[TML] A Plague of Spacemen

[shadow at shadowgard.com]

On 11 Oct 2007 at 9:22, Stuart Frew wrote:

> > I am a firm believer that the Star Trek Prime Directive (which they didn't
> > seem to follow) was a bit of wisdom, as far as planets with radically
> > different technology goes.
> >
> > Look at the trouble it causes here on Earth when we let technology go
> > anywhere.
> 
> Ah, but what about humanitarian tech.
> 
> Will you let tens of thousands die because a planet doesn't have germ
> theory yet?

Actually* "humanitarian" tech is the best example of why you need to 
exercise extreme care in introducing tech.

Most of the famines and the like in Africa are *because* we 
introduced medical tech.

You see, if you increase the survival rate of people (especially 
children) in a culture that has "evolved" with high mortality rates 
you'll get a population explosion. 

They'll have a cultural *need* for lots of children, because that was 
required to get enough adults to keep things working (and to support 
the few who survived to old age).

Until you can get the culture to be *willing* to change and do things 
like reduce birth rates (and likely adopt new food crops and ways of 
living) you are doing more *harm* than good by "saving lives". 

Which is better? Thousands dying every year from diseases they've 
died from for millenia? Or *millions* dying, the land being ruined by 
overframing and overgrazing, and the possible *extinction* of the 
society because you had to "help"?

> The same tech can be used for germ warfare or some other duel use.
> 
> I've always thought the Prime Directive to be a little heartless. A kind
> of Cultural Darwinism.
> If the planet doesn't make it into (interstellar) space its considered
> inferior not worthy of help. Let them rot.

See above. You can't change things without consequences. And since 
they won't think like you do, the consequences won't be what you 
naively expected.

Also, if you help them thru the problems your initial help causes, 
you'll wind up with a culture much like yours. If you let them grow 
their own way, they may die. The may stagnate. Or they may develop in 
directions you'd never have thought of.

They may develop things that will benefit *you*.


--
Leonard Erickson (aka shadow)
shadow at shadowgard dot com