncontacted" people stayed that way. It's just as bad as the
presumption that our ancestors would have had that we should immediately go in
and start giving them trousers and bibles.

Is it really right to deny these people the benefits of our thousands of years
of hard-won knowledge, just because we think it's cute to watch them in their
body paint?

Also, does this help us in thinking about what more advanced extraterrestrial
civilizations might do if they encountered us?

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Leon
Well, like the article said, the biggest threat is probably disease introduced
that they are not immune to. I'd say that's a good reason to leave them alone
until we have at least a plan to go in and protect them w/ vaccinations (if
they would even let us give them vaccines - I highly doubt they would
understand them; even people today are fear mongering over mercury in
vaccines). But then again we're going to run into contact with them
eventually, so it might as well be sooner than loggers or land-grabbers go in
and kill them all.

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ComputerGuru
But don't we have a moral imperative to share our knowledge? Why is it a law
that children must attend school if not to underscore the value of _spreading_
knowledge that we've acquired. The instinct to teach (not to convert, but just
to teach) is human. We can't force them to adopt our ways; but shouldn't we
show them the alternatives and give them the choice of accepting it or not?

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Leon
The reason it's required for children to attend school in our society probably
has more to do with the fact that it's pretty much a requirement if you want
to exist in our society, while for a native it isn't necessary to survive -
they can get along alright with their preexisting knowledge base, however
limited.

Ex: A native running around protecting his territory in our society would most
likely be shot by police.

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noonespecial
The orange guy on the left marched right back into his hut, pulled out his
OLPC and filed a complaint with the FAA for nuisance planes flying too low,
buzzing the village and disturbing the peace, describing the incident as
"uncivilized behavior".

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jamess
Nah, but now Jacob has told them they need to move the village.

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mattmaroon
"they want to be left alone.

And for good reason. The history of contact, between indigenous tribes and the
outside world, has always been an unhappy one."

If they've had no contact, how do they know about that history?

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ruslan
Poor fellows are already unhappy cause they have been discovered and sooner or
later the contact will happen. What matters now is how the contact is to be
conducted. I think the best way is to take a couple representatives of the
pride young enough to be able to percept reality and learn things, show them
the rest "civilized" world, teach some basics, provide with some primitive
instruments and get them back to the pride. Then, just watch how things will
get developed: will they kill each others or will they develop ? What we can
get of this is prove or bust of mainstream development theory, at least. :-)

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derefr
I want to be on the team that briefs them just so I can teach them the Ford's
prayer. Might be enough to make sure they avoid us as long as they can ;)

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babul
OK so it is not tech related but so amazing I thought it was worth a mention.

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gexla
I love the picture where they have their bows at the ready. That is truly the
poor mans anti-aircraft system. Even better would be a new set of pictures
showing that they actually brought down the plane, how would you explain that
one to the boss?

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ivankirigin
like something out of a video game. Black & White or Populus.

best comment yet: "you know there be missionaries pitching tents over this"
<http://twitter.com/ibeching/statuses/823727719>

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kul
more info here: <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7427417.stm>

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LPTS
They got two archers and a settler. Not bad. If a country with lots of
technology grabbed that tribe, and got lucky, we might find a really cool tech
like fusion or Superconductor. I can't believe the spanish explorers missed
the goody box way back then.

Edit: If this actually was Civ, those archers could of held off that
helicopter, and about a dozen battleships, with no sweat forever.

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Xichekolas
I know exactly what you mean. I once had a barbarian warrior take out one of
my stealth bombers... it was embarrassing.

Civ2 ftw.

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pragmatic
Why is there no "down mod" ability for stories such as this. This is hacker
news not Reddit.

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ruslan
Those fellows are prehistoric hackers, don't you see that ? ;-)

