The following presents some of the experiences of Jacque Fresco
while he visited the Polynesian islands when he was in his 20s.
The events as they are portrayed in this story are yet another demonstration
of how the term 'Human Nature' as it is often used, is nothing but a myth,
based on the widespread ignorance of the study of behavioral sciences.
What that study has shown, is that human behaviour is shaped by the environment
in which people are brought up and isn't based on some innate
unchangeable characteristics that human beings somehow possess.
You get a lot of static from your friends; it's human nature.
Humans have no nature.; it depends on where they are brought up.
Every book written in this culture is culture bound.
It has nothing to do with reality; it's where this culture is.
So, what I'm going to try to tell you is that 90% of which
you were brought up to believe in is strictly bullshit.
So, when I was a kid, I wanted to know what men and women would be like,
if they weren't too contaminated by civilization.
So, I worked my way on a boat to Tahiti.
But the Chinese already owned all the businesses there.
They had business set up: stores. And that was already contaminated.
I found some out islands called Torimoto.
When I was on the islands, I brought mirrors and beads,
and I tried to give them to the natives to show I'd come as a friend,
not to take anything away from them. But they were already in my thatch hut
after I built it, giving out my mirrors and beads to one another
without my permission. I was a little confused.
So I said, what's going on here? And they said "You have too many".
I really did have a lot. I really didn't understand it,
because I was a jerk, brought up in a 'civilized' country.
But about three days later, I did understand it.
The older men were pulling in nets full of fish,
and they threw fish at anyone standing there.
Not "You owe me a buck and a half". "You owe me three bucks";
they just threw fish. And coconuts were so available and bananas,
that no one sold anything; they just gave you things.
After I was on the island a while, I asked the natives
if they would help me build an outrigger canoe.
I know how to build one better than they do,
but I wanted to establish "I come as one of you."
They got in a huddle, didn't say a thing and they left.
About a week later, they brought a canoe over
and put it down in front of my thatch hut,
and they just said "That's for you: for your use."
I said "Well, what do you want? Do you want me to do anything for you?"
"No"; they didn't know what that meant.
"What do you want?"; I brought that with me from where I came;
they didn't want anything.
A week and a half later, I heard some rustling outside my thatch hut.
I looked out, and they were sneaking off with the canoe that they gave me.
I did'nt understand that, so I stepped out and said "What's going on?"
He said "You no use!". It's true, I didn't use it so they took it back.
Of course, I was a little confused,
but I got to understand all about the natives.
And they were sane in many ways: saner than we are.
I wanted you to understand that people reflect their culture.
♪ ♫ ♪
If people have access to the necessities of life,
without servitude, debt, barter, trade; they behave very differently.