4 ms·

I just wanted to add one cent here to the conversation - European climate is harsher, and this difficulty of survival drives people to cooperate and innovate. T

I just wanted to add one cent here to the conversation - European climate is harsher, and this difficulty of survival drives people to cooperate and innovate. That would be a good reason why countries where “food just jumps into your basket” did not outpace Europe. As in my thought here is that technological progress and cooperation isn’t in our human nature by itself. Discomfort could have been a big driver in that case.

yunohn 5y ago
- Eldt 5y ago
  I'm seeing some logical leaps here... I suggest asking clarifying questions instead of making strange assumptions.
  - yunohn 5y ago
    - AnimalMuppet 5y ago
      Because the site guidelines call for charitable interpretation. And because most of the rest of us didn't read it that way, so your interpretation is likely to be the one that's off.
gxt 5y ago
Exactly, surmontable challenges makes one achieve. When everything is easy, why change?
user_7832 5y ago
> ...difficulty of survival drives people to cooperate and innovate I can't comment about then innovation aspect that much, but Bengal (particularly East Bengal, present day Bangladesh) absolutely had/has a huge culture of sharing. People would share meals and socialize even when they themselves were barely able feed themselves (and this was mostly reciprocated). This may be more of generosity than strictly cooperation, but I would say they're quite related. Source: The stories I've heard from my grandparents (I'm Bengali)
- xyzzyz 5y ago
  Sharing can also be detrimental to general well being, depending on circumstances — what is being shared, by whom, and with whom. For example, in many non-individualistic societies, if one is to come upon some extra wealth, in manner of for example successful hunt, bountiful harvests, or good government job, one is duty-bound to share that extra wealth with others in their clan or tribe. This disincentives trying hard and increasing productivity: if, through increased labor and investment in fertilizer you can double your yield, but then only get a small fraction of that gain for yourself, why bother trying in the first place? In fact, it might be better investment to obtain higher status in your clan or tribe, so that others will be bound to share more of their wealth with you.
- rayiner 5y ago
  See: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FVvUiMTYXJA https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FVvUiMTYXJA
ip26 5y ago
I speculate about exactly this comparing infrastructure across the US. It seems like the worse the weather, the better the roads & buildings.

yunohn 5y ago

Eldt 5y ago
I'm seeing some logical leaps here... I suggest asking clarifying questions instead of making strange assumptions.
- yunohn 5y ago
  - AnimalMuppet 5y ago
    Because the site guidelines call for charitable interpretation. And because most of the rest of us didn't read it that way, so your interpretation is likely to be the one that's off.

gxt 5y ago

Exactly, surmontable challenges makes one achieve. When everything is easy, why change?

user_7832 5y ago

> ...difficulty of survival drives people to cooperate and innovate I can't comment about then innovation aspect that much, but Bengal (particularly East Bengal, present day Bangladesh) absolutely had/has a huge culture of sharing. People would share meals and socialize even when they themselves were barely able feed themselves (and this was mostly reciprocated). This may be more of generosity than strictly cooperation, but I would say they're quite related. Source: The stories I've heard from my grandparents (I'm Bengali)

xyzzyz 5y ago
Sharing can also be detrimental to general well being, depending on circumstances — what is being shared, by whom, and with whom. For example, in many non-individualistic societies, if one is to come upon some extra wealth, in manner of for example successful hunt, bountiful harvests, or good government job, one is duty-bound to share that extra wealth with others in their clan or tribe. This disincentives trying hard and increasing productivity: if, through increased labor and investment in fertilizer you can double your yield, but then only get a small fraction of that gain for yourself, why bother trying in the first place? In fact, it might be better investment to obtain higher status in your clan or tribe, so that others will be bound to share more of their wealth with you.
rayiner 5y ago
See: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FVvUiMTYXJA https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FVvUiMTYXJA

ip26 5y ago

I speculate about exactly this comparing infrastructure across the US. It seems like the worse the weather, the better the roads & buildings.