Whenever a modern uncontacted tribe is found, it seems curiously consistent that they are barely even agricultural at best-much less even up to pace with most of the world’s society. What makes it so we never seem to discover unheard of industrial societies? They had as much time as anyone else to have come to the same conclusions. What causes one group to be splitting atoms while the other is still using bows and arrows?
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One factor I’m not seeing mentioned by the other posts is the influence of Religion and other factors that limit cultural change and the acceptance of new ideas.
The more influence religion has on day to day life and government the more the stagnation. Having a strong Conservative voice running the government and influencing culture results in less technological and cultural advancement in a nation.
Religions and despotic rulers like Kings like to maintain the status quo because it helps maintain their power.
Throughout the middle ages in Europe Christianity was the dominant force in the culture and day to day life, and technological advancement was at a snails pace.
By the time of the renaissance the hold of religion was waning, mostly as a result of new ideas coming in from the outside. Increased trade and foreign influence led to new ideas and technological development. Peoples lives were changing, learning institutions like universities were founded.
Ironically new technologies like the printing press were first used to print Bibles to extend the influence of religion, but when the common person could read the religious text it led to the reformation where Catholicism was split into various sects because people realized how corrupt the church had become.
A similar thing is happening in the Middle East right now. Iraq and Iran became the dominant centers for science and learning after the fall of the Roman Empire, and are now in the grip of their own Religious Dark Ages due to the rise of Islam
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