A confrontation with the often forgotten stations of incarnation.
The author tackles a variety of topics in his first work and shows similarities with A confrontation with the often forgotten stations of incarnation.
The author tackles a variety of topics in his first work and shows similarities with human norms in the animal kingdom in state formation, social and sexual behavior, drug use and rudimentary agriculture by using evolutionary development. The origins and history of communication, xenophobia, art, and warfare are also illuminated in detail.
The influence of environmental conditions can be well explained by the differences between bonobos and chimpanzees. Separated by the insurmountable Congo, the peaceful, matriarchal life of the bonobos developed in an environment of sufficient and comfortable living conditions, while the habitat of the hierarchically structured and highly violent chimpanzees was rather barren and inhospitable. Thus, the thesis comes up: Adverse environmental conditions would require stricter rankings and an evolution promoting aggressive behavior. On the other hand, the wealth of resources enables the bonobos to cooperate socially and peacefully without the necessity of aggression.
In contradiction to this, however, there are both other animal species and specialized groups of people, who still treat each other friendly in the most adverse conditions. To start directly and just with the assumption of the necessity of a more brutal mentality would be too far-fetched and simplified. There are for instance the inexplicable, for the own group sometimes even harmful, behavioral patterns of chimpanzees such as senseless violence, incitement, and persecution of individual group members and genocides in conquest campaigns including cannibalism, which all together already gives a pretty good description of modern humans.
Moreover, bonobos are threatened of extinction because they are defenseless against organized animal attacks or rather raids organized by the chimpanzees, which can be described as an animal precursor to genocide. This shows impressively and sadly that the mentality of humankind awoke long before our rise to power.
It is close to impudence how often Diamond has used parts of this book for his other, later published books. Thus, portions of the chapter on the conquerors of the world were included in the book "Guns Germs and Steel" and sections on the meaning of the habitat are found in "Collapse: Why Societies Survive or Perish."
In the case of personal interest, the reading of the detailed descriptions of both works is, in any case, an option if the relatively short explanations of this work have made one curious. There are few arguments against the preference to blame humans as the most likely cause of past species extinction and as a secondary cause of climate change, given the apparent archaeological evidence. It may well be that the evolution of ice and warm periods in specific regions had stronger influences, but especially in the always relatively moderate climates, this argument does not withstand because of the adaptability of most animals. It is argued by skeptics that the finding of fossils is a random gamble that does not allow serious estimates of numbers. Only if one finds excessively many bones of extinct animals in the sediment layers coinciding with human migrations, this should be a clear indication.
At the end of the book, Diamond asks people to avoid the always same mistakes and the cycles of expansion, species extinction, and environmental degradation and at least not do more damage. It is a noble concern because it must be incredibly frustrating, especially from the perspective of an evolutionary biologist, to observe over decades how habitats, that are still to be explored, are irreversibly destroyed right in front of one's nose.
Terrifying how often the pattern of exploitation of nature and decline of cultures has repeated itself.
The fitting additional book to Diamonds work "GTerrifying how often the pattern of exploitation of nature and decline of cultures has repeated itself.
The fitting additional book to Diamonds work "Guns Germs and Steel" offers past and present scenarios of various environmental conditions and the mastery or miserable failure of the peoples trying to master the challenge. Especially in isolated societies, where the socio-cultural aspect is much more emphasized by the absence of invaders or other disturbing factors, the processes leading to the formation of today's ruins or prosperous cities are described.
As a classic positive example, Iceland, which counters the desolation of the climate zone and infertility of barren landscapes with strong community feeling and intelligent farming, can be named. Other isolated island states, such as Easter Island and other ghost islands, have been caught in the throes of social degeneration and driven to self-destruction by meaningless, prestigious or religiously driven construction projects, civil wars, exploitation of natural resources to the collapse of the ecosystem, or a bit of this and that mixed up together.
Often there was an old tradition of proven survival strategies on the failed island states, but their practice was mostly forgotten or ignored in the course of the delusion, resulting in the collapse of the social system and the extinction of the tribe.
How the authors' theses could be applied to the history of the development of more significant, continental nations would be highly enjoyable. This would probably be far too far-reaching and hypothetical because of the added complexity, which is why Diamond didn´t mention it, but it would make a great, new research area. The factors that are taken into account, such as climate change, hostile neighbors, environmental destruction, breaking an alliance or loss of support from friendly neighbors and, as a decisive factor, the reaction of the population and ruling caste, already present a high potential for complexity. Therefore, it would no longer be concluded with scientific seriousness by introducing additional factors such as in the case of the Roman Empire or other fallen empires.
It is noteworthy that the scheme of slow degeneration through creeping degradation of cultural as well as naturally given resources can strike both relatively primitive, almost Stone Age societies as unexpectedly as highly developed and militarily nearly unbeatable empires. Despite the admonishers of the respective time, fanaticism and megalomania became the leading motive and in hindsight apparent nonsensical and self-destructive mechanisms leaked into politics until it was accepted as usual and criticism was negated until the downfall.
At this point, it makes sense to see the accordances with the present and to illustrate the classic repetition of the history using various examples. Thus, even after dozens of vivid and illustrative learning examples from the history of what one should avoid as a state, the same, actually, precisely recognizable mistakes are committed today. Whether it is negligent, irreversible environmental destruction, political destabilization until to the collapse of state and social order, including genocide and targeted destruction of infrastructure until relapse into archaic forms of government and theocracy, there is a wide range of patterns.
Their use seems to be so desirable to humanity that repeated attempts can no longer be construed as just perseverance. But instead, as ignorance and incompetence of elites, to whom a brief reading of any historical atlas could give numerous examples of the futility of their present action. The big and anxious question after completing the book remains whether we, as a society, may have not jumped on the wrong train for far too long. One that not only directs individual islands, regions or states, as described in the book, but the entire planet and the civilization living on it, on a path into the abyss.
A refreshingly different approach to the theses on the evolutionary history of cultures.
Please note that I put the original German text at the end of A refreshingly different approach to the theses on the evolutionary history of cultures.
Please note that I put the original German text at the end of this review. Just if you might be interested.
Those are revolutionary theories that open themselves up to the reader, and that wipe the floor with old, racist concepts about the emergence of advanced civilizations and states. Using indisputable geographical and biological facts, the author provides a viewpoint that would have opened up only to the most creative minds without such explanation. Due to the size and the partial length of the work, I would recommend budding non-fiction fetishists to sharpen their view of the partly autobiographical colored inserts and dry statistical or very specialized remarks. In case of lack of time or discomfort, read them over and enjoy the fillets even better. It may, of course, be appreciated the entire menu, only the lengths will give my well-intentioned advice probably one or the other time right. Especially with such excellent literature as the present one, it would be a shame if the reading experience is diminished or in the worst case even prematurely ended. In addition to the actual flora and fauna of the various described regions of the world, the West-East or North-South axis is the decisive factor for the rise and fall of the peoples as a primary geological fate. The luck or bad luck with well-domesticated animals or due to exceptional stubbornness for the livestock utterly unsuitable representatives of the herbivores or productive, resistant or little throwing off, sensitive plants plays another critical role. Looking at the continents, only in Eurasia does the West-East axis lie at about the same latitude and in similar climates, which significantly facilitates the exchange of plants and animals via trade routes, since they find much better survival conditions in similar environments than if they would be transported across a north-south axis from Norway to South Africa or from Chile to Canada. This greatly facilitated the transition to agriculture and livestock farming and the associated opportunity to feed specialists such as artisans, warriors and scientists through surplus food and jump on the train to the big state. In contrast to the natural conditions that exist on Earth, the effects on the environment are not negligible. In Latin America and other countries, these plants are relatively sensitive. Moreover, even if that were not so, an exchange which goes beyond the different climates, may work or not. In Africa are incredibly many areas as well as tropical jungle or dry savanna not so recommended for animal transport. It is similar in Latin America, though not so extreme. This is also a military event, but not as good as it used to be in the past. As the author so genuinely quotes, only a more benevolent nature of bison or rhinos would have been enough to change the course of world history. If Huns and Mongols were able to build world empires on pure horses, compared to the potential and much more robust mounts of the South, the military possibility of up to nearly one ton of massive bison and over three tons of rhinos would have been far more resounding. Imagine these animals in their thousands and the style of a paladin horse armored with a hail of arrows whirling riders. From the meticulous descriptions of various facts, there are still multiple ideas for alternative world history that could not be more beautiful, since they are based on verifiable basics, unlike far-fetched, improbable conjectures and doctrines. The author rightly deserves the reputation of being a top-notch science writer, and not just because of his impressive work so far. However, also and primarily for the series of hammer blows, which he sends down on the incarnate anachronisms long ago to be sent by a paradigm shift in the intellectual nirvana, representative of his guild, which has little to counter to his revolutionary thinking approach. Besides anyone from the university, there are still many guts to hallucinate something of cultural superiority or other racial, verbal diarrhea.
Eine erfrischend andere Herangehensweise an die Thesenbildung über die Entwicklungsgeschichte der Kulturen.
Revolutionäre Theorien sind es, die sich dem Leser auftun und die mit alten, rassistischen Konzepten über die Entstehung von Hochkulturen und Staaten den Boden aufwischen. Anhand unabstreitbarer geografischer und biologischer Fakten ermöglicht der Autor eine Sichtweise, die sich nur den kreativsten Köpfen ohne derartige Erläuterung eröffnet hätte. Aufgrund des Umfangs und der teilweisen Länge des Werks würde ich angehenden Sachbuchfetischisten empfehlen, den Blick für die teilweise autobiografisch gefärbten Einschübe und trockenen statistischen, beziehungsweise sehr fachbezogenen Ausführungen zu schärfen. Um diese bei Zeitmangel oder Unlust überlesen und die Filetstücke dafür noch umso besser genießen zu können. Es darf selbstverständlich auch das gesamte Menü genossen werden, nur die Längen werden meinem gutgemeinten Rat wohl das eine oder andere Mal Recht geben. Gerade bei so hervorragender Literatur wie der vorliegenden wäre es eine Schande, wenn das Leseerlebnis dadurch geschmälert oder im schlimmsten Fall gar vorzeitig beendet wird. Neben der eigentlichen Flora und Fauna der verschiedenen beschriebenen Weltgegenden bildet als primäre geologische Schicksalsinstanz die West-Ost- beziehungsweise Nord- Südachse den entscheidenden Faktor über Aufstieg und Fall der Völker. Das Glück oder Pech mit gut domestizierbaren Tieren oder aufgrund großer Halsstarrigkeit zur Viehzucht absolut ungeeigneten Vertretern der Herbivoren beziehungsweise ertragreichen, widerstandsfähigen oder wenig abwerfenden, empfindlichen Pflanzen spielt eine weitere wichtige Rolle. Betrachtet man sich die Kontinente, so ergibt sich einzig in Eurasien eine auf etwa den gleichen Breitengraden und ähnlichen Klimazonen gelegene West-Ostachse, die den Austausch von Pflanzen und Tieren über Handelsrouten wesentlich erleichtert, da diese in ähnlichen Umgebungen wesentlich bessere Überlebensbedingungen vorfinden, als wenn man sie über eine Nord- Südachse von Norwegen nach Südafrika oder von Chile nach Kanada transportieren würde. Dadurch wurde der Übergang zu Ackerbau und Viehzucht sowie die damit einhergehende Möglichkeit, durch Überschuss an Nahrung Spezialisten wie Handwerker, Krieger und Wissenschaftler zu ernähren und auf den Zug zum Großstaat aufzuspringen, wesentlich erleichtert. Als wäre das nicht genug der von der Natur vorgegebenen Ungerechtigkeit, befinden sich auch noch die meisten der ertragreichsten Saatpflanzen und Nutztiere im eurasischen Raum, während selbige auf anderen Kontinenten rar gesät sind. In Lateinamerika sowie Afrika sind sowohl gut für den Hausgebrauch geeignete Großsäuger als auch ertragreiche Pflanzensorten relativ selten. Und selbst wenn dem nicht so gewesen wäre, hätte ein Austausch über die verschiedenen Klimazonen hinweg kaum funktionieren können. So sind in Afrika sowohl extrem aride Gebiete als auch tropische Dschungel oder schlichte Savanne für keinen Tiertransport zu empfehlende Routenpunkte und auch den Pflanzen dürfte es übel bekommen. In Lateinamerika verhält es sich ähnlich, wenn auch nicht ganz so extrem. Dass sich das militärisch einst unersetzliche Pferd auch noch just der südlichen Hemisphäre entsagen musste war ein weiterer wesentlicher Nachteil. Wie der Autor so treffend anführt, hätte nur ein gutmütigeres Wesen von Bisons oder Nashörnern vonnöten sein müssen, um den Lauf der gesamten Weltgeschichte zu verändern. Wenn Hunnenheere und Mongolen auf, im Vergleich zu den potentiellen und wesentlich robusteren Reittieren des Südens, schlichten Pferden Weltreiche errichten konnten, wäre das kriegerische Potential von bis zu fast einer Tonne schweren Bisons und bis zu über drei Tonnen schweren Nashörnern noch wesentlich durchschlagender gewesen. Man stelle sich diese Tiere zu Tausenden und im Stil eines Paladinpferds gepanzert mit Pfeilhagel schwirren lassenden Reitern vor. Es erschließen sich anhand der minutiösen Schilderungen verschiedener Sachverhalte noch diverse Ideen für Uchronien, die schöner nicht sein könnten, da sie im Gegensatz zu weit hergeholten, unwahrscheinlichen Vermutungen und Lehrmeinungen auf nachweisbaren Grundlagen beruhen. Dem Autor gebührt, nicht nur aufgrund seines beeindruckenden bisherigen Werks, zu Recht der Ruf eines Wissenschaftsautors der Spitzenklasse. Sondern auch und gerade für die Serie an Hammerschlägen, die er auf die, als fleischgewordene Anachronismen längst durch einen Paradigmenwechsel in das intellektuelle Nirwana zu schickenden, Vertreter seiner Zunft niederprasseln lässt, die seinen Denkansetzen wenig entgegenzusetzen haben. Außer irgendjemand aus dem Universitätsbetrieb entblödet sich wirklich noch, etwas von kultureller Überlegenheit oder anderer rassistischer, verbaler Diarrhöe zu halluzinieren. ...more
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