I'm positive you don't need to be an anthropologist to realize this.
I don't even understand the zoo reference. This is not a man made entrapment, it's their home. "Leave them alone" doesn't mean starting island tours.
This world cop attitude is incredibly egotistic. It assumes that we've found the superior way of life. Evidence points to the contrary when you consider the number of species we've played a key role in extinguishing and endangering with our super amazing society.
Why should we focus on them? Your logic is that modern medicine is not an improvement or a factor in relieving suffering, but is only an illusion of our egotistical viewpoint. Why would it help those who are 'part of our world' that have insufficient access?
It's the opposite of a zoo that the op is talking about.
Also, if it's no one's call to determine whether they leave or not, why would it be anyone's call to unilaterally interject into their society? Besides, I figure if some of those people do really want to leave, they can set up camp near the beach/wreck unarmed (probably at the risk of civil war, but hey, it's their call). One of us will probably notice eventually.
And to build on that, if you really want to give them free choice, rather than going into their island to forcibly "enlighten" them, build them a removed, but easily reachable dock in the reef/wreck or something like that. From there you can do all sorts of things. A mini library, a vessel, etc. Though I wonder if any of them have even bothered to explore the extant wreck.
For all we know this island is a tropical paradise.
Reading further down the comments on the linked page (you did read the whole thing, right?) there's an additional encounter described which, shall we say, indicates they're quite content.
I'm all for providing guidance and assistance to the poor, and intervening when serious moral problems are systemic (abuse, wanton violence, diseases untreated, etc.). I'm also all for leaving people alone when they make it very clear they've got things under control, are content with their situation, want you to leave them alone, and there is no indication of moral problems.
You want to bring them medicine, but with that comes illnesses they have never been exposed to, you want to bring them food, excellent take along obesity with you. You want them to have access to modern amenities that they have never required but could become dependent on.
Tell you what go drop a couple of crates of jack daniles and few 1000 packs of marlboro and some mcdonalds just so they know what they are missing out on.
There is a vast difference between these people and their society and North Korea. In NK the ruling elite have access to everything youmention and the general population do not. On this island they all have equal access to the same stuff, sure some tribal leader may get the "big bit of chicken" or first choice when it comes to games night, but there is not the inequality that exists in NK.
If you are concerned about their health, then it is best that we stay away anyway. History (and even this article) has taught us that isolated cultures are incredibly susceptible to our diseases (a.k.a. diseases they have never had contact with), and often times the results are fatal.
People upvoted this guy because they agreed with his fundamental points despite the baiting, and in turn he received positive feedback. I think maybe you underestimate the effect karma has on posting behavior; it's not just about pushing comments up and down the page.
This doesn't matter. Doesn't work on reddit, doesn't work on StackOverflow, and won't work anywhere else.
http://www.reddit.com/wiki/reddiquette
I also found this discussion, which says that in practice there will always be a middle ground between moderating based on quality and moderating based on opinion:
http://www.reddit.com/r/TheoryOfReddit/comments/1g14yo/is_th...
because our ego bias is to moderate based on opinion. However that's why a guideline to moderate based on quality pulls things towards the middle.
These people want to be left alone and should be left alone. They've survived for 65000 years on a tiny island in the middle of the ocean. I'd say the rest of the "developed" world has something to learn from the way these people sustain themselves without, looking from the outside in, destroying a beautiful tropical island.
For 65000 years
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/what-happen...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2024011/Uncontacted-...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaPYwlXOTzQ Just fine it would seem
What is your expertise in this area? Are you a anthropologist??
I suspect you are just one of these sick people who like the idea mini zoos with humans in them.
These are human beings. They deserve access to modern medicines like the rest of us of the world even if you lose this precious zoo.
How are their women treated? That is the ones who don't die in child birth? Going off other primitive societies probably not great no matter what the Hollywood idea of how these societies operate and everything is great.
This sickness of how the majority of the population would never ever want to live like this if they had a choice but somehow the people living it are having the time of their lives is bizarre.
For all we know this island is just another North Korea and although I respect nations statehood I don't pretend it's somehow a moral decision not to get involved.