Otto also summarizes Lamont Lindstrom's analysis and examination of "cargoism", the discourse of Western scholarship about cargo cults. Lindstrom's analysis is concerned with Western fascination with the phenomenon in both academic and popular writing. In his opinion, the term cargo cult is deeply problematic because of its pejorative connotation of backwardness, since it imputes a goal (cargo) obtained through the wrong means (cult); the actual goal is not so much obtaining material goods as creating and renewing social relationships under threat. Martha Kaplan thus argues in favor of erasing the term altogether, though Otto argues the term remains useful. The term cargo cult is increasingly avoided in the field of anthropology for failing to represent the complexity of Melanesian beliefs.
Otto also summarizes Lamont Lindstrom's analysis and examination of "cargoism" the discourse of Western scholarship about cargo cults Lindstrom's analysis is concerned with Western fascination with the phenomenon in both academic and popular writing In his opinion the term cargo cult is deeply problematic because of its pejorative connotation of backwardness since it imputes a goal (cargo) obtained through the wrong means (cult); the actual goal is not so much obtaining material goods as creating and renewing social relationships under threat Martha Kaplan thus argues in favor of erasing the term altogether though Otto argues the term remains useful The term cargo cult is increasingly avoided in the field of anthropology for failing to represent the complexity of Melanesian beliefs