Why the West Rules - For Now

Combining history, anthropology and social science, Stanford historian and archaeologist Ian Morris looks afresh at our global past, present and future

[florydory]

I vote for finding our way "back to the Garden." The earth supplies our food, air, and water. We need to use technology to find ways that help us live more in harmony with nature (like the Cradle to Cradle movement). As in John Lennon's song "Imagine"...we need to get away from prejudices that divide us, and realize that all humans have similar needs. Rather than spending our time trying to destroy each other, we need to create ways that make life more creative, intelligent loving and sustaining.

[iikimida]

Decade passed... so relevant even now at turning point here!!!! 🤯😆😆😆🙏🧠 such an experience and time travel in conscious learning and creating history

[JaCorBoar]

"The US didn't use Nuclear Weapons when they were the only country that had them, so I think there is hope for the future." --- Ummm, what was Hiroshima and Nagasaki then? Surely it was this and the fact that the US was pretty much the only country that wasn't bankrupt at the end of WW2 (mainly because they didn't participate until the end) that created the "American Empire" that has dominated the world since the 1950's - they did use WMD to maintain their position - and if the US continues to

[JaCorBoar]

the world, even more so than it has done over the last 5 or 6 decades. And this is what troubles me - will Europe play along? will Australia? will Japan, South Korea, Canada, Colombia? Where's Russia stand in all this? Is China just going to continue to cop this? There's going to be alot of ugliness before something will bloom from all this - and all these "new and fantastic technologies" that are in development - whose going to get the best use of them, the citizenry or the corporations?

[relix]

fact is the west did shit right, and had the right circumstances, but overall they just worked really hard. the west was driven by the powerful idea of a free and fresh capital market, and you could be rich if you tried hard enough, and many did. The west had the right stuff, and its really incredible actually considering how much of a disadvantage they were at. dangerous winters, small land space, many different ethnic groups, and constant exterior threats.

[adcashmo]

Free land and free labour was a big factor in the development of the west yeah.

[naab]

Justice what makes great nations throughout history.

[diogenix]

Good Talk...not much different from what Diamond has been harpin on.
However he doesnt even bother to mention either Africa or Australia...as if those continents are on Mars. His projections for further global development seems to ignore the increasingly limited resources needed to fuel that development, and how the competition for this resources would create a conflict that would either accelerate or decelerate the rise of the east.

[apalsenberg]

Very interesting!
This is a banquet for thought.

[swillyzswellstuff]

Mark my words TODAY and Remember me, 20 years from now. You will REMEMBER this Truthful Note. "America the Free" unless you drink the koolaid and want to "Spread the Wealth"

[TacticusPrime]

@raulmdiaz He quotes Diamond in the text, but I've read his stuff and he's more a popular apologist. Morris crunches the numbers, even if the details are largely in the background. He's more like Paul Kennedy than Diamond.

[betadryl]

@JaCorBoar I guess sarkasm doesn't catch on very well on youtube.

[TacticusPrime]

What would democracy look like in a Singularity? I'm afraid that I see Nightfall as far more likely than a Singularity. Certainly, if a Singularity does occur then it will not be uniform.

[userstupidname]

@Intellisecular

What do you mean Arabs better their culture? They lived in a golden age til the mongol invasion?

Democracy and rights came trough hardship like the French revolution, the classes demanding ever more of the cake.

It wasn't in ''Europe'' that democratic ideas spread, it was France, thinkers trying to raise that thought to it being a combined effort from Europe is not close to reality.

He has only 46 minutes, see the history and you will find answers to all those questions.

[RaulMDiaz]

Is not this the same work done by Jared Diamon???
Sounds familiar to me.

[TacticusPrime]

Why are people talking about Communism and Capitalism on this video? This video has nothing to do with economic systems. It's about the interaction of geography and sociology to produce our world. Get over yourselves.

[swillyzswellstuff]

Oh Lord, or whom ever you want to worship, or not even believe in a higher being, whatever... the choice is still yours ..THIS is YOUR CHOICE as an individual in A M E R I CA period!.

Revolution sounds GREAT! Right Now Egypt now after 30 years under Dictatorship whoo hoo they are FREE?? RIGHT? YES?


Who do YOU think Will Want to RULE them?? Peaceful Democratic Free Society Folks??? Yes!!

Today Feb 13th 2011
Who has been planning this and is organized??
"THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD"

[MrSharan]

Don't open your mouth before opening your mind.

[earthandsunandmoon]

you feel better now? you can wash it all down with a double cheeseburger and curly fries too. yummy in your tummy. please though - don't ever try to establish a career in education. well - maybe primary school, but that's as far as it should go. :)