I don't see a particular reason why one should mention "PC narrative of all civilizations being equal" in this context. This article is merely an example of how stone-age "technology" can perform a certain task.
I also take issue with the automatism of accusing "political correctness". Nobody says civilizations are equal, there are numerous obvious differences. Somehow whenever I dig deeper and ask about what those people think, I get to hear/read profound racist undertones. The "PC" curse is really most common as a defense to accusations of racism.
The actual problem arises when people go on to make value-judgements along ethnical boundaries (racism). And then they go even further, using these not necessarily well founded judgements to pose "scientific facts" about how one ethnicity is genetically superior (because they believe all differences between two sets of humans have to come down to genetics/evolution)and thus are somehow entitled to more wealth than another ethnicity.
Their is no right to wealth and no birth right to it. That does not however imply a redistribution of wealth in the slightest way.
There are strong factors which contributed to the economic rise of Europe "first" and which have nothing to do with human genetics. Agriculture benefits from certain climates and soil conditions (ask the mayans about their collapse...). It also benefits a lot from domesticateable animals, and most animals are not nearly as well suited as for example horses and cows. Then the coastlines and rivers in Europe have shown to be much more conducive to commerce (before industrialization) than in Africa or America.
Systems are complex. Don't simplify them to justify judgements.
I wouldn't normally want to comment on that since it's not relevant to the original thread but what exactly do you mean "no birth right to it"? Like, I can't bequeath anything to my kids cause that would confer an "unfair" advantage on them? Or maybe we need a "fair" inheritance tax. Like 95% maybe? Somehow it is your political / worldview bias that's transparent in your post, not mine.
I said nothing about genetic overall superiority although it is plainly evident to anyone not blinded by PC that some peoples are genetically more likely to produce sublime music or advanced mathematical frameworks / complex works of art or advanced technology just like other peoples are genetically more likely to be stronger, better jumpers, runners, sturdier and so on. Environment certainly played a role but after many hundreds or even thousands of generations the genetic makeup of a people changes as well (as an aggregate statistical entity).
I've no doubt these genetic differences were non-existent when we were all together in the primordial soup but we've moved past that phase and these differences now exist. I am saying nothing about overall superiority and certainly nothing about rights of individuals.
If you make the extraordinary claim that the genetic makeup of a people played no role in the difference of achievements between cultures the onus is on you to prove a negative. Explain why we take it for granted that people of Samoan heritage are huge but it's somehow racist to argue that hey, that DNA thing may be affecting brain cells as well and not just bones / muscle tissue.
Quite simply, the variation within a population is far greater than the variation between populations.
Individuals have genes that make them sublime musicians or athletes or mathematicians or painters. Cultures have different patterns which set the tone of that music and sports and math and art.
Since you're hedging with "peoples are genetically different" instead of "people are genetically different" I wonder if you've had some kind of formal rhetorical training.
I also take issue with the automatism of accusing "political correctness". Nobody says civilizations are equal, there are numerous obvious differences. Somehow whenever I dig deeper and ask about what those people think, I get to hear/read profound racist undertones. The "PC" curse is really most common as a defense to accusations of racism.
The actual problem arises when people go on to make value-judgements along ethnical boundaries (racism). And then they go even further, using these not necessarily well founded judgements to pose "scientific facts" about how one ethnicity is genetically superior (because they believe all differences between two sets of humans have to come down to genetics/evolution)and thus are somehow entitled to more wealth than another ethnicity.
Their is no right to wealth and no birth right to it. That does not however imply a redistribution of wealth in the slightest way.
There are strong factors which contributed to the economic rise of Europe "first" and which have nothing to do with human genetics. Agriculture benefits from certain climates and soil conditions (ask the mayans about their collapse...). It also benefits a lot from domesticateable animals, and most animals are not nearly as well suited as for example horses and cows. Then the coastlines and rivers in Europe have shown to be much more conducive to commerce (before industrialization) than in Africa or America.
Systems are complex. Don't simplify them to justify judgements.