Dictionary

cargo cult en · NOUN

Etymology

From cargo (“Western material goods”) + cult. First used in print by N. M. Bird in an article in 1945.

Meanings

1. Any of several religious movements among the people of Melanesia that anticipate the arrival of material cargo or cultural restoration, typically through the ritual imitation of the activities of colonial or technological cultures.
2. (also, attributive, figuratively) Any of several philosophies, practices or pseudosciences that are not rooted in experiment, often characterized by an unreflected and ritualistic approach.
   • “People should slow down and understand what they’re trying to optimize for before just following Jack,” Mr. Woo said. “You don’t want to be in a cargo cult type thing.” 2019 May 2, Nellie Bowles, “Jack Dorsey Is Gwyneth Paltrow for Silicon Valley”, in New York Times:
   • cargo cult science
   • cargo cult software engineering

Forms

Deriveds

cargo cult science · cargo culting

Relateds

technomagic

Translations (9)

pt culto à carga (Melanesian religion based upon Western manufactured goods) · fi rahtikultti (Melanesian religion based upon Western manufactured goods) · ja カーゴ・カルト (Melanesian religion based upon Western manufactured goods) · pt cargo cult (Melanesian religion based upon Western manufactured goods) · fr culte du cargo (Melanesian religion based upon Western manufactured goods) · fi lastikultti (Melanesian religion based upon Western manufactured goods) · fi cargo-kultti (Melanesian religion based upon Western manufactured goods) · pt culto da carga (Melanesian religion based upon Western manufactured goods) · pt culto de carga (Melanesian religion based upon Western manufactured goods)