Culture Versus Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Culture Versus Environment - Essay Example Rituals designed to appease a multitude of gods thought to control various aspects of the environment were replaced by monotheism and atheism. Favorable environments enabled the discovery of new technologies and freed mankind from having to concentrate on survival. This resulted in greater supplies of food and other resources enabling the growth of larger and less homogeneous settlements with productivity further increased by specialized division of labor. Thus while environment did not directly affect cultural values, it created a milieu where that portion of mankind who could benefit from more favorable environments not only had a greater sense of their ability to control their own environment but also a sense of empowerment where they felt they could and should impose their culture on those less empowered and presumed inferior. Diamond’s Theory and the Spanish ConquistadoresNot only did Diamond theorize there must be the suitable environment for technology improvements to o ccur, he also contended the surrounding environment must be able to facilitate the exchange of technological improvements so that there is the widespread advancement of civilization. He argued Europe/Asia are oriented on an east/west axis meaning the adjoining continents are very wide on the same latitude (east/west) Therefore they have similar vegetation and climate so that the innovation of agriculture and animal domestication could easily spread from the Middle East along this corridor with little adaptation required east.