[xadhominemx]

“the inhabitants have to be closer to everything that is real and important on their island than we modern people will ever be and likely have”

They undoubtedly have their own absurd mythology describing their origins and the workings of the universe

[doodlebugging]

As they should. That is how people maintain generations-long connections to ancestors and group history, whether it be an oral tradition in songs or stories or a set of written tales.

[xadhominemx]

Or maybe they rape and beat their woman, suffer from high infant mortality and often die excruciating deaths after moderate injuries like a broken arm or cut.

[cpursley]

If they did, they wouldn't survive for more than a few generations, no?

[mkl]

No, that probably describes most of our species' existence.

[cwmoore]

Maybe Jesus bringing them penicillin and condoms is worse somehow

[crossroadsguy]

That sounds familiar. They are also antivaxxers in a way. And after the raping they probably also don’t allow their women to go for abortions. They definitely meed an orange haired god! Let’s go for it!

[doodlebugging]

If you're hoping to fill the open position vacated by bible-thumping Jesus I'm sorry to inform you that the position will apparently remain open for the forseeable future.

Perhaps your skills are more useful in Texas or in the southern US where I understand that problems like you describe are trending up.

[xadhominemx]

I’m not a bible thumper but I also don’t promulgate cringe noble savage mythology either

[doodlebugging]

It's unfortunate that you tagged the Sentinelese as rapists and abusers of their spouses in your first comment.

That's being pretty judgemental, like a bible-thumper would be, off to save people who aren't necessarily interested in being saved from a situation that may never have been part of their worldview.

Sometimes it's better to leave things alone. Western civilization doesn't have an answer to every question and for too many cultures in the past, contact has meant that we effectively killed them while making an effort to save or assimilate them.

In my view your reply suggests that you have strong cultural biases that education may help you overcome. Reading is still fun as it always has been. Grab a book and step outside your bubble.

I'm gonna need to read up on some of the materials that others have linked to see whether there is historical evidence of this abusive behavior that you think is part of their culture.

EDIT: I just read the Atlantic article linked by u/marc_abonce in this thread. I see nothing in that to support your assumption that the men are rapists and spouse abusers. In contrast, I see strong evidence of a group of people who suffered greatly in their interactions with western colonizers.

[emmelaich]

The presence of 'maybe' means it's a possibility, not an assumption.

[cvalka]

Innovation, science and technology. These things make us special as human beings. If there are any human civilizations unwilling to engage in those things, they should be absorbed and assimilated.

[gosub100]

There's no prerequisite to believe in a fantasy in order to maintain connections to ancestors.

[heyjamesknight]

Citation needed.

People connect through story. The stories that connect the most people over the greatest timescales have all been myths—or developed into them over generations.

Augustus Caesar commissioned the Aeneid for this exact reason: Rome needed a founding story, a connection to the Universal History of the world that it stepped into and inherited.

The "Matter of Britain" has captivated England for a thousand years, even though its obvious Arthur and Camelot never existed in any way similar to those stories.

The Jewish people have celebrated the Passover for over 3000 years based on their connection to a story.

Don't discount the power of "fantasy".