13. "Other famous examples of "indigenous wisdom" have also been misrepresented.
Black Elk Speaks is one of the seminal texts of the modern environmental movement.
Black Elk was an Oglala Sioux, whose recollections were written down and then published in 1932 by the US poet John Neihardt. But Neihardt, and those who followed him, chose to ignore the fact that Black Elk had been a devout Catholic catechist and missionary for 27 years by the time his words were recorded. Furthermore, some of the most quoted passages Neihardt attributed to Black Elk appear to have
been the poet's invention, as they do not appear in the original typescripts of the conversations between the two that are held in archives. (15)
The second reason for scepticism is that indigenous spokespeople, like people anywhere, will
attempt to present the strongest possible case for the causes they are promoting, such as land claims and sovereignty. They no longer live
-- if indeed they ever did -- in a timeless world, totally isolated from developments elsewhere.
.... such self-representations are adversarial constructions and, because indigenous cultures are more malleable than either their adherents or outsiders usually recognise, frequently draw on elements that are not traditional, but that post-date colonial contact and control.
(16)
Oblivious to
the political intent behind such representations, western environmentalists have left themselves vulnerable to great disillusionment. The most outstanding recent case involves the rock singer Sting, who toured the world with a Kayapo Indian from Brazil in order to save the Amazonian rain forests in the late 1980s. But now, having achieved their aim of protecting tribal lands from outside control, the Kayapo are
very keen to obtain the maximum financial reward they can, and have demanded the right to continue their profitable deforestation of their property.
" 'They're always trying to deceive you' says Sting, 'They see the white man only as a good source of earning money ... I was very naïve.' "
(17)"
http://blog.dailypatriotnews.com/1995/09/tall-green-tales.html
Thirdly, even where it is legitimate to identify a conservation ethic amongst indigenous people, it is hardly ever characterised by the universalism which is an important component of Western environmental concerns. Their interests are invariably local,
focusing on their own resource base, (18) and indifferent to the problems that may be faced by people or environments on the other side of the world. "
http://blog.dailypatriotnews.com/1995/09/tall-green-tales.html
Human beings.....all pretty much the same, seeing their own, personal, aggrandizement.
Nothing could be more false than "
From each according to his ability, to each according to his need."
The 'collective' is not the answer to societal needs.
So,
Liberalism is based on all sorts of misrepresentations, myths, and outright lies.....
There are
no 'noble savages' who live/lived in harmony with nature
Human nature is not malleable, no matter the laws, regulations, restrictions, of punishments that Liberals/Progressives can come up with.