Recent studies are focused on an important question regarding civilization: “Will civilization fall to an irreversible doom?” There have been countless examples of societal collapse for many reasons and it all comes down to one conclusion. Progress will lead to our nigh collapse, thus, making it a trap. The very start of civilization can be traced back to when agriculture first started. Jared Diamond claims in his article, “The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race,” that agriculture is the most primitive mistake we have made.
As civilizations advance, they become more complex and those that reach their peak of power collapse not long after. Civilizations grow up to “the extent to which advanced, complex and powerful societies are …show more content…
The Greenland Vikings disappeared because of gradual climate change. Albeit, inhabiting Greenland along with the Inuits and the Eskimos, the Vikings died sooner than the other two tribes due to the frigid weather. The Greenland Vikings couldn’t adapt to the colder climate and due to an unhealthy relationship with the Inuits and the Eskimos, the Vikings were declined of any help from their neighboring tribes. A more modern example of climate change is the rapidly increasing global warming in Montana. Their agriculture won’t last long because their agriculture depends on irrigation. There will be no more water trickling down from the mountains when it stops snowing frequently there. Agriculture has led to a dependence “on a limited number of crops, [hence] farmers ran the risk of starvation if one crop failed” (Diamond). Scientists and historians also assume that natural disasters may have led to several civilizations' downfall. Unlike climate change, natural disasters are instantaneous and spontaneous. Jared Diamond believes that the Easter Island collapse was due to “nine different environmental factors… [including] fallout of volcanic tephra, latitude, rainfall” (Diamond). This caused “the island’s vegetation … to decline about 990 years ago” (Sullivan), resulting to an island with poor soil. Parallel to these examples, many lands that couldn't provide fertile soil quickly
As civilizations advance, they become more complex and those that reach their peak of power collapse not long after. Civilizations grow up to “the extent to which advanced, complex and powerful societies are …show more content…
The Greenland Vikings disappeared because of gradual climate change. Albeit, inhabiting Greenland along with the Inuits and the Eskimos, the Vikings died sooner than the other two tribes due to the frigid weather. The Greenland Vikings couldn’t adapt to the colder climate and due to an unhealthy relationship with the Inuits and the Eskimos, the Vikings were declined of any help from their neighboring tribes. A more modern example of climate change is the rapidly increasing global warming in Montana. Their agriculture won’t last long because their agriculture depends on irrigation. There will be no more water trickling down from the mountains when it stops snowing frequently there. Agriculture has led to a dependence “on a limited number of crops, [hence] farmers ran the risk of starvation if one crop failed” (Diamond). Scientists and historians also assume that natural disasters may have led to several civilizations' downfall. Unlike climate change, natural disasters are instantaneous and spontaneous. Jared Diamond believes that the Easter Island collapse was due to “nine different environmental factors… [including] fallout of volcanic tephra, latitude, rainfall” (Diamond). This caused “the island’s vegetation … to decline about 990 years ago” (Sullivan), resulting to an island with poor soil. Parallel to these examples, many lands that couldn't provide fertile soil quickly