'Cultural Tourism'

[Stephanie]

I completely get your point Miss Stephanie, and I can tell you that as a guy who has taken his BA and MA in Cultural Anthropology, it's something that I'm not only well aware of, but have encountered before. This is something which comes up again and again within the discipline, as ethical considerations are paramount for those who undertake field research.

There have been discussions within the discipline for years, and several books written on the subject. I can certainly agree that tourism of the kind that seems to be depicted in the video you posted is merely a form of exploitation, where the lifestyles of these peoples are reduced to rich/white/western tourist commodity/spectacle of the perceived 'primitive other'.

Here's a link that outlines the premise of a book on the topic:

http://www.academia.edu/528767/Book_...gical_Insights

http://www.centri.unicas.it/content/...rism_Cohen.pdf

First of all : mwuuaaah !! so good to see you ! x


But tell me please : how do you balance scientific significance of curiosity , against preserving what you're actually

observing (<< indigenous peoples , or natural wildlife) ?

Do you not feel , that just by observing you alter natural behavior ?

What a hecking conundrum !! : if you want to learn , at the very very least you must observe. : BUT , by observing

you might be altering natural behavior !

What of it , in the scientific world ?

What of Jane Goodall , of Dian Fossey !??