Think about an issue in your personal life/history that required a critical decision. What about that particular situation made the decision a hard one to make? How did your solution differ from another potential reaction and how different would the results have been had you chosen that other reaction?
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Diamond discusses the issues of contemporary Montanan society and posits that it is a helpful example when reflecting on the pre-Collapse period of past societies faced with similar challenges. Do you agree that Montana's issues (choose at least 1 below to discuss) resemble the challenges that led to the downfall of past societies? How are they, or their surrounding circumstances, similar or different? Finally, what in your opinion are the crucial things a society must consider, admit, discuss, and ultimately take action on in order to overcome it's problems? For example, could Montanans just continue to turn a blind eye to the toxic waste from its mines or allow unsustainable logging/ agricultural practices and still survive?
1) Increasing population, 2)immigration, 3) increasing scarsity & decreasing quality of water, 4) locally & seasonally poor air quality, 5) toxic wastes, 6)increased risk of wildfires (or other human activity-induced natural disasters), 7)forest deterioration, 8) loss of soil or its nutrients, 9) loss of biodiversity/ damage from introduced pest species, 10) the effects of climate change.
Be sure to discuss Diamond's concepts of the 8 kinds of Ecocide as well as specific examples from Ch. 1 and the other chapter you choose.
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Possibly the most critical decision I ever made was which college to attend. As the deadline for declaring approached, it was down to Alma College and the University of Michigan, which are practically opposite schools in many ways. I had a sibling attend each one and had therefore gotten to know a little more about the campus life. There were drastic differences in cost, scholarships, size, location, quality, diversity, and character. My heart was set on Michigan, but I knew I would get a significantly larger scholarship to Alma, which weighed in heavily to my decision. In the end, I obviously chose Michigan, and if I hadn’t, my life would be very different. If I had chosen Alma, it’s hard to say what life would be like, but the campus is much smaller there and after a weekend visit with my sister there, I knew I had chosen the right place fore me.
ReplyDeleteIn Collapse, Diamond argues that Montana’s issues (including loss of soil or its nutrients) resemble the challenges that led to the downfall of past societies. Specifically, in Bitterroot Valley, MO there was a “boom in commercial apple orchards, which were initially very profitable, collapsed, due in part to apple trees exhausting the soil’s nitrogen” (Diamond 47). On a broader scale, erosion of soil is a big issue in the state, which can be caused by “overgrazing, noxious weed infestation, logging, or excessively hot forest fires that sterilize the topsoil” (Diamond 47). Humans caused both of these problems. When trying to foresee the future for a place like Montana, one may look back to a society that had similar issues, such as Norse Greenland.
The Norse cut and burnt the cover of trees and shrubs, which hold soil better than grass, and therefore caused soil erosion (Diamond 253). With less things to cause friction to slow down wind, the topsoil was blown away, making it less nutritious and fertile. Contrary to the Norse, Montanans have more technology and readily available information on proper agriculture, yet since they have already done the damage, they must figure out how to reverse it and then sustain it.
I think it is crucial for a society to discuss toxic wastes. If there is something we have control over I think it is definitely what we consume and waste. There are proper ways to, for example: dispose of mining waste, and we should follow those ways, whether it must be government regulated or from the bottom-up.
Diamond, Jared. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2005.
One of the most important decisions I have made was choosing to transfer out of Bennington College and continue my college education at the University of Michigan. In my third semester at Bennington, I became very disillusioned with my school. I didn’t feel challenged in my classes, and felt more like I was at summer camp than college: enjoyable for my freshman year, but an absurd practice to continue for three more years. My social life consisted mostly of drinking and gossiping about those around me: so goes a Friday night at a school of 600 students with only on-campus housing in the foothills of Vermont. I was determined that my third semester at Bennington would be my last. I applied to six different schools, three of which were located in New York City. After visiting U of M, however, I decided that I could really flourish at an art school within a large university. I knew that I would have to take a number of required classes, and that I would be a few years older than my peers in these classes, and graduation would be a year later than originally planned, but I thought it would all be worth it. So far, it is. Leaving Bennington was one of the best decisions I have ever made: had I stayed, I believe that my art would not have progressed very much in comparison to the instruction I have received thus far at the School of Art and Design. In addition, I would not have met the dozens of wonderful friends I have gained in the experiences I had upon leaving Vermont. Of course, there are people and things that I miss at Bennington, but at the end of the day, I am a million times happier in Ann Arbor than I ever was in New England.
ReplyDeleteDiamond writes of the collapse of contemporary society in Montana as a forewarning for other societies in the world: if you don’t take care of your environment, it will quickly fall in on itself. It would be impossible for Montanans to continue to ignore the numerous issues at hand and expect their society to survive. Resources will run out, and it’s no guarantee that help will be readily available from others. Take Easter Island for example: the civilians completely demolished their forests and were ultimately left with nothing. The citizens of Montana are facing the same issue with the rapidly deteriorating forests. If no action is taken, they will be confronted with a landscape without trees. The matter is even more crucial as wildfires become more probable. Too many people disregard their environment, taking it for granted, and ultimately abusing it. In order to help reverse the negative effects of Montanans’ actions, the communities of Montana must address these imperative issues as soon as possible.
Diamond, Jared. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2005.
About a year ago, I was skiing in Colorado on what started as an average day. My family and I did the same few warm-up runs before moving to the top of the mountain where the harder terrain resided. As I pushed through the entrance gate into “Christmas Tree Gully,” the only decisions I planned to make as I started were decisions regarding turns, speed, and body position. The last thing I expected was to find a wallet on the middle of the run. During a normal rest stop to catch my breath, I noticed a designer wallet partially buried under the snow. As I opened the wallet, I found a bunch of credit cards and a HUGE wad of cash. The decision wasn’t a very controversial one for me…there was a license in the wallet so of course I would send it back, all the money still included. While I had no questions as to what action I would take, it still was a critical decision that may have been different if someone else had found the wallet. Had I chosen another reaction, the man would have lost all of his credit cards, his drivers license, and a lot of money that may have been important to him.
ReplyDeleteI think it is very important to observe modern societies to learn about the issues that may occur in future places. Many of the issues resemble the challenges that can potentially lead to the downfall of other societies. One of Montana’s biggest issue, a changing climate, effects many other areas around the world. The place that I’m most familiar with is California, which is hypothesized to sink in the future due to a rising sea level caused by global warming. While Montana may not sink, the issues that cause the climate change such as aerosols and irresponsible use of fuels contribute to the changing climate in both locations.
I don’t think there is a “check list” of things that a society should consider. I think that people need to be aware and act responsibly in order to keep environmental issues in check. While areas may survive in the present world, ultimately irresponsible care of the environment will lead to global destruction.
In 10th grade, I was in a math class in which I had a rather old, and clumsy teacher. At the end of our first quarter, I took the ‘quarter test’, in which my grade presented me with a dilemma. My teacher took off the appropriate amount of points, but gave me a grade higher on the top of my exam. Though most people would be thrilled to have received a mistake such as this, I was put in a moral conflict. I knew that I deserved the grade my points added up to, and would not have been happy with myself if I took it and left. So, I stayed after class and let her know of the mistake, of which she changed in her grade book. She was very grateful, and I believe I did the right thing, being that the mistake was due to a clumsy error. She knew I was honest, so that if a discrepancy came up in my grade, I thought maybe she would keep it in consideration. Regardless, my friends were shocked with what I did. If I’d taken the grade, I would have felt the guilt throughout the entire term. And also, would not have received a grade I deserved, which could have changed my work ethic in the class. Someone else most probably would not have done the same that I did.
ReplyDeleteMontana’s issues definitely resemble some of the challenges that led to the downfall of past societies. Metal mining in Montana contributes to the biggest toxic waste issue in the state. This practice is on e of the pillars of Montana’s economy, and is essential, but the results of these practices are toxins, which are bound to enter the groundwater, rivers and soil. (Diamond 39). Mines who have experienced this are left untouched, and just contribute to the downfall of their societies environment, and economy. If the mines are not taken care of, so many other resources can be diminished. Australia suffers from a similar issue. Mining is the key to their economy, but it also is the key to its environmental problems. Their resources are being depleted because of the mining minerals, causing their forest and fisheries to be on the decline… soon to be extinct if this continues.
I believe that societies should move one step at a time. Taking on too many issues will only cause more; so if they focus on one issue at a time, they may be able to get closer to the solution of their problems. The “8 ecocides” differ in importance per country. Deforestation and habitat destructions are not always more important than overfishing, or human population growth. These are only three of the “ecological suicides” countries face. (Diamond 6). And therefore, I do not see a method in choosing which is the first to tackle. Depending on their situations, the plan of action they take will be different. Not turning a complete blind eye, but focusing on a main issue would be my intuition for these circumstances.
Diamond, Jared. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2005.
ReplyDeleteLooking back on my life a critical decision I made was in my sophomore of high school – I decided not to be gothic anymore. It was pretty easy to recognize the negative impacts it was having on my life. I was hanging around with people who didn’t have a good outlook on life and didn’t make any effort to get along with their families. I never did bad in school but I definitely had distanced myself from my family. It was a decision that took a lot of reflection but it was even harder to act on it. I had to get all new friends AND clothes. I always wonder what my life would be like had I not gotten out of the gothic phase. I can only compare where I am now to where members of that group ended up. 3 of the 5 girls have children, 2 of the 3 guys are addicted to hard drugs, and 2 of the 3 couples are married. I know that drugs, marriage, and children are the last thing I want in my life. Would their tendencies have rubbed off on me had I stayed? I don’t think so but I’m glad I didn’t stick around to find out.
ReplyDeleteThe role of logging in Montana parallels the Pitcairn and Henderson Island people.
In Montana trees weren’t cut down when they were big and most efficient in amount of wood. They were clear cut which was more efficient time wise. However, it eliminated the habitat for the creatures living in the trees. Another affect that was unforeseen was the role the trees played in the land and water: the trees shaded the river which kept the water temperature cooler which prevented the snow from melting as fast. The increase in river temperature lead to more water which eroded the river banks causing sediment run off and polluted water.
Deforestation and soil erosion was the main reason for collapse with the Pitcairn and Henderson Island people. The islands survived on imports from the larger surrounding island because they were so small. Henderson Island had to become self sufficient because it could no longer trade. The deforestation diminished trees that were big enough to make ships (Diamond 132). The lack of trees also lead to soil erosion which made growing crops on the already ecological marginal land even more difficult. The islands could only sustain a small population and with too many people and not enough food it lead to a civil war and starvation. In a way, the clearing of the forest cleared the islands of its people similar to how clearing the forests in Montana cleared the forests of its biodiversity.
Out of Diamond’s 8 kinds of ecocide the Pitcairn and Henderson Island people performed or experienced 50% of them: Deforestation and habitat destruction, soil problems, human population growth, and increased per capita impact of people.
In order for a society to over come a problem it needs to consider the effects of the action. Admit responsibility and causes. Discuss ways to alter the practice of attempt to undo the damage. It really comes down to setting limits and takes the entire community to agree and work together.
Diamond, Jared. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2005.
The most important issue I’ve ever made in my life was to go to college. In high school, I really did not try at all, but managed to do well. I did go through a phase in high school where the only thing that was on my mind was partying, but managed to clean my act up after one too many close calls, and started to apply to different colleges rather than go out and have a good time. I applied to many schools in the state of Michigan, and to my surprise was accepted to all of them. Of course I could not let the opportunity of going to U of M go to waste, and chose to go here. As much as my friends back home are very important to me, I just see how my life could have been if I had not chose to further my education. Many of my friends are parents, becoming parents, addicts, married, engaged, or working a dead end job. I could not imagine staying in my hometown and settling down at the age of 19. I feel that going here is the best thing that has happened to me, because not only have I furthered my education and gained many skills in that regard, but I am also meeting people that I would have never meet had I not left my hometown.
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I think the biggest difference between Montana’s current issues and the downfall of past societies has to do with knowledge. A lot of Montana has been destroyed, but the fact that we now know that certain things cause problems, we are able to come up with new solutions. I think an issue that the people of Montana have to deal with is an increasing population. Like the Mayans and Vikings of Greenland, an increase of population only brought about problems. With the increase of population comes more demand for things. More food to grow, more cows to milk, more stores to shop at, more cars to drive, more of everything. Unlike past societies, the people of Montana can change some of the issues facing them. The larger population means that more pollution will also occur, and then they can come up with things that will cause less pollution. If the soil is no longer good for farming, there has to be another solution that can get people food.
Because we have seen the effects of what humans to our earth, we know many things need to change. We have learned from past societies that have failed, and can use not only the lesson from them, but also use our advanced learning and skills to come up with new solutions. I believe that if everyone realized the issues facing them, then more people would come up with solutions to fix some of the problems we have caused.
Diamond, Jared. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2005.
Last year the on thursday before halloween I went to a frat party at the Pike house. It was “the place to go” that night, a line to get in, mobbed full house inside. After a little while at the party I was ready to leave. On my way to the door I was stopped by some guy in a Super Mario costume. He grabbed my arm and said, “Who are you?” I looked him in the face and said, “Hi, I’m Joel Seigle.” His response after shocked me. “Oh.. Your a Jew... get the fuck out of my house!” he yelled in my face. My decision to follow was the most challenging one of my life, what do I do? Sadly I was the coward to not stand up for myself and did what he said and walked away out of his house. What he deserved was a punch to the face. However if that had happened my night would have been drastically different. The second my fist would have followed through from the punch I would have been jumped by an endless amount of jock frat boys. One of whom was one of the biggest guys I’ve seen at this school. I probably would have awoke in a hospital with a minor concussion and a few broken ribs. Fortunately that didn't happen however it is a decision I will always regret.
ReplyDeleteProblems in Montanan are very similar to problems faced by past. “The population of the rich land eventually multiplied beyond the numbers that even its abundant resources could support. As its forests were felled and its soils eroded, its agricultural productivity was no longer sufficient to generate export surpluses, build ships, or even to nourish its own population.” (Diamond, 120) These issues that lead to the fall of Pitcairn and Henderson Islands resemble a few of Montana’s issues: Increasing, population, immigration, forest deterioration, loss of soil. Montana needs to start protecting its resources and slow down the consumption of them. As seen in history, resources that fuel a society eventually run dry and end it. Much like my decision that I regret, Montana needs to make changes before they regret theirs.
Diamond, Jared. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2005.
To be honest, I can’t really think of a large decision that I have had to make. In the decision of college, my dad attended U of M, and my sister is a pre-med major at U of M, so my father was really happy to lead me in the direction of the art school. Though it was a large decision, I don’t know if I feel it was all mine. Yes I could have said no whenever I wanted and have the choice of someplace else, but I never had the desire to look or really think about what I was to do in the future. My father did the research, figured out what I needed to do and I happily obliged. Making my own decisions with no reflections by my family whatsoever I think is what has affected me. With my decisions now I am slowly learning about myself, as a person and especially as an artist. I’ve learned I enjoy the technical aspects of art rather then the deep thinking and my choices in classes really reflect that. I think if I had continued to be lethargic and let other people choose for me, a lot of my views would be different or might not have changed at all.
ReplyDeleteDiamond discusses the large impact logging had on Montanan society, which has an impact on most societies. Many of the collapsing societies we read of struggle with deforestation, resulting in many other consequences. Montana suffered from water temperatures raising not allowing fish to reproduce and survive, snow melted quicker increasing sediment runoff and water quality decreased. (Diamond, 43) Another large issue with the clear-cutting is the way it looked afterwards. It was not appealing to many Montanans. Haiti and the Dominican Republics society deals with a numerous amount of consequences due to deforestation as well such as soil erosion, loss of soil fertility, sediment loads in the river, loss of watershed protection and potential hydroelectric power and decreased rainfall. (Diamond, 329-330) This decrease in wood has also made it difficult for Haiti to make charcoal, which is its main fuel for cooking. Both of these societies bared the consequences of deforestation and are still paying for it today. I think a way for people to prevent large destruction when try to use its resources is to make sure its done responsibly and safely. People need to be knowledgeable about what they are doing or it can have an effect on generations to come. An example is the mining in Montana. People were not aware of the penalties of mining, so they kept on drilling. It wasn’t until after the surplus of toxic waste did the people realize that they shouldn’t be doing it anymore.
Diamond, Jared. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2005.