Civilization And Savages

When one examines all the diverse and wonderous cultures that currently do, and have existed on this planet. One cannot help but notice a curious disparity of technology and cultural refinement. What separated ancient Egypt from ancient Papua New Guinea? Or England in the 1600's from the North Ameixan Native American tribes? Or modern day Western Europe from modern day Republic of Congo?

What is your opinion? Why is it that some cultures are so much more advanced than others?

originally posted by: Aristotelian1
What is your opinion? Why is it that some cultures are so much more advanced than others?

Access to porn.

(You asked for my opinion)

originally posted by: Aristotelian1
What is your opinion? Why is it that some cultures are so much more advanced than others?

Because cultures arise indepently. Not all cultures have/had the same resources, needs, and knowledge, at the same time (if at all). Why would you expect anything different?

originally posted by: AdmireTheDistance

originally posted by: Aristotelian1
What is your opinion? Why is it that some cultures are so much more advanced than others?

Because cultures arise indepently. Not all cultures have/had the same resources, needs, and knowledge, at the same time (if at all). Why would you expect anything different?

So do you think it's only a people's environment that determines how culturally advanced they'll be?

a reply to: Aristotelian1

In some parts of PNG, a white fella is looked upon as really nice......if he's cooked with just the right spices and bugs.

As AtD said, these cultures have not been exposed to the marvels of modern weaponry and all of the thousands of ways we've perfected killing and exploring Mars.

originally posted by: Sublimecraft
a reply to: Aristotelian1

In some parts of PNG, a white fella is looked upon as really nice......if he's cooked with just the right spices and bugs.

As AtD said, these cultures have not been exposed to the marvels of modern weaponry and all of the thousands of ways we've perfected killing and exploring Mars.

Yes but why is it that way? Why is it that they need to be "exposed" to it? Why haven't they invented advanced weaponry and explored Mars, themselves?

originally posted by: Aristotelian1

originally posted by: AdmireTheDistance

originally posted by: Aristotelian1
What is your opinion? Why is it that some cultures are so much more advanced than others?

Because cultures arise indepently. Not all cultures have/had the same resources, needs, and knowledge, at the same time (if at all). Why would you expect anything different?

So do you think it's only a people's environment that determines how culturally advanced they'll be?

Only? Not at all, but it certainly plays a role.

originally posted by: AdmireTheDistance

originally posted by: Aristotelian1

originally posted by: AdmireTheDistance

originally posted by: Aristotelian1
What is your opinion? Why is it that some cultures are so much more advanced than others?

Because cultures arise indepently. Not all cultures have/had the same resources, needs, and knowledge, at the same time (if at all). Why would you expect anything different?

So do you think it's only a people's environment that determines how culturally advanced they'll be?

Only? Not at all, but it certainly plays a role.

Well I ask because that's all you brought up. What else plays a role besides a people's environment?

originally posted by: Aristotelian1

originally posted by: Sublimecraft
a reply to: Aristotelian1

In some parts of PNG, a white fella is looked upon as really nice......if he's cooked with just the right spices and bugs.

As AtD said, these cultures have not been exposed to the marvels of modern weaponry and all of the thousands of ways we've perfected killing and exploring Mars.

Yes but why is it that way? Why is it that they need to be "exposed" to it? Why haven't they invented advanced weaponry and explored Mars, themselves?

Tell us what you think is the reason, you seem to be fishing for something. Throw out some bigger bait

originally posted by: Aristotelian1

originally posted by: Sublimecraft
a reply to: Aristotelian1

In some parts of PNG, a white fella is looked upon as really nice......if he's cooked with just the right spices and bugs.

As AtD said, these cultures have not been exposed to the marvels of modern weaponry and all of the thousands of ways we've perfected killing and exploring Mars.

Yes but why is it that way? Why is it that they need to be "exposed" to it? Why haven't they invented advanced weaponry and explored Mars, themselves?

I can help answer this one. Seriously, I can.

Resources and access to technology.

Technology tends to advance during war time, but if you're the suppressed sometimes you can't have the technological leap due to lack of knowledge, resources and time.

You've also got the argument of being inquisitive enough to want to find out anything new. If you're a tribe of 100 and you're all happy picking flowers, planting crops, killing wild animals etc. you won't have the need or the want to improve as the group mentality will be on the old saying of "if it aint broke, don't fix it".

The above isn't always the case, but I think that narrows it down pretty well.

originally posted by: caterpillage

originally posted by: Aristotelian1

originally posted by: Sublimecraft
a reply to: Aristotelian1

In some parts of PNG, a white fella is looked upon as really nice......if he's cooked with just the right spices and bugs.

As AtD said, these cultures have not been exposed to the marvels of modern weaponry and all of the thousands of ways we've perfected killing and exploring Mars.

Yes but why is it that way? Why is it that they need to be "exposed" to it? Why haven't they invented advanced weaponry and explored Mars, themselves?

Tell us what you think is the reason, you seem to be fishing for something. Throw out some bigger bait

The big elephant in the room is intelligence. Nobody likes to talk about a people's intelligence.

originally posted by: Aristotelian1

What is your opinion? Why is it that some cultures are so much more advanced than others?

Intelligence / Technology / MATURITY.

Visualize a species with intelligence and technology but no signs of over-all species Maturity, and what they could do with advanced technology to their homeworld and other habitats...

Now visualize another species with Intelligence / Technology & the MATURITY to recognize what would happen if the technology is mishandled or respected?

The outcomes per civilization / species 1 would think would be different, as far as species development and preservation are concerned...

NAMASTE*******

originally posted by: Ophiuchus 13

originally posted by: Aristotelian1

What is your opinion? Why is it that some cultures are so much more advanced than others?

Intelligence / Technology / MATURITY.

Visualize a species with intelligence and technology but no signs of over-all species Maturity, and what they could do with advanced technology to their homeworld and other habitats...

Now visualize another species with Intelligence / Technology & the MATURITY to recognize what would happen if the technology is mishandled or respected?

The outcomes per civilization / species 1 would think would be different, as far as species development and preservation are concerned...

NAMASTE*******

I agree. I think technology and maturity stem from intelligence.

a reply to: Aristotelian1

People adapt to their environment.San Bushmen are superb at living and surviving in the Okovango delta.Londoners are superb at drinking warm, disgusting beer and complaining about cyclists.

Humans are supremely adaptable and we tend to cut out that which is unnecessary.

originally posted by: Ericthedoubter
a reply to: Aristotelian1

People adapt to their environment.San Bushmen are superb at living and surviving in the Okovango delta.Londoners are superb at drinking warm, disgusting beer and complaining about cyclists.

Humans are supremely adaptable and we tend to cut out that which is unnecessary.

I think the more intelligent civilizations make their environment adapt to them. That's what separates modern day society from cavemen. Cavemen adapted to their environment, now we make the environment adapt to us.

It depends on what we should consider "advanced". The way I see it, most of the "primitive" cultures were more advanced than us in many ways. Let's use modern terminology to see what I mean.

They generally had sustainable farming and sustainable hunting practices, so they'd never deplete their resources. They didn't waste anything from their kills and crops, so they had no need for landfills or toxic waste dumps. All of their materials were biodegradable or made from rocks/clay/wood/etc, so they never polluted their environment with toxic crap. They had 100% organic food supplies. Their carbon footprint was virtually nonexistent.

And they were incredibly crafty, mastering even the most mundane plants in their environments, which would then be used in medicines & ointments, poisons, recreational drugs, tooth fillings, adhesives, paints and dyes, and much much more. Contrast that to modern civilizations, where most people can't grow their own food, can't make their own clothes, can't catch or tame wild animals, and have brains filled with needless crap like pop culture, sports trivia, and other pointless topics. It's hard to say we're more "advanced" than they were.

Clearly some of our technology is better (like medical, computing, and communications technology), but much of that is in the eye of the beholder. Even in modern times, there will always be people who don't want to live in a metropolis, don't care for the "merits" of really tall buildings, and don't want to spend resources sending probes throughout the solar system (or spend resources on any type of infrastructure at all). Would you see people like this as being uncivilized too, even though they live in the supposedly "civilized" countries?

And of course, there's the moral argument against creating and maintaining weapons systems that can kill all life on Earth. I consider that the most barbaric and savage development in human history.

Read "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared Diamond. You will love it and it answers your very questions directly. I highly recommend!

"Diamond argues that the gaps in power and technology between human societies originate primarily in environmental differences, which are amplified by various positive feedback loops. When cultural or genetic differences have favored Eurasians (for example, written language or the development among Eurasians of resistance to endemic diseases), he asserts that these advantages occurred because of the influence of geography on societies and cultures (for example, by facilitating commerce and trade between different cultures) and were not inherent in the Eurasian genomes."

-Wiki

originally posted by: AKelp
Read "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared Diamond. You will love it and it answers your very questions directly. I highly recommend!

It's a good book, but I have some objections to it. He's under the impression that it is one-hundred percent environmental.

originally posted by: enlightenedservant
It depends on what we should consider "advanced". The way I see it, most of the "primitive" cultures were more advanced than us in many ways. Let's use modern terminology to see what I mean.

They generally had sustainable farming and sustainable hunting practices, so they'd never deplete their resources. They didn't waste anything from their kills and crops, so they had no need for landfills or toxic waste dumps. All of their materials were biodegradable or made from rocks/clay/wood/etc, so they never polluted their environment with toxic crap. They had 100% organic food supplies. Their carbon footprint was virtually nonexistent.

And they were incredibly crafty, mastering even the most mundane plants in their environments, which would then be used in medicines & ointments, poisons, recreational drugs, tooth fillings, adhesives, paints and dyes, and much much more. Contrast that to modern civilizations, where most people can't grow their own food, can't make their own clothes, can't catch or tame wild animals, and have brains filled with needless crap like pop culture, sports trivia, and other pointless topics. It's hard to say we're more "advanced" than they were.

Clearly some of our technology is better (like medical, computing, and communications technology), but much of that is in the eye of the beholder. Even in modern times, there will always be people who don't want to live in a metropolis, don't care for the "merits" of really tall buildings, and don't want to spend resources sending probes throughout the solar system (or spend resources on any type of infrastructure at all). Would you see people like this as being uncivilized too, even though they live in the supposedly "civilized" countries?

And of course, there's the moral argument against creating and maintaining weapons systems that can kill all life on Earth. I consider that the most barbaric and savage development in human history.

Advanced-"ahead or far or further along in progress, complexity, knowledge, skill, etc."
By definition, some cultures are more advanced than others. Neat post though!