Topic: Language Loss

Starting in 1884, attendance at residential schools became mandatory for Indigenous children in Canada, leading to their forcible removal from their families. These institutions aimed to strip children of their native languages and cultures, often replacing them with Christian indoctrination. This created a profound generational divide, as children returned home unable to communicate with their parents and viewing their own heritage as "primitive" or "evil."

The erasure of history is facilitated by the short human lifespan and the intentional disruption of cultural transmission, such as Australia's "Stolen Generation." Max Egan discusses the "chemical dumbing down" of the species through drugs, estrogen, and television programming in the 1950s and 60s. He suggests that the modern internet serves as a "soapbox" for everyone, effectively drowning out profound voices with noise.