Guns, Germs, and Steel
Jared Diamond
83 people recommended it in 44 threads, 2007–2024.
15 commenters pushed back on it — worth reading the threads.
What people on Hacker News said
The idea that external factors like geographical starting conditions can have a huge impact and shape things as complex as human culture is a powerful one, regardless of the conclusions drawn in the book.
Civilizations' success can be considered a function of base resources (edible grains, farmland, metals).
If you want a good view of the matter, please read Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond.
So many types of thinking and areas of science that I wasn't aware of. Not every part of it has to be correct for it to be incredibly interesting.
I have a soft spot for food so especially loved the caloric analysis (the sweet potato was a game changer, IIRC).
I'm continually evaluating how much things are a result of my own work vs just a byproduct of the environment I'm in.
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