More than half of this book is filled by the stories associated with these five factors behind past societal collapses. They deserve detailed consideration, to enlighten us about the past and to warn about the present.Jared Diamond
While declining societies come inevitably to differ about many aspects of their former lifestyle, some debates become foci of particularly passionate disagreement, because they present society with choices that it finds deeply distasteful.Jared Diamond
In the past, we lacked the knowledge to understand how our actions would transform the world but now we know the consequences of our actions.Jared Diamond
One societal collapse for which there is really good archaeological evidence is the collapse of the classic Maya civilization in Central America in the 9th century AD.Jared Diamond
Systems of checks and balances that are meant to overcome self-mutilating behavior have added resilience to human societies.Jared Diamond
But there is no doubt that the deforestation was a result of human actions, as the island was still completely forested when humans arrived, and the deforestation followed a pattern typical of deforestation by humans in many parts of the world.Jared Diamond
The values to which people cling most stubbornly under inappropriate conditions are those values that were previously the source of their greatest triumphs over adversity.Jared Diamond
The values that once served a society can, once conditions change, become self-destructive.Jared Diamond
The courage to change social values, the political will to grapple with these difficult problems, the willingness of each of us to rethink our attitudes, will all be needed if we're going to succeed.Jared Diamond
Even when a society does perceive an environmental problem in time to prevent it, the attempt at solution may fail because of conflicts of interest with other societies trying to solve their environmental problems.Jared Diamond