Who would you save?

[The Straight Story]

In certain spots in the world we encounter people who are nothing like us here. Tribal folks using folk medicine/shamans to treat an illness, cast off demons, etc.

Our technology is light years ahead of them, as is our understanding of a great many things.

They plant gardens, live off the land, their kids have no electricity, running water, they have no idea what condom means, etc and so on.

Back when Europeans were first interfacing with Indians they tried to 'save' those 'savages' from their ways. We had a written language, weapons they had never seen, medicine that was new to them, etc. We knew better than they did.

And now here we find ourselves far in the future. We have nukes, mri's, banking, manufacturing, etc and so on. And then we find groups like those mentioned here tonight: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5747821

Backwards by our standards, and we could offer them so much to help them.

These backward folks who live within their means. Don't pollute. Are not bent on being major consumers. Don't drive cars.

here in America we have those Amish folks - by no means 'perfect' as we define it. Living off the land, not getting in our business, just living their lives without cell phones, electric, cars. People not contributing to the downfall of so many things.

Slowly but surely we have become a society that is bent on saving others - whether they be smokers, overweight people, amish, third world folks, etc and so on. We offer something better?

Perhaps in trying to save ourselves and others we have gotten off track a tad, and did not learn some really important lessons.

In saving others perhaps we have ended up hurting ourselves.

I am not you, you are not me. Be yourself, trying to control me because you map my life to yours ends up as bad now as it has in the past.

In other words - thinking 'globally' now on so many issues is not a lot different than other groups in the past who thought the same way and tried to force their beliefs on others.

Controlling others or trying to en masse has a history of turning out poorly for all involved.

And yet people still do it and justify it because it is 'best' for people.

When will we learn?

Freedom and diversity. It used to be important to us. Now the fear peddlers have come in and decided if people don't all follow their religion...err I mean political ideals and beliefs...we are sinners and ignorant and need to be saved from ourselves.

The end of the world won't come from some third world tribe somewhere. It will come because a 'superior' society like ours brought about nuclear war or one of our viruses we developed for defense got out. Or our consumption and contribution to global warming made the planet uninhabitable.

those silly religious minded third world folks with all their superstitions...they won't be the ones who do the most damage.

In the end, we will save them all from their odd ways and beliefs.

Question is, who will save us from ours?