If genocide is an inborn human trait as Diamond suggests, what implications does that hold for the long-term survival of the human species now that we have established arsenals of world-destroying nuclear weapons and have divided ourselves into neo-tribal alliances on a global basis?
2:49 “The Fertile Crescent self destructed”, seems to require an explanation of why and how come the inventors of domesticated agriculture didn’t prosper in the same way. 6:25 I wonder where we are seeing this happening today and I wonder what are the dynamics that are driving that today ‽ Probably something that can’t be reduced to a couple of sound bites.
@@di8859 So in other words, the condensed version we got here was massively over condensed and no effort was made to allude to the complexity of the driving dynamics. Thank goodness that we have “House of Dragons” to provide a representative allegory.
@@di8859 Thank you for the book reference. I checked up on the book’s reviews and my take-away was “interesting, maybe useful but equivocal”. He seems to “overlook glaring exceptions” to his general treatise.
The main problems for the fertile crescent are depletion of the aquifer due to high population and urbanisation, soil depletion from intensive agriculture using unsustainable practices, and desertification in some areas.
@@simonhibbs887 I have only looked at the reviews for the book and it is criticized at times for purposefully overlooking counter examples to his general treatise. The points you mention are very valid but then don’t seem to apply to the counter example of Egypt and what happened there. Generally I find if things don’t align cleanly for a particular simplified theory, then more complex dynamics are at play.
I wish I knew what any of this is about because I find it to be extremely bizarre how everything is self-organizing and to understand why we are all bunched together, like rats in a cage. I find it to be incredibly frustrating that free will doesn't exist. I find it incredibly unfair that I'm not "really" in control of anything.
Western culture does dominate the world. Science and technology is developed in the west and manufactured or copied in the East. Orchestra’s around the world play western music. The pop music of the world is western music. Western culture provides for a better quality of life for more of its citizens. Western culture is generally more free with more personal freedom than other many other cultures. It’s a fact, whatever then reason.
Diamond is in no way shape or form a Holocaust denier, he's just pointing out that in societies all over the world the massacres of entire neighbouring populations was commonplace. Actually, usually entire male neighbouring populations with the women taken as chattel. Just look at accounts of ancient Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian etc sieges of cities. In the Bible when the Israelites conquered the promised land they massacred entire populations of cities including men, women, children and even cattle (one king got in trouble with god for sparing a few people). The early Muslims under their prophet executed every male member fo the Abu Qurayza tribe and took the women and children as property. The Mongols were famously brutal. Comparatively speaking the deaths per population in eastern Europe were much lower, but of course far, far higher in absolute terms. Fortunately we have taken the Holocaust as crossing a line that must never be crossed again due to the huge number of deaths, but the truth is the complete slaughter of entire populations, or nearly so, has been routine throughout most of history across the world. That's a big reason why we must take the possibility of such acts again seriously.
How do you consider long, severe winters as the "good luck" of geography? Is it more likely that harsh winters contributed to Europeans good luck of genetics?
Steven Pinker would argue that humans are more civilized now than in the past. As long as we getting there, even very slowly, it's progress. WMD's are a huge concern though.
@@edwardtutman196 till people are divided by nations and religions and ruled by priests and politicians the only thing they will do is prepare for war and go to war. The only way to save the humanity from third world war is to ban all religions and create international functional government. Till religions exist nations will exist and till nations exist more WMD will be created. We are living in a very dangerous moment in history when there are so many WMD that they can destroy the world ten times.
Things are getting much better. There is reason for great optimism when you see people of the same tribe turning against their own for indecent behavior. This will stop the unruly behavior dead in its tracks.
@mickeybrumfield764 I'm not sure about that. There are far too many instances in the history of society that proves indecency is wide-ranging from one society to another or from one culture to another. We are still struggling with this issue in today's modern society. As for what is considered indecency? Can you provide a couple of examples that you view as indecent?
How is one hypothesis is better than another? You can't prove what was the reason Europe dominated. China and India was not less populated, China actually explored half of the world, but neither civilization dominated the entire continents.
I think it was throw of the dice whether the Europeans, Chinese or Indians did it first. The Chinese came so close, but intentionally turned inwards. However if Europe hadn't existed I think they'd have got round to it in the end. One argument is that the complex geography of Europe meant it naturally stayed fragmented into relatively small nation states compared to China. This increased cultural and political diversity and competition turning it into a social Darwinian hothouse more likely to produce innovations like deep sea navigation and industrialisation.
Bonk bonk, beats open arms. Abundance breeds passivity, scarcity virulence. These factors lead to the rise of some at the expense others. There is no conscious intent required. As the virulent succeed and prosper conditions begin to favor the hungrier within and without. Revolutions consistent of have nots appropriation of the haves resources, means and institutions. To greater and lesser degrees. The mathematics of this process can be worked out in a petri dish.
"Your geography, climate, and resources determine your culture, technological progress, hair color, eye color, height, skin color, skin thickness, skull shape, and resistance to diseases but magically has no effect on your brain or anything that determines intelligence, character, or personality." Whoa tell me more.
Atención. Quiero que pienses en el significado de mis palabras. Soy un psicólogo y he descubierto que Dios existe y lo puedo probar salvando vidas con conocimiento. Para mejorar tu situación el descubrimiento de que el ateísmo es una falacia lógica tiene que ser noticia. No debería el conocimiento censurarse. Para superar la censura el descubrimiento de que el ateísmo es una falacia lógica tiene que ser noticia. No quiero acabar pidiendo limosna porque nadie entiende la importancia del descubrimiento de la existencia de Dios. ¿Se decía que se quiere que se pruebe la existencia de Dios? No me lo estoy inventando, el debate continúa. Pienso que el verdadero Dios que asusta porque es real es el Dios de Spinoza. Si Dios existe estamos constantemente observados y escuchados porque Dios conoce su creación. Dios es uno mismo. Gracias.
Africa for eg could have expanded. Maoris came to NZ from Polynesia, in canoes!. And America couldve been colonised by any number of peoples. This reasoning holds little substance.
Maybe you need to understand Islam in India? These are majority hindu population on the brink of submission to minority Islam. This also has happened in India and in Spain and in Persia many times before as well. It's a miracle that India has survived.
I just finished reading his famous book a couple hours ago, cool
If genocide is an inborn human trait as Diamond suggests, what implications does that hold for the long-term survival of the human species now that we have established arsenals of world-destroying nuclear weapons and have divided ourselves into neo-tribal alliances on a global basis?
This is a fair question, "what implications . . ".
common traits and characteristics of human mind can develop human society?
2:49 “The Fertile Crescent self destructed”, seems to require an explanation of why and how come the inventors of domesticated agriculture didn’t prosper in the same way.
6:25 I wonder where we are seeing this happening today and I wonder what are the dynamics that are driving that today ‽ Probably something that can’t be reduced to a couple of sound bites.
He goes into much greater detail in his book, "Guns, Germs and Steel".
@@di8859
So in other words, the condensed version we got here was massively over condensed and no effort was made to allude to the complexity of the driving dynamics. Thank goodness that we have “House of Dragons” to provide a representative allegory.
@@di8859
Thank you for the book reference. I checked up on the book’s reviews and my take-away was “interesting, maybe useful but equivocal”. He seems to “overlook glaring exceptions” to his general treatise.
The main problems for the fertile crescent are depletion of the aquifer due to high population and urbanisation, soil depletion from intensive agriculture using unsustainable practices, and desertification in some areas.
@@simonhibbs887
I have only looked at the reviews for the book and it is criticized at times for purposefully overlooking counter examples to his general treatise. The points you mention are very valid but then don’t seem to apply to the counter example of Egypt and what happened there. Generally I find if things don’t align cleanly for a particular simplified theory, then more complex dynamics are at play.
I wish I knew what any of this is about because I find it to be extremely bizarre how everything is self-organizing and to understand why we are all bunched together, like rats in a cage. I find it to be incredibly frustrating that free will doesn't exist. I find it incredibly unfair that I'm not "really" in control of anything.
Western culture does dominate the world. Science and technology is developed in the west and manufactured or copied in the East. Orchestra’s around the world play western music. The pop music of the world is western music. Western culture provides for a better quality of life for more of its citizens. Western culture is generally more free with more personal freedom than other many other cultures. It’s a fact, whatever then reason.
He's trying to explain that fact, not deny it. If it wasn't so, his books wouldn't have a topic.
I think that You should visit museum Auschwitz in Poland and ask questions about genoside. Hello from Poland🇵🇱
Diamond is in no way shape or form a Holocaust denier, he's just pointing out that in societies all over the world the massacres of entire neighbouring populations was commonplace. Actually, usually entire male neighbouring populations with the women taken as chattel. Just look at accounts of ancient Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian etc sieges of cities. In the Bible when the Israelites conquered the promised land they massacred entire populations of cities including men, women, children and even cattle (one king got in trouble with god for sparing a few people). The early Muslims under their prophet executed every male member fo the Abu Qurayza tribe and took the women and children as property. The Mongols were famously brutal. Comparatively speaking the deaths per population in eastern Europe were much lower, but of course far, far higher in absolute terms.
Fortunately we have taken the Holocaust as crossing a line that must never be crossed again due to the huge number of deaths, but the truth is the complete slaughter of entire populations, or nearly so, has been routine throughout most of history across the world. That's a big reason why we must take the possibility of such acts again seriously.
How do you consider long, severe winters as the "good luck" of geography? Is it more likely that harsh winters contributed to Europeans good luck of genetics?
I feel all the world nations are uncivilized.
Steven Pinker would argue that humans are more civilized now than in the past.
As long as we getting there, even very slowly, it's progress. WMD's are a huge concern though.
@@edwardtutman196 till people are divided by nations and religions and ruled by priests and politicians the only thing they will do is prepare for war and go to war. The only way to save the humanity from third world war is to ban all religions and create international functional government. Till religions exist nations will exist and till nations exist more WMD will be created. We are living in a very dangerous moment in history when there are so many WMD that they can destroy the world ten times.
Things are getting much better. There is reason for great optimism when you see people of the same tribe turning against their own for indecent behavior. This will stop the unruly behavior dead in its tracks.
What is consider indecent behavior? Isnt indecency subjective that differs from person to person and/or tribe to tribe?
@mostlysunny582
Most people can figure out what indecent behavior is, and I just don't believe it varies that much.
@mickeybrumfield764 I'm not sure about that. There are far too many instances in the history of society that proves indecency is wide-ranging from one society to another or from one culture to another. We are still struggling with this issue in today's modern society. As for what is considered indecency? Can you provide a couple of examples that you view as indecent?
How is one hypothesis is better than another? You can't prove what was the reason Europe dominated. China and India was not less populated, China actually explored half of the world, but neither civilization dominated the entire continents.
I think it was throw of the dice whether the Europeans, Chinese or Indians did it first. The Chinese came so close, but intentionally turned inwards. However if Europe hadn't existed I think they'd have got round to it in the end.
One argument is that the complex geography of Europe meant it naturally stayed fragmented into relatively small nation states compared to China. This increased cultural and political diversity and competition turning it into a social Darwinian hothouse more likely to produce innovations like deep sea navigation and industrialisation.
Bonk bonk, beats open arms. Abundance breeds passivity, scarcity virulence. These factors lead to the rise of some at the expense others. There is no conscious intent required. As the virulent succeed and prosper conditions begin to favor the hungrier within and without. Revolutions consistent of have nots appropriation of the haves resources, means and institutions. To greater and lesser degrees. The mathematics of this process can be worked out in a petri dish.
@@simonhibbs887 I'm not saying anything against your theory, except it can't be proven.
👍👍✌️
Anyone know what kind of book he's working on now?
"Your geography, climate, and resources determine your culture, technological progress, hair color, eye color, height, skin color, skin thickness, skull shape, and resistance to diseases but magically has no effect on your brain or anything that determines intelligence, character, or personality." Whoa tell me more.
Brilliant man.
Atención. Quiero que pienses en el significado de mis palabras. Soy un psicólogo y he descubierto que Dios existe y lo puedo probar salvando vidas con conocimiento. Para mejorar tu situación el descubrimiento de que el ateísmo es una falacia lógica tiene que ser noticia. No debería el conocimiento censurarse. Para superar la censura el descubrimiento de que el ateísmo es una falacia lógica tiene que ser noticia. No quiero acabar pidiendo limosna porque nadie entiende la importancia del descubrimiento de la existencia de Dios. ¿Se decía que se quiere que se pruebe la existencia de Dios? No me lo estoy inventando, el debate continúa. Pienso que el verdadero Dios que asusta porque es real es el Dios de Spinoza. Si Dios existe estamos constantemente observados y escuchados porque Dios conoce su creación. Dios es uno mismo. Gracias.
Brilliant way for CTT to get at a fraught topic. Looking forward to more building blocks.
Energy surplus has an expiration date.
Africa for eg could have expanded. Maoris came to NZ from Polynesia, in canoes!. And America couldve been colonised by any number of peoples. This reasoning holds little substance.
Maybe you need to understand Islam in India? These are majority hindu population on the brink of submission to minority Islam. This also has happened in India and in Spain and in Persia many times before as well. It's a miracle that India has survived.