[lostalex]

You guys have probably seen the footage recently of a tribe in the Brazilian Amazon rain forrest.

Video link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-12360013



I find the whole thing very fascinating. It also makes me think of people's attitudes towards UFO's and aliens. The people who say "if there were aliens, they would show themselves, and land on the White House lawn".

Well maybe they wouldn't. We are specifically not contacting this tribe because people think it would be immoral, but what must those tribal people think when they see a helicopter flying over filming them? Maybe the aliens have the same attitude.

I think it's immoral to not contact this tribe. Imagine how many people must die of diseases we have cures for. Imagine the infant mortality rate and the short lifespan these people have.

In the same way, if aliens have a cure for cancer, we'd want them to land and share it with us, i think we have a moral responsibility to contact this tribe, and share our medical technology with them.

What do you think?

[Angus]

I think they should be left alone - what right does anyone have to stick their arrogant oar in (under the pretence of altruism) and **** up a perfectly viable ecosystem that has served this tribe well for millennia. Any outside interference is what I would call immoral.

[MTVN]

No, I think they should be left alone to live their lives

[Benjamin]

This footage isn't recent.

And no, we should not contact them. They have the means to explore and make contact with us if they so wish. Leave them to it, they are causing no harm and live their lives the way they want. Why mess with the last remaning piece of untouched life and bring it to our confusing and messed up ways?

[lostalex]

Originally Posted by ukturtle

This footage isn't recent.

And no, we should not contact them. They have the means to explore and make contact with us if they so wish. Leave them to it, they are causing no harm and live their lives the way they want. Why mess with the last remaning piece of untouched life and bring it to our confusing and messed up ways?

It is actually recent. The photo i used is an old photo, but if you go to the BBC news site i linked, it is the first film of them.

I think is is incredibly condescending to say they are happy as they are. Would you say that to a m other who lost her child in that tribe? If you could save their children's lives, i think they would want us to help them.

Why does contacting them, and giving them our knowledge and techology mean destroying their "way of life"? it doesn't.

They can still have their culture, but we can help them cure diseases.

By your logic, no countries should share their information with each other because it would "destroy their culture".
So why do American scientists share their knowledge with British scientists? Is it destroying British culture?

We're talking about saving lives, not setting up a shopping mall.

[InOne]

Leave them alone but sorta watch over them. Protect them from illegal miners and stuff.

[lostalex]

I definitely agree we should protect their land, and not allow the people that want to bulldoze down the forrest. But we can protect their land, and also contact them too. In fact, if this is a legal issue, shouldn't they be allowed to represent themselves in court? We are talking about what rights they have, and they don't even know that their rights are threatened. They have a right to know imo.

[Shasown]

Originally Posted by lostalex

I definitely agree we should protect their land, and not allow the people that want to bulldoze down the forrest. But we can protect their land, and also contact them too. In fact, if this is a legal issue, shouldn't they be allowed to represent themselves in court? We are talking about what rights they have, and they don't even know that their rights are threatened. They have a right to know imo.

If you do a little research on this you will find they do have contact with the outside world, they themselves choose to limit it. Why, look it even says that in the link you provided:

They are known as "uncontacted" because they have only limited dealings with the outside world.

As for contacting them, its quite possible that the people contacting them could introduce viruses etc that to us are relatively harmless but which could pose a major threat to them.



As for them representing themselves in court, thats not a very realistic viewpoint is it?

[lostalex]

Originally Posted by Shasown

If you do a little research on this you will find they do have contact with the outside world, they themselves choose to limit it. Why, look it even says that in the link you provided:



As for contacting them, its quite possible that the people contacting them could introduce viruses etc that to us are relatively harmless but which could pose a major threat to them.



As for them representing themselves in court, thats not a very realistic viewpoint is it?

have they been told though, that the average lifespan in the modern age is over 70? Have they been offered access to our libraries?

Can you imagine if aliens contacted us, would we turn them away? IUf we did, i think it would be a mistake.

I would hope we would welcome new information and new technology.

[Scarlett.]

It's thier culture and we should respect it, not go forcing our culture on them

[lostalex]

It is possible though, that they don't know what's best for their culture. If that's the case then perhaps it would be our obligation to do what's best for them with or without their consent.

Like with a child, they don't want to get an immunization shot, but we hold them down and give it to them.

Doing what's right isn't always easy or pleasant. Like Iraq.

[Shasown]

Originally Posted by lostalex

have they been told though, that the average lifespan in the modern age is over 70? Have they been offered access to our libraries?

Can you imagine if aliens contacted us, would we turn them away? IUf we did, i think it would be a mistake.

I would hope we would welcome new information and new technology.

I dont know if they have been offered access to our libraries, but you could send them your library card. Might be a bit premature though dont you think? Do you think they will be able to read?

Dont presume to impose your beliefs etc onto other.

Modern civilisation seeks out knowledge etc. This indigenous tribe could make contact with the outside world if they wanted. They have chosen not to avail themselves of that opportunity to any great extent. That is obviously their choice.

As for aliens contacting us, ever thought they work on a similar system of non interference?

[lostalex]

Originally Posted by Shasown

As for aliens contacting us, ever thought they work on a similar system of non interference?

yes i have, read my original post. I also believe, as I stated, that it would be immoral for aliens to withhold their technology from us, the example i gave was that if they had a cure for cancer.

It would be like having a beached whale, and refusing to help it back to the ocean, because we don't want to "interfere with nature" of course we will push a whale back into the ocean, and try to help it. The first order of business in any situation is protecting life.

Should we let a whale die on a beach because we don't want to interfere? or should we help push the whale back into the water?

[MTVN]

Originally Posted by lostalex

It is possible though, that they don't know what's best for their culture. If that's the case then perhaps it would be our obligation to do what's best for them with or without their consent.

Like with a child, they don't want to get an immunization shot, but we hold them down and give it to them.

Doing what's right isn't always easy or pleasant. Like Iraq.

What makes you think you are in a better position to make a decision on their lifestlye & culture than they are themselves?

[Shasown]

Originally Posted by lostalex

It is possible though, that they don't know what's best for their culture. If that's the case then perhaps it would be our obligation to do what's best for them with or without their consent.

Like with a child, they don't want to get an immunization shot, but we hold them down and give it to them.

Doing what's right isn't always easy or pleasant. Like Iraq.

Yeah and if they dont like the American way and approve a macdonalds franchise you could always bomb them back to the stone age.

[lostalex]

Originally Posted by MTVN

What makes you think you are in a better position to make a decision on their lifestlye & culture than they are themselves?

Our innovations in science, technology and medicine i believe does make us superior. Imagine telling them that America has put a man on the moon.

[Ninastar]

We should leave them to do as they wish, but they I think we should study them

[arista]

Originally Posted by InOne

Leave them alone but sorta watch over them. Protect them from illegal miners and stuff.

Yes thats what is going on.

[MTVN]

Originally Posted by lostalex

Our innovations in science, technology and medicine i believe does make us superior.

That was exactly the argument that Colonialists used back in the 19th century..

[arista]

Originally Posted by lostalex

Our innovations in science, technology and medicine i believe does make us superior. Imagine telling them that America has put a man on the
moon.

No as they might think how you will cook
in there dinner pots.

[Shasown]

Originally Posted by lostalex

Our innovations in science, technology and medicine i believe does make us superior. Imagine telling them that America has put a man on the moon.

Yes then you can also tell them about rates of morbid obesity, colo-rectal (amongst other) cancers and all the other good things you lead the field in, including most hated nation status.

[lostalex]

Originally Posted by MTVN

That was exactly the argument that Colonialists used back in the 19th century..

and it's worked out. Do you think the USA would be a better place if we all lived in tee-pee's. The world would not have all the inventions created by the USA. Do you honestly think the world would be a better place if European colonialists never came to America?

I don't.

Just like America became something new and wonderful after colonialism. America became more powerful than Europe. So these tribes could become more power aswell. They just need access to information. Who knows? Maybe their creativity could be just as great as the USA's creativity after being contacted by europe.

Creativity should never be underestimated.

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

yes

[lostalex]

Originally Posted by Shasown

Yes then you can also tell them about rates of morbid obesity, colo-rectal (amongst other) cancers and all the other good things you lead the field in, including most hated nation status.

'

sorry but yur wrong, there are many more hated nations than the USA. Stop lying plzz. China, Russia, North Korea, Isreal are all more hated than the USA.

[Shasown]

Originally Posted by lostalex

and it's worked out. Do you think the USA would be a better place if we all lived in tee-pee's. The world would not have all the inventions created by the USA. Do you honestly think the world would be a better place if European colonialists never came to America?

I don't.

Just like America became something new and wonderful after colonialism. America became more powerful than Europe. So these tribes could become more power aswell. They just need access to information. Who knows?

Are you beliberately missing the point, they have access to information if they choose to avail themselves of it

They have chosen not to. Their choice not yours.