“Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed” by Jared Diamond: A stark warning from history for the modern world
03/27/2025 / By Belle Carter
Jared Diamond’s “Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed” (2005) explores the environmental, economic and social factors that have led to the collapse of past civilizations, using case studies to draw lessons for modern societies.
Diamond examines societies like the Norse in Greenland, the Maya, Easter Islanders and the Anasazi, highlighting their failures due to deforestation, soil erosion, water mismanagement and an inability to adapt to environmental changes.
The book also highlights societies like the Icelanders and Tikopians, who overcame environmental challenges through sustainable practices, offering hope for modern societies.
Diamond identifies eight categories of environmental damage (e.g., deforestation, water mismanagement, overpopulation) and five key factors (e.g., environmental damage, climate change, societal response) that determine whether a society collapses or thrives.
Diamond emphasizes that modern societies face similar challenges but have unique advantages like technology and global communication. He calls for collective action by governments, corporations and individuals to address environmental and societal issues, stressing that the future depends on the choices made today.
https://www.pollution.news/2025-03-27-collapse-stark-warning-from-history-modern-world.html
