IndexIntroductionAccess to TechnologyConclusionIntroductionIn New Guinea, the concept of cargo, or technology, was innovative and functional; for others, “cargo” became synonymous with wealth and power. For local New Guinea politician Yali, the question was: How could technology have become disproportionately associated with white Europeans and not black New Guineans? Exploring this issue in his novel Guns, Steel, and Germs, Diamond sought to dispel the antiquated theories that traditionally explained this disparity by using social Darwinism with more refined arguments related to environmental theory. Throughout his exploration of global social development, three related development theories or themes have emerged most: geographic determinism, access or exposure to technology, and the organized state. While the issue of advancement is not new, it is still widely theorized and, consequently, integrated into other areas of society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayAn example of this integration is Civilization V. By Sid Meier. Available for several operating systems, Civilization V is a turn-based game that initially allows players to choose the leadership and geography of their country and then make choices that affect its enjoyment or demise. There are four paths one can take to satisfy a victory condition: world domination, scientific research/innovation, cultural victory, or diplomatic victory. All four of these victory conditions are nuanced and must be premeditated to some degree even when a player starts the game. Through the themes laid out in Diamond's novel, Civilization V can answer Yali's innocent question not only in a way that allows for a unique and intimate understanding of geography, technology, and government every time you play a new game. from Diamond in the prologue, Europeans “simply had the good fortune of living in a geographic location where they were more likely to receive advances” (1999). As readers, we therefore appreciate the expression “luck of the draw” because by no means were Europeans geographically superior, just by chance. Similarly, in the non-expanded version of Civilization V, at the start of the game you will be asked to choose between eighteen nations with matching leaders. This selection then determines your relative geographic location on the map; once in the general area, you can choose where to establish your first city. Once you have established your nation, you can expand your borders through exploration while at the same time evaluating what natural resources and animals reside within your borders and nearby areas. Just as in Guns, Germs, and Steel, this randomly simulated resource and presence of animals in combination with the predetermined location illustrates the theme of geographic determinism because, by chance, you are given the initial resources and presence of animals that eventually they lend themselves to your ultimate success. or failure. In both the game and the novel, the presence of certain resources serves as an antecedent for other events that inevitably influence the trajectory of the entire nation. For example, in my first game that I started for this course I had an abundance of profitable natural resources and different types of animals in my country. The presence of these led me to be extremely friendly with neighboring nations because they wanted to access part of what I had. Additionally, I was able to easily add more people to my nation andto 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 affects the interactions of two groups. For example, Diamond tells of a small group of Spanish explorers led by Francisco Pizarro overthrowing tens of thousands of Incas led by Atahualllpa (1999). This seemingly impossible feat was ensured because Pizarro's men had guns, steel swords, armor and horses to ride on while Atahuallpa's men had slings, wood and quilted armour. This story of technological superiority quickly manifested itself in my game as well. In the game you are presented with a technology tree that offers different paths; after evaluating what has been provided to you, you can then decide which path to follow. Given the presence of silver and animals in my country, I wanted to start by dedicating myself to mining and animal husbandry; however, I also needed calendars for farming and archery to protect me from barbarians and other potential invaders. Since the game only allows you to pursue one technology at a time, my access to certain technologies took precedence over others, forcing me to create a hierarchy of needs. My main object was the mining of silver, for I had two deposits of it in my first settlement; I started my tech tree with mining (which I later used as leverage) and then shifted my focus to animal husbandry and pottery to focus on domestication and calendars. After successfully mining, one of the neighboring countries asked to form an alliance with me and offered to pay me gold every turn to have access to some of my silver. This was an important event because my first interaction with them was less than friendly, but my technological superiority reoriented my relationship with them. While my first technology gave me an economic and diplomatic advantage, my last two technologies ultimately pointed me towards a victory in scientific progress. As articulated by Diamond, the catalyzing variable or “prerequisite” of his “guns, germs and steel” discourse is the institution of agriculture and food production (1999). The thesis is that once food security has been established and a sedentary lifestyle has been established, all the other more advanced elements of society, such as specialization, can become priorities. In short, an increase in crop yields leads to an increase in calories which leads to an increase in people; to succeed as a nation, a growing population is typically centralized and specialized. As previously stated, my geographic advantages have allowed me the luxury of diplomacy with surrounding nations, financial security due to the gold those nations paid me for my silver, and the ability to acquire several additional technologies because my needs were met. Almost exactly as Diamond suggested, I began to organize my state by increasing the size of its workers, citizens, and military. Additionally, to the extent the game allowed me, I worked to instill social policies that generated a heightened sense of patriotism (e.g. loyalty and freedom) while also making my people as happy as possible. Throughout the game, I was ranked as the top world leader because my people were consistently happy and well-provided for. Only a few times have I encountered conflict with other nations and had no problem overthrowing them or dealing with the situation.