This past week we signed up for Netflix trial for one free month. I enjoyed National Geographic documentaries such as "Guns Steel and Germ", which was really interesting. I heard about the book before, but 3 episode movie summed up the book. Basically it talks about how geographical location plays important role in our development. During the time of hunters and gatherers, Europeans or people in the middle east area had fertile area, which you can have 14 different domesticated animals and pleasent weather condition. This created a food surplus and the more food you have gives chance for creative development for people like artists and engineers, which in turn causes the invention of new technology such as steel. However, if you are in place where the weather and geography do not let you have domesticated animal and plantation of wheat etc., you are going to spend most of your time laboring for food and no time for research like steel so you will be basically behind the technology.
Another advantage of having domesticated animals is that humans become resistant to germs and bacteria. It is interesting to note here that the American continent is stretched north to south which covers more diverse weather change and the central American narrow passage and tropical jungle makes it impossible to travel and lack of domesticated animal caused America place that you cannot share information easily, no resistance to germs and no surplus of food which caused not much technological advancement. Later we learn the arrival of the Europeans to the new continent caused many natives to die due to no resistance to old world germs and gun and steel technology.
Euro-Asian continent was unique in many ways, it stretches West to East unlike the American continent, which allowed countries to share similar weather and easy have transportation and travel. Moreover, the Eurasia continent allowed the domestication of animals for easy travel. There is a reason why many countries ended up where they ended up.
The author used Papua New Guinea as an example by discussing how it was isolated and how they do not have any domesticated animals except pigs, which yield less meat than what it consumes. A plantation is developed through human labor so without, wheat and barley cannot grow there. Basically people there ended up spending all their time worrying about food and did not allow them to develop metal work.
Another thing I would like to add his book is that geography also plays role for how we look and our culture and history. Does this mean, where we live defines who we are? How does this change with internet(sharing of ideas), global trade, and aero-travel? I think yes, where we live does define who we are. However, with today's technology advancement of the internet and ease of travel, the barrier is diminishing. As you have probably noticed more and more countries are becoming independent since 1900, which is a time when there was big industrial revolution. When people have steel and guns to fight back the power difference is diminishing. Great Britain, Spain, and Russia lost most of their colonies due to the people they used to control now have same technology as them which made it easier for the colonies to become separate countries. Another revolution I believe just took place since year 2010 with exposure of youtube and social media more countries are now fighting back with their corrupt leaders and system. You can see a pattern here. Nation or people with their geographic location advantage come up with better technology and they overpower those who do not have that technology. Then the technology is shared with everyone and the balance comes back. Computers and networks are one of the most recent powerful technology breakthroughs, which is now also shifting power. I better stop now I can write more and more about it.
