Has anyone read this (Guns, Germs and Steel: The fates of human societies) book ??? What are your thought on it? I haven't gone to far withit cuz of little time, but do you agree or disagree with his views? I have a feeling this thread will be quite contraversial, but i believe that nutrition, weapons etc. are what molded societies apart from each other and all other trivial 'Necessities' fall in place somewhere down the line. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
It changed the way I think about world history. A very important book, in my opinion. I'm currently reading Diamond's Collapse, about why some societies fail while others succeed. Also well worth a read.
I've read both GG&S and Collapse. I think Diamond gives a very interesting and overall accurate perception with regard to society in anthropological terms. Collapse has received a fair amount of criticism, though. Critics charge that Diamond is "scaremongering" and "doomsaying," but I didn't get that from the book. Indeed, I came away with it feeling hopeful for society and civilization. I happened to be reading the book while taking a course in Mesoamerican archaeology last year and the chapter on the Maya civilization provided some useful insight for my paper for the class. Another interesting article by Jared Diamond appeared in Discover in May 1987: The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race. This was actually an assigned reading in my Archaeology of the Near East course.
Thanks for the link to article Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!, i catch myself wanting to learn alot about aboriginals especially those in brazil who are displaced, similar to what goes on in australia.
