CHEAT SHEET
JARED DIAMOND
BY GUNS, GERMS, & STEEL
WHY SHOULD I LISTEN TO JARED?
3 MILLION COPIES SOLD
PULITZER PRIZE WINNER
TOP 10 PUBLIC INTELLECTUAL ACCORDING TO
PROSPECT AND FOREIGN POLICY
“History followed different courses for
different peoples because of differences among
peoples' environments, not because of biological
differences among peoples themselves.”
30-SECOND SUMMARY
For some reason those of European descent were able to colonize
indigenous peoples of Australia, the New World, and Africa.
Though why did things happen this way? Why not the other
way around? Or any other course of macro human interaction?
In Guns, Germs, and Steel Jared Diamond masterfully tells this
story of human history. This is a masterclass of anthropology,
geography, and geographic history at large, having sold more
than 3 million copies, and won the Pulitzer Prize. Professor
Diamond argues that it is due to geographical chance that certain
civilizations were able to spread their empires while others were
unable to, or were overwhelmed by these conquerors. Namely,
that those cultures which spread out of The Fertile Crescent, had
agricultural, live-stock, and therefore leisure advantages due to
the climate of that region. These advantages, when compounded
over thousands of years, led to drastic differences in immunities
& weaponry, ultimately leading to the supremacy of certain
civilizations and cultures.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
1. When improving ourselves, it’s necessary to understand the
complexity of the context we live in: the destiny we were
given and the future we’re capable of making for ourselves.
2. In Guns, Germs, & Steel we attempt to unpack larger
questions of political philosophy, war, imperialism, the
concept of “empire,” and even culture itself.
3. Many believe that some races, cultures, or nationalities are
“superior” to others, and use an unnuanced approach to
history to justify these claims. This book confronts those
beliefs head on.
  BIG IDEA #1 HISTORY & SELF-
AWARENESS
KNOW THIS — You are ultimately in control of your destiny.
Sure. But also, it’s important to understand the context of your
past. This will make you a more nuanced, empathetic, and
therefore interesting human being.
WHAT TO DO — Read history, biography, and memoir.
Watch great movies and read ancient texts. Don’t live your life
solely on the island of NOW. Instead, always seek to understand
yourself in context to greater wholes.
  BIG IDEA #2 BIG QUESTIONS &
CARGO
KNOW THIS — Jared Diamond’s first trip to New Guinea was
an adventurous one. Upon arrival, he quickly realized that the
“primitive” New Guineans were in many ways MUCH smarter
than he was. Though one local politician asked him, “Why do
you white people have so much cargo?” Meaning – material
goods. Good question. Why did European cultures spread as
they did?
WHAT TO DO — Question everything. Forever attempt to
unpack the “why” behind every “what.” It will lead you to a
more fascinating and important life.
  BIG IDEA #3 THE IMPORTANCE OF
VEGETATION
KNOW THIS — Ultimately, the reason certain cultures spread
and others did not comes down to geography. In particular,
modern civilization requires an abundance of resources. Namely,
the right climate and local vegetation to produce an abundance
of crops. Rather than spending all their time searching for food,
the people of the Fertile Crescent were able to grow and store
protein dense food like wheat, barley, and peas which grew
abundantly in the area. In the end, this allotted them more time
to develop weapons of war.
 DOMESTICABLE
  BIG IDEA #4
ANIMALS
KNOW THIS — In addition to agricultural advantages, the
fertile crescent also had an abundance of domesticable animals.
These animals had to be large enough to be calorically viable
for their meat and milk (read: not rats or rabbits), they had to
reproduce quickly (not Elephants), and they most importantly
could NOT be temperamentally dangerous (tigers, bears, etc.), and
preferably are social pack animals (like horses, cows, pigs, goats,
and sheep). Of the 14 species in the world that fit this description,
13 are native to the fertile crescent. This abundance of riches
was further reason why the cultures that spread out of the fertile
crescent have been historically successful at empire building.
  BIG IDEA #6 STEEL
STEEL
KNOW THIS — As far as we can tell, the fertile crescent
was the birthplace of language, modern cities, steel, and
modern trade. Though, why? With their abundance of food
resources—storable food and domesticable animals—early
peoples were given more leisure time. Rather than searching
for food—they instead began to “play in the dirt” as professor
Diamond explains. This led to the mastery of copper, iron, and
then steel—which led to armor, swords, war machines, modern
construction, and technological advancements the likes of which
the rest of the world was not accustomed to. These technological
advantages, again, were not due to a superior IQ, but rather were
caused by the geographic luck which allowed the fertile crescents’
descendants to have more time inventing.
  BIG IDEA #8 HEALTH & THE
MARSHMALLOW TEST
KNOW THIS — We asked professor Diamond what his advice
would be to modern countries who are looking to compete on a
global scale, though haven’t been blessed with the gift of natural
resources. In response he said a version of: “Spend your resources
on health, and plan for the future.”
WHAT TO DO — This advice applies to us too. In your life,
no matter your original plight, no matter your birth “stars,” if
you focus on your physical and mental health, and work hard
towards your goals, you’ll inevitably live a successful life.
  BIG IDEA #10 SELF
DETERMINATION
KNOW THIS — We were all given different beginnings.
The race, in many ways, is rigged. This is true. It certainly was
for the Incas who were wiped out by the Spaniards’ unearned
advantages. Such is life. But those are only the facts. More
important is how you interpret them…
WHAT TO DO — You now have two stories to tell. One:
much of modern civilization is due to geographic chance.
Though, also two: BECAUSE of this, you now know that no
one is inherently superior to you. So, it’s your choice. Either
you tell yourself the first story—that you’re a victim of fate—or
you recognize the latent power in the realization that deep down
inside, we’re all the same. It’s not who we are—it’s what we do.
  BIG IDEA #5
GERMS
KNOW THIS — Did you know that one slave from a Spanish
ship wiped out 50% of the Aztec Empire (including its leader),
simply by introducing small pox? In fact, 95% of indigenous
populations were killed not from European swords or muskets,
but instead by the hands of their germs. Though that begs the
question: why not the other way around? Remember what we
learned about domesticable animals? Well these domesticable
animals are rife with deadly diseases, which their masters
eventually adopted an immunity to. So, while the Spanish, for
example, were immune to Incan diseases, the Incans, were not
immune to the Spaniard’s version.
  BIG IDEA #7
GUNS
KNOW THIS — It’s much easier for ideas to spread east and
west versus north and south. Why? Because climates generally
move latitudinally. This means that food or spices that stored
well in southern China, were much more easily transported
west to Europe than south to Australia, for example. Therefore,
ancient trade routes mostly ran east-west. So, when the people of
modern China invented gunpowder, it was almost inevitable that
the metal workers of the Middle East and Europe would codify
its power into the most powerful weapon the world had ever
seen: the gun. Further evidence to our original point, the fact
that Europeans had guns and the Zulus of Africa did not, was
not a consequence of cultural or intellectual differences, it was
due to geographical happenstance.
  BIG IDEA #9 ASKING MUCH
OF YOURSELF
KNOW THIS — Professor Diamond took on not only a
controversial question, but a definitively BIG one as well. “Why
did Europeans spread to New Guinea and not the other way
around?” As a trained biologist, some said that he was not qualified
to even attempt to answer such a question. Yet he did anyway.
WHAT TO DO — You undoubtedly have a specialization. A
“thing you’re good at.” And that’s fine. But don’t let it define you
too much. You’re allowed to change course, pivot your interests,
and most importantly—you’re allowed to tackle as big of a
challenge as you want, no matter the doubters. It is not only your
right, but some may even say it is your duty.
IF NOTHING ELSE—REMEMBER THIS:
1. The ancient fertile crescent had a climate which was
particularly advantageous (livestock and vegetation) for early
settlers of that area, ultimately giving them more leisure
time.
2. This leisure time led to the advent of language, steel
weapons, guns, and the domestication of large wild animals.
3. These technological advantages, along with immunities to
specifically dangerous diseases, ultimately led to European
empires spreading across the modern world.