Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond

Jared Diamond’s book, Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed, discusses how and why different societies throughout history have decided their own fate. The book is founded upon the idea that societies can take one of two paths—they can either fall apart due to internal and external pressures, or they can find ways to continue existing and thrive. Each chapter examines a different aspect of the decision-making process, both historically and in the present, with an emphasis on the role of environmental factors in influencing a society's crash or survival.

Diamond introduces the book by introducing the concept of the “collapse” of past societies and whether it was preventable. He traces the history of collapses to their root causes, pointing to a combination of environmental, economic, social, and political factors. For example, he notes that some of the most famous collapses of civilizations were caused by invasive species, deforestation, overgrazing, or mismatched technologies, as well as by political and economic problems. This broad exploration of the causes of collapse serves as a foundation for the rest of the book.

Diamond goes on to examine a variety ofAncient societies which experienced collapse, including the Maya, the Anasazi, and the Dorset. These civilizations show how variables such as environment, ideology, and political organization can play a role in ultimate success or failure. He then applies these lessons to contemporary situations, particularly in areas such as Rwanda, Haiti, and global warming.

In doing so, Diamond proposes various solutions to societal collapse. One solution includes governing in ways which value environmental sustainability and conservation. He further stresses the importance of adapting existing technologies to more closely match available resources, rather than trying to force new technologies into existing systems. He also suggests increased education and improved isolation as ways to avoid societal intervention and make decisions which benefit the collective rather than a single political regime.

In the end, Diamond’s text serves as an argument for understanding the impact of environmental, economic, social, and political forces on our decisions. He stresses that in today’s world, failure can never be an option, which means that societies must make the difficult choices now which will pave the way for future success. In this way, Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed is both an intriguing look into the past and an inspiring call to action for the future.