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All I know on the subject is my college reading of guns germs and steel. Has there been any changes in common knowledge since I read that in 20 years. I think t
by flatiron 5y ago
All I know on the subject is my college reading of guns germs and steel. Has there been any changes in common knowledge since I read that in 20 years. I think they really explained this fairly well without the usual racism.
- colechristensen 5y agoThere has always been a substantial doubt about that book, not that it is entirely wrong but a bit… stretched to fit.
- walkhour 5y agoThere have been a few books attempting to justify geography it's not as fundamental as Guns germs and steels tries to prove it is. For example: The wealth of nations defends the institutions of a country play an important role and they can be independent of geography. There's a sequence to this book: The narrow corridor that further defends this thesis. A 10,000 year explosion makes the case genes are also important. For example being able to digest milk made the people that could wealthy and powerful and allowed them to terrorize their neighbors.
- Gareth321 5y agoPeople try very hard to pretend genes have zero impact on societal success, despite a century of hard data to indicate that intelligence is inherited and intelligence makes the single greatest impact to individual success. Notable examples include lactose tolerance, melanin differences, and resistance to malaria in the form of sickle cell disease. Of course certain traits result in success in different regions, and of course those traits extend past the physical.
- boppo1 5y agoHow did milk digestion help people become more wealthy and powerful?
- tombh 5y agor/AskHistorians seems to prefer Why The West Rules: For Now by Ian Morris. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004ASNG04 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004ASNG04