"Mm. Interesting."...

I don't know whether I am fascinated or disgusted. Maybe it would help if I explained. I saw those pictures of that tribe in South America that apparently had never had any contact with the outside world. I only saw the pictures of the tribesmen painted red and pointing bows and arrows at the intruding plane. Apparently hours before when the plane had no cameras on board, the plane came across this tribe and the women and children were outside playing and doing chores. The men were not painted red. They were just hanging out. Only after the plane came back were the women and children not seen and the men painted red.

On a Saturday morning show, CBS I think it was, they showed the pictures and this arrogant windbag behind the desk said "Mm. Interesting."

It's hard to imagine but what would your reaction be to something as disruptive as this in your life? These people don't know what a light bulb is. Phone, toilet, car, refrigerator, computer. Nada. Zip. Zilch. And apparently they are doing OK with it.

Stumbling across them I understand. Flying back to take pictures, I don't know. I understand the scientific part of it of course. It is fascinating to find a species to which I belong totally isolated from the world. I would love to see how they live, what they eat and all of that. But something just gnaws at me that this isn't right.

Remember a few years ago when that washed up actor who went to live with the grizzlies was found eaten by said grizzlies? Well, they went in and put down the offending grizzly. So, man intrudes on animals habitat gets eaten by said animal and the animal is at fault? For what, being an animal? Those kind of things bother me to no end. I guess it's our arrogance. I am in no way an environmentalist but I am a conservationist. I think part of that is knowing when to leave well enough alone. If a guy thinks he can co-habitate with bears, so be it. If he ends up being Sunday breakfast, so be it.

Getting back to the arrogant windbag, taking into account these people have never had any contact with the outside world, sure maybe another tribe like themselves but not any civilized world, what do you think their reaction was to a huge non-wooden object actually flying in the sky? Well, they hid their women and children and painted themselves red and grabbed bows and arrows. Sounds like we scared the bejeezus out of them.

It looks like war.

We totally turned this societies world upside down. Everything they thought they knew has now been turned on its head. They fear for their lives and are willing to fight to the death to defend themselves. And all the desk-jockey can think of to say is "Mm. Interesting."

This reminds me of a Simpson's episode. Doesn't everything. Homer gets in a plane to escape a gambling debt and the plane takes him to South America where some missionaries are working with a local tribe. In the course of the show the volcano begins to erupt so Homer tries to finish the church they are building to appease the gods. He tells the tribesmen:

"You sinners must help me finish this church."

"Sinners? Since when?"

"Since I got here." says Homer.

I'm not equating missionaries with what's going on here but I hope you get the point.

I think I made up my mind. I'm disgusted.