Gun, Germs and Steel: Yali

Why is that so much of our world was dominated by Europeans? This is a question that has never been fully explained. In Guns, Germs and Steel, Diamond attempts to answer this question but first begins by bringing forth and then dispelling some common estimations. One of the most common ideas is that there are simply biological differences between races. This theory is flawed for many reasons. First, to assume that any one race is more intelligent than another, would be entirely inappropriate. Secondly, Diamond claims through his own personal experiences, that the people of New Guinea are just as smart as those living in European conquered societies. Also, he has found that each group is more intelligent than each other in different ways. For instance, a Westerner would look very unintelligent while trying to build shelters and find food in the jungle, while someone who was taught the necessary skills from childhood easily excels at these activities. Of course the reverse is also true. If you were to put a person from New Guinea on a subway in New York, there is no doubt that they would appear to be far less intelligent than the Westerners around them. If one wanted to contin

Lastly, Diamond brings up what he calls immediate factors. The factors include guns, infectious disease and tools. While these things were obviously contributing factors in the European conquests, that still does not explain why they had the guns, germs and steel, and other societies did not. The tactic of bringing up ideas others could use to try and refute his information was very successful and also a great introduction into trying to understand what his work is all about.

Food is the most important factor that effected the different rates of development throughout the world. The growing of crops, the use of agricultural techniques and the domestication of animals, were greatly varied among cultures. As mentioned above, it was far easier to grow crops in some climates than others. Also, why would a society choose to change their entire way of living, from hunter-gathering to agricultural practices, when so far they had survived just fine. The domestication of animals was important for a few reasons. Animals could be domesticated for both food and use with the farming. Having animals to eat provided many important nutrients and a new renewable food source. In regard to farming, after harvest, having large stores of food would help the society to remain healthy during barren months and later on, to trade. These are my guesses as to what the important factors of human development are, but of course one can’t be entirely sure what Diamond will discuss without first reading the book.

ue to assume that hunter-gatherer societies

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