Table of ContentsIntroductionAccess to TechnologyConclusionIntroductionIn New Guinea, the concept of cargo, or technology, was that of innovation and function; for others, “cargo” has become synonymous with wealth and power. For Yali, a local New Guinea politician, the question was how had technology become disproportionately associated with white Europeans and not black New Guineans? Exploring this question in his novel Guns, Germs and Steel, Diamond sought to dispel archaic theories that traditionally explained this disparity by using social Darwinism with more refined arguments related to environmental theory. Throughout his exploration of global societal development, three related theories or themes of development stood out most: geographic determinism, access or exposure to technology, and the existence of an organized state. Although the issue of advancement is not new, it remains widely theorized and, therefore, integrated into other areas of society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay An example of this integration is Civilization V by Sid Meier. Available for multiple operating systems, Civilization V is a turn-based game that initially allows players to choose the leadership and geography of their country, then make choices that affect either its flourishing or its demise. There are four paths one can take to satisfy a victory condition: world domination, scientific research/innovation, cultural victory, or diplomatic victory. These four victory conditions are nuanced and must be premeditated to some extent even when a player begins the game. Through the themes laid out in Diamond's novel, Civilization V can not only answer Yali's innocent question, but also do so in a way that lends to a unique and intimate understanding of geography, technology, and government every time a new game is played. According to Diamond in the prologue, Europeans “were simply fortunate to live in a geographic location where they were likely to receive advances” (1999). As readers, then, we appreciate the phrase “luck of the draw,” because the Europeans were in no way geographically superior, only chance. Similarly, in the unexpanded version of Civilization V, you are asked to choose from eighteen nations with their corresponding leaders at the start of the game. This selection then determines your relative geographic location on the map; Once in the general area, you can choose where you will set up your first city. After establishing your nation, you can expand your borders through exploration while simultaneously assessing the natural resources and animals that reside within your borders and in nearby areas. Much like in Guns, Germs and Steel, this randomly simulated resource and animal presence in combination with the predetermined location illustrates the theme of geographic determinism, as by chance you receive your initial resource and animal presence which ultimately contributes to your eventual success. or failure. In both the game and the novel, the presence of certain resources serves as antecedents to other events that inevitably influence the trajectory of your entire nation. For example, in my first game that I started for this course, I had an abundance oflucrative natural resources and several different types of animals in my country. The presence of these led me to be extremely friendly with the bordering nations because they wanted access to some of what I had. Additionally, I was able to easily add more people to my nation and support them - which allowed me to focus on other things such as developing advanced technologies. Access to Technology In Guns, Germs, and Steel, there are several instances where a disparity in technology significantly influences the interactions of two groups. For example, Diamond talks about a small group of Spanish explorers led by Francisco Pizarro overthrowing tens of thousands of Incas led by Atahuallpa (1999). This seemingly impossible feat was achieved because Pizarro's men had guns, swords, and steel armor, as well as horses to ride on, while Atahuallpa's men had slings, wood, and padded armor . This story of technological superiority quickly manifested itself in my gameplay as well. In the game, a technological tree is presented to you which offers several paths; after evaluating what has been provided to you, you can then decide which path to take. With the presence of money and animals in my country, I wanted to start by getting into mining and ranching; however, I also needed calendars for farming and archery to protect myself from barbarians and other potential invaders. Because the game only allows one technology to be exploited at a time, my access to certain technologies took precedence over others, forcing me to create a hierarchy of needs. My main objective was to exploit silver, because I had two deposits of it in my first colony; I started my tech tree with mining (which I later used as leverage), then focused on farming and pottery to pursue domestication and calendars. After successfully mining, one of my neighboring countries asked to form an alliance with me and offered to pay me gold every turn to gain access to some of my money. This was an important event because my first interaction with them was far from friendly, but my technological superiority reoriented my relationship with them. While my first technology gave me an economic and diplomatic advantage, the latter two technologies ultimately pointed me toward a victory in scientific advancement. As Diamond explains, the catalyzing variable or "precondition" for his talk of "guns, germs, and steel" is the creation of agriculture and food production (1999). The argument is that once food security is assured and a sedentary lifestyle established, all other more advanced elements of society, such as specialization, can then become prioritized. In short, an increase in harvests leads to an increase in calories, which leads to an increase in the number of people; To succeed as a nation, a growing population is usually centralized and specialized. As previously stated, my geographic advantages allowed me the luxury of diplomacy with surrounding nations, financial security through the gold these nations paid me for my money, and the ability to acquire several additional technologies as my needs were met. Almost exactly as Diamond suggested, I began to organize my state by increasing the size of workers, citizens, and the military. Additionally, to the extent that the game allowed, I worked to instill social policies that engendered a heightened sense of patriotism.