I Have Something to Say

Neither is watching them develop a chemical addiction or die in a car wreck but hey as long as we're developing new and exciting ways to die and that's the standard

@Makemeluvit: Yes, but back then 1/2 of all children died before they were 10. Human population has grown because of technology. Population densities were very low back then. Life was very, very hard when you have Stone Age technology. You should appreciate how much better life is.

@HoraceGreenley: you're talking about the population growing to the point where it's literally destroying the world that it depends on like it's a good thing?

@Makemeluvit: Yes. As a student of anthropology, the life of hunter/gatherers does not represent a utopia. Secondly, we are not "literally destroying the world."

We're fine.

@OKWTFN: Actually I like hunting. I lift weights, and run, and weigh 220 pounds with 6 pack abs. I played Division one football and ran track. If you want to see who is more manly, I'll meet you in the streets any time.

Humans living as hunter/gatherers were larger and generally healthier than early farmers. With agriculture, people ate less animal protein, had less varied diets and became smaller.

People turned to agriculture for one simple reason. Agriculture provides a more predictable food supply. Despite the hard work and the boring diet, people preferred that to the feast or famine cycles that hunter/gatherers endure.

Stone Age hunter/gathering is a tough life. Humans almost became extinct at one point before they left Africa.

People adopted the modern lifestyle to protect them from nature.

Study up on anthropology, which is a hobby of mine. My degree is in Biology, so I understand evolution and paleoanthropology.

@HoraceGreenley: my people didn't grow anything as "agriculture" the earth gave them a wealth of resources which were appreciated and utilized- it wasn't full of chemicals and preservatives either- it didn't need to be- we weren't forcing the earth to provide for more people then she could- we worked for what we needed and weren't expected to provide for a greedy government haircut that didn't hear our voices either- sometimes simple and small is best

@OKWTFN: I am not attempting to make a Socio-Economic or political point. I am merely stating that the adoption of technology by people all over the world had to do with anthropology. My statements are generalizations about why the vast majority of people the world over have abandoned the hunter/gatherer lifestyle in favor of agriculture and technology.

I am in no way referencing the treatment of native peoples in the Americas. And I do realize that agriculture was practiced by native people in the America's. Most importantly the domestication of corn in North America and the potato in South America, as the two most notable examples.

As for this instance specifically, I consider the conquest of the Americas by Europeans as the greatest tragedy in human history, considering that an estimated 350 million people died over a 300 to 400 year period.

However, given that more technologically advanced peoples conquered less technologically advanced peoples throughout human history, this sort of outcome was predictable. Human history is replete with instances of people taking what they can grab.

Having said that, I consider this period as mankind's greatest tragedy.

That's a great example of exactly what happened- an example I know you didn't mean to provide- they came in- and told us that their way is so much better then ours- they forced it on us because they believed themselves, their religions, and their traditions to be superior- and they will still tell us so today- thank you for the example- it's ironic- but perfect

@Makemeluvit: My only point is that the forces that drove these events are long lasting and deep rooted. I am not making a value judgement as to what way of life is better. These things happened and there are reasons for them, and I am merely listing those reasons.

Should people morn what happened? Absolutely. It was horrific beyond description.

But we can't forget that our 21st Century sensibilities were not shared by people in earlier times. Examples of inhumanity exist the world over throughout time.

@OKWTFN: Yes, I understand that. Again, I'm not saying any of this is right. I'm just providing background on why it happened.

@HoraceGreenley: "I'm not making a value judgement as to which way of life is better" earlier comment: "you should appreciate how much better life is"

@OKWTFN: Nothing of the sort. I never assume I "know better."

I was merely looking for a discussion of paleo-anthropology.

The turn that this discussion took is not on my radar.

@HoraceGreenley: you replied with an arguement against the point of the post- you simply didn't have a strong enough arguement to hold up against the real emotional context of it- telling another person that having their culture and way of life stripped from them by force- and having many of their family murdered and exploited- was actually better for them because they have now been gifted with modern day technology- and they should appreciate it- regardless of what they sacrificed or continue to sacrifice doesn't really hold strong in one's heart- I don't think you can make an intellectual arguement for it