Guest wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 11:21 amIn making the previous two Guest posts, I bypassed this question because it is unequivocal in my mind that racial genetic superiority is more relevant to the conversation that you were having. Though I should say that I haven't read Diamond's arguments in detail because they seem silly on their face. If you'd like, I can read them in detail and comment on them. It would help if you could give me the pages in the book that I should read.Bob Butler wrote: ↑Tue Nov 16, 2021 6:30 pmThere are certainly lots of ways to define 'advanced'. They certainly don't all agree with one another. The relevant definition to this conversation is whether racial genetic superiority or the factors mentioned in Guns, Germs and Steel (weapons, competition, longitudinal corridors and disease immunities) are more relevant. Other definitions may be pertinent to something, but don't relate to what we are discussing.Guest wrote: ↑Tue Nov 16, 2021 3:34 pmI don't agree that the Euros are more advanced in all areas.
Consider "Attachment to their natural surroundings and natural life" or any other number of chosen categories that don't emphasize the values of Faustian Civilization.
I would start with the introduction of course, though that alone would not be convincing.
The major points.
Europe was divided by mountain chains. China was a single country primarily through two large river valleys. As a result, China had one government and Emperor while Europe was divided into many competing nations. If an advance was made, at least one European country was apt to go with it, and the rest had to follow or be left behind.
The classic example was if Columbus's home country was not interested in exploration, he would find another country that was.
Another wrinkle on this was weapons development. China banned the creation of more effective gunpowder weapons. Not all European countries followed their example, and the others had to follow suit. As a result, the Europeans had superior weapons.
Another example was fleets. China developed a larger fleet sooner, but the emperor was In a position to quash progress. As a result, the Europeans passed China by default and got most of the profits from trade.
Disease Immunity was a different issue. The folk of the Americas did not have any resistance to smallpox and other diseases while the Europeans did. This resulted in a vastly reduced population among the American natives which gave the Europeans another advantage in gaining dominance.
The other factor was that crop and agricultural advantages spread along lines of longitude where similar climates encourage the spread of similar crops. Europe and Asia provide long longitude lines where agricultural ideas can be spread. The Americas run primarily north - south. An advance in agricultural breeding or methods could not spread as much.
The bulk of Guns, Germs and Steel is spent providing enough evidence to support these points. You are either willing to read the evidence or not.
Now this is to a great degree a cultural superiority due to geography. One group of cultures was superior in that the temptation to debase, oppress and use violence against other cultures was given a chance to manifest. Weapons superiority, disease immunity, shipping, and agricultural superiority became cultural advantages which could easily be viewed as a result of genetics. The mother countries became mother countries for good reason. It just isn't racists with big egos, supposing themselves superior and thus emphasizing prejudice, oppression and violence. It was just their guns, germs and steel, not their genes.
And prejudice, oppression and violence are flaws, not features. A culture is well advised to avoid these traits in an era when conflict is much less cost effective to the point of not being cost effective. Once, if you weren't being violently aggressive you would be crushed by those that were. Now, you avoid conflict that would destroy your infrastructure. Things change. Some people don't.