Collapse: How Societies Chose to Fail or Succeed, by Jared Diamond

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Chapter	Important Points
Prologue	Controversy:  We don’t want to admit that past people have contributed to their own fall Five-part framework: 1. The damage people inflict on the environment 2. Climate change 3. Hostile neighbors 4. Decreased support of friendly neighbors 5. Society’s response to problems
Chapter 1 Montana, Bitterroot Valley	Six problems: 1. Mining and toxic waste 2. Logging and deforestation 3. Soils 4. Water 5. Native and non-native plants and animals *All cause economic problems 6. Polarization between various population groups  (i.e., old-timers and newcomers)
Part Two – Past Societies
Chapter 2 Easter Island	Causes of collapse: 1. Human impact on environment (deforestation and loss of bird population) 2. Political, social and religious factors behind the above two problems Vocabulary:  moai =  statues, ahu = platforms, pukao = red head piece
Chapter 3 Pitcairn and Henderson Islands	Mangareva declined due to environmental problems Pitcairn and Henderson (depended on Mangareva for trade) unable to survive on own
Chapter 4 Anasazi	Causes of collapse: 1. Deforestation and water problems 2. Climate change – rainfall amount and temperature 3. Internal trade with friendly trade partners – too interdependent 4. Society’s response
Chapter 5 Maya	1. Damaged environment (deforestation and erosion) 2. Climate change 3. Hostile neighbors 4. Political and cultural factors
Chapter 6 Vikings
Chapter 7 Norse – Greenland I
Chapter 8 Norse – Greenland II
Chapter 9 Paths To Success
Part Three – Modern Societies
Chapter 10 Rwanda	1. High population 2. No soil management 3. Inequality in land ownership Other: Hutu/Tutsi, economic crisis, falling coffee prices, displacement of young men, political fighting for power
Chapter 11 Dominican Rep. & Haiti
Chapter 12 China
Chapter 13 Australia
Part Four – Practical Lessons
Chapter 14 Why Bad Decisions?	1. Failure to anticipate problem before it occurs 2. Failure to see a problem that is already present 3. Failure to try to solve a problem 4. Failure to actually solve a problem
Chapter 15 Big Business
Chapter 16 Polder	Polders – Reclaimed land in Netherlands Problems facing world today: 1. Destroying natural habitats 2. Humans eating too much wild foods (esp. fish) 3. Wild species becoming extinct and more becoming extinct 4. Soil being eroded by wind and water 5. Fossil fuels last only for few more decades 6. Freshwater being depleted 7.More people use more sunlight and not much will be available for plant growth 8. Toxic chemicals being released into soil, air and water 9. Plants and animals being transplanted to new places 10. Gases damage ozone layer > global warming 11. Population growing 12. More people having more impact on environment
Chapter 17 Angkor
Further Readings	Author’s suggestions for what we can do: 1. Vote 2.Use power of purchasing 3. Draw attention to company’s policies and procedures regarding the environment 4. Talk to others 5. Invest time and money in local environment – set example for others 6. Donate to environmental causes

 

For discussion:

1. On page 507 of the paperback the author wrote, “…First World citizens show no interest in eating less, in order that Third World citizens could eat more.”    Did your parents tell you to clean your plate because of staring children elsewhere in the world?   How can we help others have enough to eat?

2. Given the four reasons explained in Chapter 14 about why groups make bad decisions, can you think of any examples in our society or personally that illustrate one of more of these reasons?

3. Apply the 12 problems in chapter 16 to your local community.  Which of the counter-arguments have you heard?  Which has the most validity?

4. Would you be willing to pay more for products from an environmentally proactive manufacture?  Do you now?

5. What are we/you currently doing to protect the environment?  What more could we/you do?

6. What (if anything) have you learned through reading this book that is making an impact on how you are living?

7. Discuss your reading experience.  Were you able to follow the writer?  How did you proceed through the book?