A big Gap between Europe and America

[Mr. Dick Purple]

Ok let me explain this one, and lets see how it goes.
Yesterday we were talking with a couple of friends, the reason why Europe civilization in the year of 1492 was highly advanced comparing to people in America?.
For example, Columbus arrive October 12 in Salvador, with rifles and a big ships, here in America the only thing natives had were spears and little boats to hunt, but why the European civilization had that "technology" advance and America didn't?.
So we star to debate lots of theories and stuff, my personal thought is that life of civilization begun there so people had to suffer much more and learn from their mistakes. And here in America we were only in diapers, at the end I guess no one will know.

[JMack]

  I was just going say the Atlantic Ocean but I guess we're looking for a deeper kind of discussion.

[fuckin crazy]

It boils down to warfare. Most technological advances happen as a result of the search for "better" weapons. In the Americas, warfare was between tribes or clans, not nation states.

[polluxlm]

It boils down to war and structure of government.

You'll find amazing feats of ancient engineering on all continents, but only in Europe (far east to a certain point) do you see the determination to develop new techniques and expand borders. Most developments are spawned by a state of war. Natural since it demands the whole society pulling together to survive.

Known civilization started in Mesopotamia with the Sumerians, Assyrians and Babylonians. Here you'll find the core of modern religion and monetary systems. You may notice that power always shifts westwards. First you have Mesopotamia (middle east), then comes Greece, then Rome, Germany/France, British and now USA. What that tells me is that there is a certain knowledge, or form of rule that will always prevail and when it shifts the old empire dies and the new is born.

In short I'd call it effective centralization of power and resources, making it possible to coordinate vast amounts of raw materials and knowledge to expand territory and create technological superiority.

You'll find these tendencies in the Americas, Africa and Asia too, but generally those places were always more esoteric and tribally orientated. Until the Europeans arrived with their weapons and lust for war. It's not really European either, but rather a structure or idea that started in the middle east and over the centuries spread to all corners of the world. At the moment this structure goes by the name Capitalism, and when China and India are properly incorporated you will have a form of world domination, and the group with the most monetary leverage will be the rulers.

[fuckin crazy]

... form of rule that will always prevail and when it shifts the old empire dies and the new is born.

That is one of the reasons I think that the USA has reached the apex of it's power, and is beginning to decline; brought on, of course, by the war.

[polluxlm]

... form of rule that will always prevail and when it shifts the old empire dies and the new is born.

That is one of the reasons I think that the USA has reached the apex of it's power, and is beginning to decline; brought on, of course, by the war.

The United States has in all seriousness started their decline, yes. The question is who will take over? China or the EU? Or perhaps World Government is closer to the present than we think. Time will tell, soon enough.

I am however inclined to say the EU since China will face serious problems if the U.S collapses. The European elite also got experience and resources on their side.

[fuckin crazy]

Probably the EU, however South America, and in particular, Brazil has a lot of untapped resources ... if it can maintain it's soveriegnty.

[The Dog]

I think its going to be China.

[SLCPUNK]

I think its going to be China.

Yea.

[mrlee]

I think its going to be China.

well they need to stop polluting so much.

plus the fact they are a communist state is kinda bad if they are going to be the leading country....you know what that means....

[Loaded NightraiN]

I think its going to be China.

well they need to stop polluting so much.

plus the fact they are a communist state is kinda bad if they are going to be the leading country....you know what that means....

Chinese Democracy Starts Now??

[SLCPUNK]

China has great food, the number two with wonton Soup and fried rice is particularly delicious.

[The Dog]

I think its going to be China.

well they need to stop polluting so much.

plus the fact they are a communist state is kinda bad if they are going to be the leading country....you know what that means....

a war with china and the US is almost inevitable.  Right now I'd say we would win, but who knows in 10-15 years.   The iraq war is the turning point for which America will begin its decline as the worlds super power.

[Perfect Criminal]

I think its going to be China.

well they need to stop polluting so much.

plus the fact they are a communist state is kinda bad if they are going to be the leading country....you know what that means....

a war with china and the US is almost inevitable.? Right now I'd say we would win, but who knows in 10-15 years.? ?The iraq war is the turning point for which America will begin its decline as the worlds super power.

Many said the same thing about the Vietnam war.

China is the next super power.  I hope the US and China form an alliance and avoid war.  The respect that we've shown China so far may lead to that alliance.

I agree that it comes down to money and who has it.  Right now we are an economic super power, but China will over take us eventually.  Their resources are just vast (people and goods).

[TAP]

I think its going to be China.

well they need to stop polluting so much.

plus the fact they are a communist state is kinda bad if they are going to be the leading country....you know what that means....

a war with china and the US is almost inevitable. 

How would it be fought? Neither of those nations is going to send their troops to the other country, and I think nukes are out of the question. Not saying you're wrong but how do you envision it? Territorial expansion? Electronic? Economic?

[Lisa]

China has great food, the number two with wonton Soup and fried rice is particularly delicious.

it all boils down to 'socks and sandals'

[The Dog]

I think its going to be China.

well they need to stop polluting so much.

plus the fact they are a communist state is kinda bad if they are going to be the leading country....you know what that means....

a war with china and the US is almost inevitable. 

How would it be fought? Neither of those nations is going to send their troops to the other country, and I think nukes are out of the question. Not saying you're wrong but how do you envision it? Territorial expansion? Electronic? Economic?

i haven't really thought about it (not something I really want to think about you know! haha).  I could see China getting hostile with allied countries in an effort to get more resources in which case we'd be dragged into a war.  or they make a serious effort to get Taiwan back in which case we are legally obligated to send troops.

i think korea and vietnam were just wars that prolonged the inevitable, a real show down between the US and China.  I HOPE it doesn't happen, but it won't surprise me if something large happens in the next 10 years or so. 

a big dust cloud is going to get stirred up and when it settles the world is going to be a very different place 

[JMack]

a big dust cloud is going to get stirred up and when it settles the world is going to be a very different place 


 Bow to the Rat King and his army of roaches.  They will serve combo platters at all hours not just at lunch, to all human survivors, only now no free soda.

[rds.06]

I think its going to be China.

well they need to stop polluting so much.

plus the fact they are a communist state is kinda bad if they are going to be the leading country....you know what that means....

a war with china and the US is almost inevitable.? Right now I'd say we would win, but who knows in 10-15 years.? ?The iraq war is the turning point for which America will begin its decline as the worlds super power.

Russia will be hugely involved in any future conflict, you can see from the military excerises that Russia & China carried out together that they are showing there power, and Russia are more then happy to forge an alliance with China. That alliance will be far bigger than anything America can come up with. Russia/China combined states are just to big to invade. America will have to try and become a friend of China but with Russia already filling that role I cant see that happening.

The war in Iraq will also have an effect on the sitution, the American people will become sick of war and this will hopefully force the policy makers to try peaceful methods of calming any future storm. In all America will not be the sole super power for much longer, its how they react to that, which will have huge bearing on the rest of the world.

[Mr. Dick Purple]

It boils down to warfare. Most technological advances happen as a result of the search for "better" weapons. In the Americas, warfare was between tribes or clans, not nation states.

Yeah, but why Europeans evolved faster than Americans, I know it has to be something about survival, but my thoughts are that maybe when Europe was being ruled by Romans, in America life hasn't begun yet or they have just begun, and thats the gap between Europe and America. IMO.