not wanting to go all 'noble savage' on you, but there may have been an element of choice in this rendition of reality without projection or conditioning, without 'ifs' and 'maybes'.

certainly it would seem like a mental amputation of sorts, to give up our beautiful power to imagine vertical mental architecture, to conjure concepts, to stroke and stimulate our intellects into ever more interesting and acrobatic contortions, but at the end of the day, perhaps it distracts us from reality as much as enrich it.

certainly anthropological research has become less culturally insensitive and supremacist since mead's day, but i still feel compelled to point out indigenous peoples' lifeskills are usually much more ecologically appropriate than the first world's, and they usually respect the earth as a living organism, on whose mercy and grace they humbly depend.

movies are a good way to open their cultural windows, as they can grok without having to immediately react, which might be difficult with regard to pride and dignity, quite difficult to maintain in the face of a culture so obviously tech-superior.

i am very grateful for the insights i get from your sharing, kc, your comments often bring a fascinating (and funny) depth to some of the politico-sociological-economic discussions here at ET.

and your spelling is truly original!

i see a picture of you aflame with an idea and leaping across the room to batter your keyboard into instant communication compliance, damn the torpedoes...

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty