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We Are Not Wired For This

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General interest discussions, not necessarily related to depletion.

Re: We Are Not Wired For This

Unread postby TWilliam » Sat 12 May 2007, 20:37:21

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'E')xcept it is an anthropological fact that hunger periods (famine) for agriculturists have always been more severe than hunger periods for hunter-gatherers. Farming does not keep you from starving, it just makes starvation more sudden and more severe.


Ummm... actually you have that exactly backwards Ludi. One of the main benefits that the development of agriculture bestowed was the ability to produce a surplus of food that could be stored against periods of drought and famine, enabling a larger percentage of the population to survive such vicissitudes.
"It means buckle your seatbelt, Dorothy, because Kansas? Is goin' bye-bye... "
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Re: We Are Not Wired For This

Unread postby pea-jay » Mon 14 May 2007, 02:39:21

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TWilliam', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'E')xcept it is an anthropological fact that hunger periods (famine) for agriculturists have always been more severe than hunger periods for hunter-gatherers. Farming does not keep you from starving, it just makes starvation more sudden and more severe.


Ummm... actually you have that exactly backwards Ludi. One of the main benefits that the development of agriculture bestowed was the ability to produce a surplus of food that could be stored against periods of drought and famine, enabling a larger percentage of the population to survive such vicissitudes.


You are theoretically correct. But that surplus has allowed the rise of a ruling class to oversee the production and use of that surplus. And therein lies the real problem. Not the concept of agriculture per se but the application of it. Plus the continuous existence of surplus allowed countless cultures to grow dependent on them until the inevitable decline left them vulnerable to starvation.
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Re: We Are Not Wired For This

Unread postby Newsseeker » Mon 14 May 2007, 08:22:19

The die off is something that must be taken in small doses and grow with you over time. Those that accept it too readily often don't firmly believe in it but like the tortoise and the hare the slow but certain method of coming to grips with it works. For me at least.
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Re: We Are Not Wired For This

Unread postby TWilliam » Mon 14 May 2007, 15:59:27

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pea-jay', 'Y')ou are theoretically correct. But that surplus has allowed the rise of a ruling class to oversee the production and use of that surplus. And therein lies the real problem. Not the concept of agriculture per se but the application of it. Plus the continuous existence of surplus allowed countless cultures to grow dependent on them until the inevitable decline left them vulnerable to starvation.


Oh I agree pea-jay that what has transpired with regard to the rise of the ruling class based on control of production is a deeper problem. I wasn't addressing the way in which agriculture has ultimately been applied, just that initially it's development was a "step up" for humanity in terms of overall survival.
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