Boy Forced to Live in Forest with Father for 5 Years Found in Germany

[sapphi_snake]

Kasz216 said:

2)  You obviously haven't understood that, afterall someone is rejecting the majority of their culture... what would you call that?  You would say that... the only reason, one person rejecting the majority of their culture isn't valid, is because they're only one person?   However if it's two or three it's ok... becuase.. it's two or three people?

3)  Tell that to the many indigenous tribes that practice volentary isolation from the modern world?   I'm sure they'd be glad to know they don't exist.

Furthermore, no, Isolation isn't only considered good for religious reasons... lots of people choose isolation for non religious reasons.  Nor is Isolation really seen as harmful by itself.  As there are plenty of cases of people who are stranded on islands who are perfectly healthy mentally when found.

Though yeah, plenty of survivialists DO do that, and not because of Apocolyptic tendencies, it's just not mentioned in the vaguesness of wikiepdia.  It's the "Back to the Land" movement of survivalism basically, but not because of apocolyptic tendencies, but just because of the rejection of technology for a love of nature. 

A) He's not mentally retarded, he just wasn't in a school.  You do know that mass public schooling is only like 200 years old or so right?  There were plenty of people who were smart before they needed schooling... and exactly how much of what is taught in school is useful for "Live in the woods your entire life".   If we took a member of the Coruba tribe, forced them to go to highschool, do you really think it'd do much of anything for them compaired to living those years in the forest.

The Police reports say he didn't have any body odor, was completely clean and his clothes were competely clean when he reached civilization.  How many 17 year olds do you think could accomplish that after spending 6 days in the woods alone?

A2)  Police reports indicate no signs of abuse, isolation is not shown to have negative effects psychologically.

  Neither has full solitude for that matter.  The only times Solitude tends to drive people crazy is when they have NOTHING to spend their time on.  IE keeping someone locked in a box alone with nothing to do like solitary confinement in jails.

 

B)  In otherwords, your saying in fact you don't think minority views and culture should be respected at all then.  What's considered to be abusive, and what can be proven to abusive are two very differnt things.  That forcing a child to forgoe an education is abuse or cruel is just an opinion, there is no real proof that such a thing is abusive.

B2)  Again, subjective.  For all you know, the guy could of wanted to live in the forest with his son BEFORE his wife died, but the wife loved technology so much.   It's like saying someone left to live in San Diego after their mother died because they couldn't stand to live in Chicago anymore, expcept.... maybe they planned to move to San Diego well before then, but didn't because they had responsibilties to take care of with their mother.

You've simply rushed headlong into a snap judgement based on a small news article, TONS of conjecture and little to zero expertise in the field.

2. A person is free to do that. That doesn't mean that he's starting a counter-culture, because culture only exists on a group level. Culture has no purpose outside of a society (i.e. a group of people).

3. Tribes? You mean groups of people?

Regarding the 'stranded on a desert island' thing, wouldn't it also just be a matter of time?

It seems to me that what you're calling 'survivalists' actually refers to a sort of hippies.

A. The thing is, the boy obviously doesn't want to live in the forest. So the lack of an education (and his extended isolation from social interactions with other humans) won't be easy to overcome. It's also irrelevant that in the past mass schooling wasn't practiced. It's a necessity in contemporary society.

Regarding that police report thing, you are aware that that's just a sign that this whole story is bogus, no? There's simply no way that could be true if he had spent the last 5 years in a forest. But for the sake of argument, we'll just overlook that one.

A2. Ignoring what I said above, isn't the fact that he has no memories of his life before the forest a sign of abuse. I assume perfectly balanced individuals don't forget usually extended parts of their life, no?

B. Just because minorities shouldn't be allowed to do whatever they want (e.g. human sacrifices), doesn't mean their views aren't respected.

Forcing a child to forgoe an education is considered abuse in our society, and also provable. It's simply impossible to properly fuction in a society if don't have a minimal level of education (e.g. if you can't read, it's unlikely you'll find any kind of job, not to mention that most jobs these days require a high school diploma).

B2. Yes, this surely is so probable. *rolls eyes*

I also am quite sure that any social worker would deem 'the forest' an unfit environment to raise a child (and there's also the education thing). Not to mention that you are essentially saying that a person can do whatever he wants , and if that thing is illegal (i.e. vandalize a a store) he can just say he's 'rejecting the dominant culture' and is now a minority and can't be touched. You are aware that the world isn't the Libertarian dystopia of your dreams, no?