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The latest from the superb Jared Diamond is an overview of the differences between modern society and the way humanity has lived for most of its history - as small, tribal groups. He uses examples of research into the various pre-modern tribes still extant, or recently so, including his own work of fifty years in New Guinea.
This is in no way a rosy-eyed critique of modern society, yearning for some mythic past where everything was better; Diamond is too smart and too good a scientist for that. E ...more
This is in no way a rosy-eyed critique of modern society, yearning for some mythic past where everything was better; Diamond is too smart and too good a scientist for that. E ...more
I've been a Jared Diamond fan since I first read an article by him in Discover magazine about 30 years ago. This is the fourth of his books that I've read and while I enjoyed this one, I did not rank it as high as I did the others.
In a nutshell, the subtitle says it all. It seemed to me that after he had used up most of his experiences in New Guinea (and other primitive areas) to write his Pulitzer Prize winner and other outstanding books, that he said to himself, "Hmmm, there's still a pile of ...more
In a nutshell, the subtitle says it all. It seemed to me that after he had used up most of his experiences in New Guinea (and other primitive areas) to write his Pulitzer Prize winner and other outstanding books, that he said to himself, "Hmmm, there's still a pile of ...more
We learn from traditional communities! Jared Diamond once again nailed it!! Almost gave up reading this one since too thorough and I read in snail mode in Bahasa Inggris :\ Great stuff if you really interested into Papua communities and other traditional world tribes.
P.S. kinda mellow instantly when I see the figures :')
...more
P.S. kinda mellow instantly when I see the figures :')
...more
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