Should the human race adopt the prime directive here on earth?

Question

Do you think that if undeveloped cultures had been allowed to evolve naturally, without interference from industrialized nations and religious missionaries, that some tribe or culture out there might have figured out a better lifestyle for the whole human race by now?

Answer 1

I'd have to say no.

I'm attracted to the idea on some level, partly for the reason you gave. The reason I have to say no is that I believe everyone is better off cooperating and sharing what they know. Looking at history, isolated cultures usually haven't done too well. One of the reasons Europeans came to dominate the world is because they could borrow and adapt knowledge from all the civilisations of the Old World. It would be cruel to just watch a culture suffer through disease and starvation if we knew an easy way to help them.

Real human misery and real human lives are too high of a price to pay for the remote possibility of an isolated culture making some great discovery. I think it is better to interact with these cultures and offer them discoveries and ideas that have helped us...and learn lessons from them in the process. This doesn't mean we should FORCE anything on them, but we shouldn't hold anything back either.

Even if we do interact with other cultures, that doesn't mean they still can't evolve independently. They can give their own spin to our contributions, and may even still come up with a better way of life.

Answer 2

been trying to convince people of that for 15 years now

Answer 3

i think that would work very well for every civilization to mind there own business