It is not inaccurate to state that historically first world individuals have often used third world people to further propagate their ideals or to increase their economic gain. The interaction between “civilized” Westerners and Amazonian Indians is no different. As environmentalism took root in Western society, first-world activists and opportunists used misrepresentations and generalizations of Amazonian Indians as vanguards of environmental sustenance to spread their causes both in Latin America and at home. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Until the 1980s, environmentalism initially focused on the strict conservation of resources and then emphasized that the presence of people was an obstacle to environmental conservation. However, the shift in environmentalists' focus on the sustainability of resources rather than their meticulous conservation has created the need to find a model of individuals who sustainably use rainforest resources. Through ethnobiological research, scientists found that Amazonian Indians were able to use natural resources efficiently while simultaneously increasing biodiversity, and environmentalists saw the potential that supporting these Indians had in advancing their cause. Environmentalists began to hail Amazon Indians as “guardians of the forest,” and numerous international agencies began promoting new models for sustainable land use that incorporated Indian methods of resource management. Soon preserving local Indian culture and supporting its causes became as important a goal as preserving the sustainability of resources in the rainforest. This new strategy of environmentalists to support Indians for a humanitarian cause has allowed them not only to propose new and efficient models for resource management, but has also legitimized the association of these Westerners with the affairs of the nations represented by these Amazonian Indians. Without a valid connection to local Indian issues, the environmental crusade against deforestation in the Amazon would have been seen as simply selfish First World meddling. Support for indigenous causes has allowed environmentalists to promulgate their environmentalist policies while avoiding being labeled as self-centered imperialists. Furthermore, Western environmentalists have propagated Amazonian Indians as “noble savages,” natural conservationists who use resources non-destructively, creating a cultural media tendency to stereotype them as positively portraying them as having qualities of purity, naivety, and “greenness.” ". This romanticized portrayal of native Indians has allowed NGOs (non-governmental organizations) to communicate and mobilize supporters while distinguishing themselves from other nonprofit organizations and raise funds for their cause. By painting this courageous image of Amazonian Indians as defenders of nature, NGOs managed to instill a sense of guilt in viewers, making them believe that if they did not support their cause, they would not be part of this noble group of individuals. defend and try to save nature. This positive symbolism has also allowed NGOs involved in launching long-term sustainable development in the Amazon to gain support for their cause through the wave of public receptiveness towards images of the rainforest, further propagating their goal of protection.