Cycling Mob Cycling Forums - View Single Post - Two cyclists attacked and beaten in Portland

01-20-2007, 02:21 PM

On 2007-01-20, Gooserider <Gooserider@mouse-potato.com> wrote:
>
><kristian.zoerhoff@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:Jhrsh.24932$sR.11149@newssvr29.news.prodigy.n et...
>> On 2007-01-20, Gooserider <Gooserider@mouse-potato.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Why were some races of people advanced enough to circumnavigate the
>>> globe,
>>> while others TO THIS DAY live in dung huts and wear loincloths? All races
>>> are not the same. Why is the median IQ of an African 75? Why do Asians
>>> outscore every other race on IQ tests?
>>
>> Read _Guns,_Germs,_and_Steel_ and see if your opinion changes.
>>
>> Hint: location, location, location.
>>
>>
> I don't know what you're getting at. Elaborate, please.

Eurasia had a massive confluence of domesticable grains and animals, and a
long east-west axis that allowed crops, animals, and ideas to freely flow
across the continent. Having vast swaths of land at roughly the same latitude
means they have roughly the same climate, meaning this sort of exchange is
rather easy (as these things go).

Africa lacks easily domesticable animals, and its crops couldn't survive the
tropics, leaving them confined to the Sahel region. South Africa could have
been a breadbasket if not for this, but would have to wait for Europeans to
arrive with wheat instead.

Australia lacked all of the above, and is mostly desert. It too would have to
wait for European crops.

New Guinea had agriculture, but confined to the massively fractured highlands.
No animals to domesticate, and free flow of ideas was blocked by the mountains.
Note that New Guinea is one of very few areas of the planet to never be truly
subjugated by Europeans, due to indigenous diseaes that grew in this culture.

The Americas were separated by the Darien swamps of Panama, meaning the Aztec
wheel and Inca llama never met. Maize was slow to be domesticated, putting
the Americas about 8,000 years behind Eurasia in terms of agriculture. The
Aztecs still put up a hell of a fight against Cortez, but were done in by horses
and smallpox.

Agriculture is key. Without it, you have no sedentary society, no surpluses
to feed artisans, politicians, or laborers. In short, no cities, no armies,
no civiliation as we know it. Eurasia had an 8,000 year head start over the
Americas, even more over areas like Australia. Africa and New Guinea were never
able to fully capitalize, due to lack of domestic animals.

Europe came to dominate over the Near East after climate change transformed the
the Fertile Crescent into (mostly) desert. China could have dominated, but the
early development of a single central government meant that any single bad
decision by the imperial court (like, say, burning their shipyards and
oceangoing fleet) had widespread effects. The semi-fractured political landscape
in Europe (caused partially by geography) prevented a bad idea from taking the
whole continent with it (n.b. Columbus failed to sell his ideas to Portugal, so
he went to Spain instead).

Oh, and sedentary societies probably *lower* intelligence, as entire classes are
fed on the backs of the farmers. Hunter-gatherers live and die by their
knowledge of local flora, fauna, and geography. No IQ test I'm aware of measures
survival skills like this.

And we've not even considered the germs that Eurasians picked up from their
herds: smallpox, influenza, etc.

Do read the book. It's a fascinating look at history, culture, and race.

--

__o Kristian Zoerhoff
_'\(,_ kristian.zoerhoff@gmail.com
(_)/ (_)

01-20-2007, 02:21 PM	#84 (permalink)
kristian.zoerhoff@gmail.com Posts: n/a	OT: Race and culture (was Re: Two cyclists attacked and beaten in Portland) On 2007-01-20, Gooserider <Gooserider@mouse-potato.com> wrote: > ><kristian.zoerhoff@gmail.com> wrote in message > news:Jhrsh.24932$sR.11149@newssvr29.news.prodigy.n et... >> On 2007-01-20, Gooserider <Gooserider@mouse-potato.com> wrote: >>> >>> Why were some races of people advanced enough to circumnavigate the >>> globe, >>> while others TO THIS DAY live in dung huts and wear loincloths? All races >>> are not the same. Why is the median IQ of an African 75? Why do Asians >>> outscore every other race on IQ tests? >> >> Read _Guns,_Germs,_and_Steel_ and see if your opinion changes. >> >> Hint: location, location, location. >> >> > I don't know what you're getting at. Elaborate, please. Eurasia had a massive confluence of domesticable grains and animals, and a long east-west axis that allowed crops, animals, and ideas to freely flow across the continent. Having vast swaths of land at roughly the same latitude means they have roughly the same climate, meaning this sort of exchange is rather easy (as these things go). Africa lacks easily domesticable animals, and its crops couldn't survive the tropics, leaving them confined to the Sahel region. South Africa could have been a breadbasket if not for this, but would have to wait for Europeans to arrive with wheat instead. Australia lacked all of the above, and is mostly desert. It too would have to wait for European crops. New Guinea had agriculture, but confined to the massively fractured highlands. No animals to domesticate, and free flow of ideas was blocked by the mountains. Note that New Guinea is one of very few areas of the planet to never be truly subjugated by Europeans, due to indigenous diseaes that grew in this culture. The Americas were separated by the Darien swamps of Panama, meaning the Aztec wheel and Inca llama never met. Maize was slow to be domesticated, putting the Americas about 8,000 years behind Eurasia in terms of agriculture. The Aztecs still put up a hell of a fight against Cortez, but were done in by horses and smallpox. Agriculture is key. Without it, you have no sedentary society, no surpluses to feed artisans, politicians, or laborers. In short, no cities, no armies, no civiliation as we know it. Eurasia had an 8,000 year head start over the Americas, even more over areas like Australia. Africa and New Guinea were never able to fully capitalize, due to lack of domestic animals. Europe came to dominate over the Near East after climate change transformed the the Fertile Crescent into (mostly) desert. China could have dominated, but the early development of a single central government meant that any single bad decision by the imperial court (like, say, burning their shipyards and oceangoing fleet) had widespread effects. The semi-fractured political landscape in Europe (caused partially by geography) prevented a bad idea from taking the whole continent with it (n.b. Columbus failed to sell his ideas to Portugal, so he went to Spain instead). Oh, and sedentary societies probably lower intelligence, as entire classes are fed on the backs of the farmers. Hunter-gatherers live and die by their knowledge of local flora, fauna, and geography. No IQ test I'm aware of measures survival skills like this. And we've not even considered the germs that Eurasians picked up from their herds: smallpox, influenza, etc. Do read the book. It's a fascinating look at history, culture, and race. -- __o Kristian Zoerhoff _'\(,_ kristian.zoerhoff@gmail.com (_)/ (_)