History Main / LowCultureHighTech

* ''Somewhat'' the case involving the Pieces of Eden in [[AssassinCreed]], although by the time of ''Revelations'' (the fourth main game) the Abstergo Industries articles given to Abstergo Industries' secret insiders reveal that they knew a lot more about the Pieces than was let on in the first game.

* In WorldWar the British, unable to build a lightweight radar unit to install in their planes, cannibalize surviving radar units from the Lizards' planes, citing this premise in doing so.

* Often happens in rural areas. Most of the people living in these areas simply can't afford to keep up with current technology until the price is lowered enough. There are exceptions, however, when high-tech items begin being sold at around $20.00. So, you can wind up with poor, technologically-deprived country folk who have the latest electronic gizmo, because it was within their budget. Or, it was a gift from a more well-off friend or family member.
** This troper would still be driving a 1983 truck (instead of the 1993 truck he now drives) and wouldn't have a cell phone at all if not for them being gifts from family.

* The airships in ''{{Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind}}'' rely on engines that reflect technology from before the [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt Seven Days of Fire]]. Several times throughout the manga characters scramble to recover the engines from downed ships as they are the only components that are irreplaceable.

* In ''OnePiece'', the island Chopper lands on after the Saobody arc is populated by primitive looking tribesmen who actually wield fairly complex weaponry, show very advanced knowledge of medicine, and have a large, well stocked library.

Related to InsufficientlyAdvancedAlien, which is about a race that's interstellar, but every other tech they have sucks comparatively, ''and'' they probably don't understand it. Contrast RockBeatsLaser. See also BambooTechnologynsNeverInventedTheWheel, and CargoCult. Not to be confused with "[[CyberPunk High Tech and Low Life.]]"

Usually this group has pirated the technology from someone else. It may be LostTechnology that they have recovered and use, often very sturdy, self-replicating lost tech that only requires raw materials be input, if even that. Or it could be a BlackBox tech that none of their existing machines can do without. There may instead be a group of "thinkers and builders" who use the primitives as a shock troops or even as a SlaveRace. It's also possible the tables are turned and the primitives have either taken the builders hostage or killed them all and taken all of their goodies (without bothering [[NoPlansNoProtoypeNoBackup with the instruction manual]]). If the original source of the tech is ShroudedInMyth, they may become a CargoCult.

Usually this group has pirated the technology from someone else. It may be LostTechnology that they have recovered and use, often very sturdy, self-replicating lost tech that only requires raw materials be input, if even that. Or it could be a BlackBox tech that none of their existing machines can do without. There may instead be a group of "thinkers and builders" who use the primitives as a shock troops or even as a SlaveRace. It's also possible the tables are turned and the primitives have either taken the builders hostage or killed them all and taken all of their goodies (without bothering with the instruction manual).

Related to InsufficientlyAdvancedAlien, which is about a race that's interstellar, but every other tech they have sucks comparatively, ''and'' they probably don't understand it. Contrast RockBeatsLaser. See also BambooTechnology. Not to be confused with "[[CyberPunk High Tech and Low Life.]]"

** Their culture also is heavily influenced by what happens when Bronze age cultures get genetic engineering and try to engineer their men into Heroes, and make their women become less naggy. They make their women effectively non sentient, and their men into buff warriors with few skills but leaping and yelling.
* Someone wrote a novel where Neanderthals devised advanced tech, despite a low population non-agrarian society (which was also atheistic as well) on an [[AlternateUniverse alternate Earth]].

** Many contemporary authors lampshaded the irony of European colonizers being fought against by European weapons sold to natives by Europeans. Often ''the same'' Europeans.

* The Covenant of {{Halo}} bases most of their technology on [[{{Precursors}} Forerunner]] tech and consider it blasphemy to try and improve it.

Related to InsufficientlyAdvancedAlien, which is about a race that's interstellar, but every other tech they have sucks comparatively, ''and'' they probably don't understand it. Contrast RockBeatsLaser. See also BambooTechnology.

* ''StarGateSG1'' has this apply to humans and the slaves of the Goa'uld. [=SG1=] gets a lot of tech they only barely understand, and later on the Asgard gift humanity with a database and replicator for all of their advanced tech. The Goa'uld purposely make their (also pirated) tech user friendly for the Jaffa to use.

* During the ColdWar, both superpowers would give ([[RedsWithRockets Eastern Block]]) or sell ([[YanksWithTanks the West]]) weapon systems to third world countries.
** Well, both sides were just giving weapons out, really. USSR's official policy was generally selling arms on credit of for concessions, but no one realistically expected them to be paid out. US on their part often gave such discounts and lease terms to their clients that they basically meant giving tech out for free. ColdWar wasn't really about profit.

Usually this group has pirated the technology from someone else. It may be LostTechnology that they have recovered and use, often very sturdy, self-replicating lost tech that only requires raw materials be input, if even that. Or it could be a BlackBox tech that none of their existing machines can do without. There may instead be a group of "thinkers and builders" who use the primitives as a shock troops or even as a SlaveRace. It's also possible the tables are turned and the primitives have either taken the builders hostage or killed them all and taken all of their goodies (without bothering with the [[AllThereInTheManual instruction manual]]).

* ''The Iron Dream'' by Norman Spinrad, features "The Steel Commander", a metal truncheon that has an apparent weight and mass of tonnes and yet can be effortlessly wielded by a person of sufficient genetic "purity". It was created by an enclave of scientists who'd survived "The Fire" (a global nuclear war) for Heldon, the father of a fascist movement to preserve a core of unmutated humans (and who slew them for their trouble).

* During the {{Cold War}}, both superpowers would give ([[RedsWithRockets Eastern Block]]) or sell ([[YanksWithTanks the West]]) weapon systems to third world countries.