More recent scholarship on cargo cults has challenged the suitability of the term for the movements associated with it, with recent anthropological sources arguing that the term is born of colonialism and prejudice and does not accurately convey the nature of the movements to which it refers.

1950s pseudoscience bullshit.

[–] verdigris@lemmy.ml 0 points 1 year ago (3 children)

It wasn't pseudoscience, it was just given a colonial-centric name that reinforces the view of uncontacted or even just aboriginal peoples as "savage" or "uncivilized". The described phenomenon is a real thing.

[–] usernamesaredifficul@hexbear.net 0 points 1 year ago (2 children)

trouble is people are only familiar with the old name

[–] verdigris@lemmy.ml 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I don't think there is another agreed upon name? Regardless the idea shouldn't be attacked because it's poorly named.

[–] usernamesaredifficul@hexbear.net 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

no I agree I don't think it's racist to reference the fact that people from non industrial societies don't understand how our supply chains work. Why would they. That's not them being dumb it's them not having detailed knowledge without being taught. It's not reasonable to expect someone to deduce the existence of Bristol from a blue vase