Cargo Cults Influence On American Culture

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During World War II American troops moved from island to island through the Pacific. They did this to slowly gain territory they could use as bases and fueling ports for planes against Japan. In doing so they found tribes that had been isolated from the outside world and had not gone through the transformations and revolutions that the rest of the world went through. This meant that the isolated people were still using basic outdated methods and tools. The soldiers that were at the islands had rifles, boats, and planes that were all new to these tribes. These tribes being introduced to new and advanced technology, were impacted them greatly by changing religious ideals and ways of life. The tribes started doing things like building landing strips for planes ritualistically that brought western goods, like gods. They also started marching in units of people with bamboo rifles like the soldiers. This led to a new idea called cargo cults. What cargo cults boil down to are, more advanced cultures impact a less advanced society’s culture with …show more content…
According to Jacqueline L. Salmon “ 92 percent believe in God or a universal spirit -- including one in five of those who call themselves atheists,”(Salmon). There are many types and forms of gods but they all always have one thing in common, they are always said to be all powerful and mighty. From the Ancient Egyptians to modern Christians there is always a belief in a higher power people that they worship. Who is to say that these divine beings are not creature from another world with advanced powers that humans do not understand? In the World War II cases of cargo cults, who is to say we are not the isolated tribes? There could be other beings from other worlds with through more technological advancements than we have. That is why, it is possible the Human race is a Cargo cult to