Guns, Germs and Steel: Yali's Question.
Why is that so much of our world was dominated by Europeans? This is a question that has never been fully explained. In Guns, Germs and Steel, Diamond attempts to answer this question but first begins by bringing forth and then dispelling some common estimations. One of the most common ideas is that there are simply biological differences between races. This theory is flawed for many reasons. First, to assume that any one race is more intelligent than another, would be entirely inappropriate. Secondly, Diamond claims through his own personal experiences, that the people of New Guinea are just as smart as those living in European conquered societies. Also, he has found that each group is more intelligent than each other in different ways. For instance, a Westerner would look very unintelligent while trying to build shelters and find food in the jungle, while someone who was taught the necessary skills from childhood easily excels at these activities. Of course the reverse is also true. If you were to put a person from New Guinea on a subway in New York, there is no doubt that they would appear to be far less intelligent than the Westerners around them. If one wanted to continue to assume that hunter-gatherer societies were not as smart, then a look at child rearing should be of interest. In Western society, young children can spend as much as 7 hours a day, sitting in front of the television, mindlessly absorbing whatever they see. In tribal societies, children spend the day busy. There are chores and activities to be completed, and almost the entire day is spent in play and conversation, with either other children or adults. It is during childhood that most habits and mental processes are developed, and active, stimulated lives lead to better mental health and overall intelligence in adulthood. It is clear that there are no genetic links between intelligence and race.
