Every so often you hear about so-called “uncontacted tribes.” These are people who have never had any interactions with the outside world. They’re out in the middle of nowhere, in places like the “Nicobar Islands” and the Amazon rainforest. And they’re obviously interesting to talk about, as evidenced by the millions of people who love watching documentaries and YouTube videos about them. Of course, the reason that these tribes capture people’s imagination is not because there is anything particularly desirable or admirable about their culture or way of life. Instead, they capture people’s imagination because they offer a glimpse into a world that — thankfully — we transcended. They’re fascinating because, every now and then, it’s encouraging to look at primitive people and think to ourselves: “As bad as things are, at least we aren’t still living like that.” We can use these tribes as an opportunity to reflect on all the human progress that’s occurred out here in civilization. Maybe no one will admit this out loud. But it’s true.
And it’s not just “uncontacted tribes” who fill this role in modern society. They’re maybe the most prominent example, but they’re certainly not the only ones. In particular, in recent years, it’s become pretty apparent that the organization known as the “WNBA” serves a very similar function. The WNBA, very clearly, is not a viable product from an entertainment perspective. It loses tens of millions of dollars every year. There has never been a genuine business case for keeping the WNBA alive. Even with the historic level of interest the public now has in the league — historic by WNBA standards — it’s still not viable. Because literally all of that interest is focused on just one player, Caitlin Clark.
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