Societies don't die by accident - they commit ecological suicide. David Shi reviews a new book: Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed, by Jared Diamond.
"Diamond, an evolutionary biologist trained in biochemistry and physiology, deftly uses comparative methods and multidisciplinary tools - archaeology, anthropology, paleontology, and botany - to marshal evidence that sustaining societies over time depends primarily on the quality of human interaction with the environment.
All of the vanished societies experienced environmental damage such as deforestation, soil erosion, the intrusion of salt water, or overhunting game animals."
Thanks to Chris Steins
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