Published way back in 2005 I hadn't picked up a copy of Collapse (Penguin Books) until late this year as a way of attempting to reconcile specific local neighborhood degradation. While Collapse quantifies the failure of prehistorical to modern societies based upon a 5 point checklist (human environmental impact, climate change, relation with friendlies, relations with hostiles and political, cultural and social attitudes) the relationships developed between the multiple causes (while even sometimes recognized) show an accelerated impact greater than imagined when each cause is studied separately.
It was with this study of the symbiotic relationships that I found the book most interesting. Diamond holds that cultural stigma can be responsible for societies to continue practicing environmentally detrimental practices and failure to adapt properly to their environment (Easter Island, Greenland Norse, Western Montana), to the extreme of famish or population explosion due to improved healthcare and better nourishment, coupled with past cultural identities rationalizing genocide (Rwanda). Even leadership typologies are exposed, those being aware enough to directly influence their environment (Shogun Japan, Dominican Republic) to business practices (Chevron) and the creation of watchdog groups (establishment of the FSC -Forest Stewardship Council- and the counter by the lumber industry of the IFS -Sustainable Forestry Initiative, which does not require third party verification).
While the historical lessons are well intentioned I found the doggedly pace of the book off putting and at times quit while only half way through a chapter not to pick up the book again for a week or so. There was quite a bit of self referential aside which may be fine for readers with short attention spans but in its own right could become a drinking game (Every time Diamond refers his checklist, drink!). The material was very interesting, the conclusions are logical enough to be believable and the end result is that Diamond doesn't depend on an Utopian vision to save us all, if anything the book ends on a note of hope in only that the last 150 years of human civilization have been so dramatically harmful that humans as a race are starting to realize that we are all in this together and that more than technology or prayer, is our saving grace.
In fact, I found so much of the material intriguing I will at my own leisure delve a bit further into the topics, so much so as to use the reference list provided by Diamond in the back of Collapse, which I am sure as a professor, Diamond would appreciate.
Ending thoughts? The topics are interesting and the import of societal collapse, especially now, is one of the most serious concerns of our time. The comparison Diamond makes of bacteria cultures in his TED talk to human societies demonstrate that the collapse comes quickly after the pinnacle as it takes all of our raw resources to reach the point of peak population, at which time we have reached the exhaustion of said resources. The book, in my view, stumbles but there is more than enough of interest buried inside to keep the journey going. I would suggest it as necessary reading to anyone interested in social, philosophical or economic studies as well as a primer on symbiotic relationships for those interested in urban or city planning.
As Diamond notes, we are all in this Polder together.
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