The Mysteries Of Early Civilizations - 1030 Words

Uncovering the mysteries of early civilizations is a task not many scientists have successfully and accurately attempted. Jared Diamond’s main focus of his Pulitzer Prize winning book/documentary Guns, Germs, and Steel is the claim that the 3 biggest mysteries of civilization depended mostly on accidental agriculture. This has been met with controversy because Diamond rarely includes other factors such as guns, steel, and actual Eurasian history. But is Guns, Germs, and Steel accurate and entertaining enough to live up to it’s hype? Diamond opens up the documentary by saying he spends a considerably long amount of time in New Guinea, learning the culture of the people and studying birds. He meets a man named Yali, who asks â€Å"why do white men have so much cargo? (ep. 1)† Diamond focuses most of his research on this statement. However, unlike Yali, he doesn’t blame a specific race saying â€Å"To me, any explanation based on race is absurd. I know too many really smart New Guineans to believe there’s anything genetically inferior about them. (ep. 1)† Instead of pointing an argument directly at a specific people group, Diamond focuses his findings more on geographical location. One of Diamond’s arguments pins the uprising of Eurasian civilization and power on agriculture and animals, rather than technology. Diamonds says that pure hunting of animals wasn’t enough to sustain a complete civilization. â€Å"But the fundamental problem with hunting is that it’s never been a productive wayShow MoreRelatedGreek Mythology And Its Impact On Modern Culture1055 Words   |  5 PagesGreece civilization has its origins from Greek Mythology and has had a significant impact on our history and mythology helped shed light to it’s culture, religion, and government of ancient Greece. 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Like Virgil’s Aeneid, which attempted to outdo the colossus of Homers Odyssey, the Romans hoped to surpass the Greeks while at the same time borrowing from them heavily. Both civilizations, in the end and like theRead MoreCauses Of Minoan Civilization993 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Civilization is an important part of people’s live. It develops when the environment of a region can support a large and productive population. Civilization is a social, economic, and political entity distinguished by the ability to express itself through images and written language (H.Sayre, 2011, P.1). Minoan civilization is the first advanced civilization of the prehistoric Aegean region that was developed on a small island of Crete, where Sir Arthur Evans an English archaeologistRead MoreReligion And Ritual s Effect On Neolithic Culture1138 Words   |  5 PagesReligion’s and Ritual’s Effect on Neolithic Culture I. Introduction – In modern day Turkey, a mystery lies in the hills. A site known as â€Å"Gobekli Tepe is being unearthed and studied by anthropologists; it is like no other that has been seen before. Gobekli Tepe is thought to have been erected hundreds of years before the estimated rise of agriculture. Many historians and anthropologists speculate what pre-agricultural force could have compelled these people to create this large complex; religionRead MoreThe Downfall Of Civilization s Heart Of Darkness 965 Words   |  4 PagesThe Downfall of Civilization Within the early 20th century, Western and European nations have already established civilization and industrialized; however, many of which do not act nor represent civil behavior. Aime Cesaire criticized the barbaric nature of European civilization in â€Å"Discourse of Colonialism.† John Reed unveils the first-hand accounts of Europe and questions its civility in World War I. In â€Å"Heart of Darkness,† Joseph Conrad illustrates a voyage from the view point of Marlow, who questions