CB: Don't have much data by which we can exclude the European imperialists, colonialists and slavers as the main cause of the cruelty, an lack of reward. The "stupidity" part is racist.
Which I think is a bit of a weird response. Did I say that those who lived in those societies were to blame? No. The conditions of there existence did not let them rise further. And Charles is right that if you are talking about societies that were made primitive in the modern era, then yes indeed, those who held them back, like colonists, imperialists and slavers were responsible. The fact remains that their lives were cruel and unrewarding. What should we do? Pretend that their lives are rewarding, because we might offend their feeling? No. If you cannot recognise the need for change, you will not make it.
Charles goes on to say it is racist to say that life in primitive societies is stupid. But that is not to say that those who live in such societies are innately stupid. Only that limiting conditions limit intellectual development, too. Should we tell people that illiteracy is OK? No. that is why education always played such a major part in anti-imperialist struggles. The opponents of oppression always understood that subjugation was degrading and stupifying.
Chris says Plato was clever, even though his society was primitive. So he was. But five sixths of the people around him were slaves. Women were subordinate. Plato himself was exceptional in being able to read. Socrates could not. Among the democratic elite in Athens writing things down had been thought to be degrading work.