I’ve finally gotten around to reading Guns, Germs, and Steel, a great book. How did Europeans conquer North America? With germs, more than with firepower.
Right now, I’m lying at home, suffering from some germs of my own. I feel like crap, and not just because the A’s had their winning streak broken by Jon Garland and the White Sox.
I’ve had a fever twice this year, once during spring training in Tucson, and again this weekend. Both times I got sick, the White Sox were in town, playing the A’s. Coincidence? I think not.
The White Sox were 53-25 going into tonight’s game, but according to Baseball Prospectus’ Adjusted Standings, they should have been 10 games worse, about 43-35. How are they defying the numbers?
Germs, I say! The White Sox are a carrier, like fleas, mosquitos and rats. And like European conquerors, they spread disease wherever they go, rendering their opponents in a weakened state, so that they can win despite their mediocre talent.
Damn parasites. Begone! I hate you.
1. I've always wanted to read that book, but the reviews I've read about the author kind of turned me off. They make him out to being a Euro/White basher. I don't mind the truth, even if the truth hurts, but I prefer to read from someone with an open mind. What was your feelings along these lines after having read the book.
vr, Xei
2. I didn't get the impression from the book that Diamond was bashing anyone. The argument is quite logically laid out. Eurasians had a whole series of geographical advantages over other areas of the planet; primarily in native flora and fauna, as well as climate. It shows history as a natural consequence of those advantages. It's a must read.
3. I'm currently reading "Lies My Teacher Told Me", which breaks down how much of American History books are bunk. The subject of diseases being the major way Europeans took over the new world is a large focus, but of course, never mentioned in almost all of history textbooks we have in our public schools. I really enjoy the book, but it's is skewed to the left, which the blurb on the book by Howard Zinn would denote.
In regards to your argument about the White Sox, I would state that considering the Sox have an overall record of 4-20 versus the A's over the past 24 games, it's the A's who have spread a smallpox on the Sox. Even in this glorious year where the WHite Sox are winning games they shouldn't, they are 2-4 versus the A's.
I have to say that I feel little guilt about outperforming the Adjusted standings, as the White Sox have generally been in the negative almost every year, as the Twins have been the masters of beating the Adj. standings.
4. Xei,
I have the book and I didn't feel that it showed an anti-European bias. I'll reread it and repost if my feelings change...but I don't think they will. From what I remember, societies became dominant/more advanced due to the geography of the lands they occupied. Societies in more isolated areas didn't have as many tools as did people who could move more freely.
5. Anybody who can, with a straight face, call agriculture "the worst mistake in the history of the human race" is a crank, an idiot, and a jackass.
http://www.agron.iastate.edu/courses/agron342/diamondmistake.html
My recommendation for Mr. Diamond is that he get the hell out of polite society and head toward some primitivist idyll -- the prison known as Cuba, for instance, or the remoter parts of the Amazon.