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Thomas comments on Rationality Quotes March 2014 - Less Wrong
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Yes, but on net primitive tribes (at least in the short-run) seem to be made worse off from contact with technologically advanced civilizations.
Sure, but that doesn't change the fact that they could learn a lot from us. Indeed, if that weren't so, they
a) would be primitive and b) wouldn't be (especially and unusually) harmed by the contact.
Even after controlling for harmful or exploitative behavior by the advanced civilizations?
Yes because of germs.
Depends which primitive tribes. Amerindians died from European diseases and Europeans died from African diseases.
And germs.
Are the ideas harmful?
Some religious views might be.
I'm pretty sure most uncontacted tribes had their own religious weirdness.
Good point, but that doesn't fall under the "a lot to learn from" rubric. Your general point about contact is likely true.
Pretend I'm a fantastic in-person teacher but if you get near me you will die of some disease. Do you have a lot to learn from me?
As I said, your general point about net value of contact is correct.
Yes. Use a correspondence course...
And if you can't read?
My reply was not entirely literal; in short, information and disease do not all follow the same vectors. A sterilized phone would be helpful, but of course then you could say what if you don't know how to use a phone...
So, it's positive-sum. But anyway, who cares what a primitive tribe learns? We, surely, are the center and purpose of the universe; our gain, however small or large, is the important thing.