Why the West Rules for Now - Ian Morris

[ejazr]

Only the supremely self-confident put forth all-encompassing theories of world history, and Morris is one such daredevil. An archaeologist by academic specialty, he advances a quasi-deterministic construct that is suitable for nonacademics. From a repeatedly enunciated premise that humans by nature are indolent, avaricious, and fearful, Morris holds that such traits, when combined with sociology and geography, explain history right from the beginning, when humanity trudged out of Africa, through the contemporary rivalry between China and America. Such temporal range leaves scant room for individual human agency: Morris names the names of world history, but in his narrative, leaders and tyrants, at best, muddle through patterns of history that are beyond their power to shape. And those patterns, he claims, can be numerically measured by a "social development index" that he applies to every epochal change from agriculture to the industrial revolution. However, the reading is not as heavy as it may sound. His breezy style and what-if imagination for alternative scenarios should maintain audience interest; whether his sweeping perspective convinces is another matter altogether. --Gilbert Taylor

The only thing that should be noted is that the definition of West changes with time according to Ian Morris. It starts with Mesopotamia and Egypt and later to Europe and the US.

 

[KS]

The only thing that should be noted is that the definition of West changes with time according to Ian Morris. It starts with Mesopotamia and Egypt and later to Europe and the US.

Actually the correct definition of West is where the Whites reside predominantly.

Even Australia annd NZ in the Far South East are considered 'West'.

 

[The Messiah]

Actually the correct definition of West is where the Whites reside predominantly.

Even Australia annd NZ in the Far South East are considered 'West'.

There are many types of "whites". Some europeans dont consider greeks the same as them.

 

[sandeepdg]

^^ Well, just like the Brits hate the Irish. Or the French who hate everyone else.

 

[The Messiah]

The british are actually germanic people. The original natives were forced up north and into some ireland after invasions from mainland europe.

Id say greek, italian and spanish stock is mixed with arabs and north africans to a certain extend. Another stock is france-germany-england which is basically a germanic stock. Then there's another stock slavic people (eastern europe).

 

[pmaitra]

^^

Well said. English are Anglo-Saxons. Irish are Celtics. The Roman Armies kicked their asses, so some of the Anglo-Saxons simply migrated Westwards.

 

[ejazr]

Actually the correct definition of West is where the Whites reside predominantly.

Even Australia annd NZ in the Far South East are considered 'West'.

Well I agree that is what the dominant understanding is when we refer to "the west"

But in this book and speech, the west is not referred to in that way as he starts human history from 10,000BC. So basically the west keeps shifting from the Mesopotamia and Egypt /Greeco-Roman civilisations over the years. While the core of the East as per his definition is around the Yagtze river in China.

If you listen his lecture, it will make sense.