Why Cities? vlogbrothers English English (auto-generated)

Why Cities?YouTube↗ IA↗(long shot)
People & Blogs 272.3K views 12.2K likes 123 dislikes 19 Sep 2017 Show Contributors 2

vlogbrothers 4.1M subscribers United States YouTube↗

Contributed subtitles

English The Primeval Void

German Julia Ziriakus

Click to Play Video

Good morning Hank, it's Tuesday.

good morning Hank it's Tuesday so I

So I think one of the great unanswered questions

think one of the great unanswered

of world history is, "why cities?".

questions of world history is why cities

Like, for 95 percent of human history basically everyone was a hunter-gatherer

like for 95 percent of human history basically everyone was a hunter-gatherer

Living in a small band of maybe a few dozen people.

living in a small band of maybe a few

And then around 12,000 years ago communities started to get bigger with the

dozen people and then around 12,000 years ago community started to get

advent of agriculture and domesticated livestock.

bigger with the advent of Agriculture

Suddenly, one person could harvest and/or slaughter more than one person's

and domesticated livestock suddenly one person could harvest and/or slaughter

food needs, meaning that not everyone had to be in the food acquisition business.

more than one person's food needs meaning that not everyone had to be in

And that allowed for specialization of labor; professional priests, and scribes, and soldiers, and so on.

the food acquisition business and that allowed for specialization of Labor professional priests and scribes and

But how and why that happened is the subject of much debate among historians,

soldiers and so on but how and why that happened is the subject of much debate

not least because the shift from hunting and gathering to agriculture seems to have been

among historians not least because the shift from hunting and gathering to agriculture seems to have been

completely irrational.

completely irrational

For starters, hunter-gatherers seemed to have been healthier than early agriculturalists;

for starters hunter-gatherers seemed to have been healthier than early

like, analysis of human remains and archaeological sites show us that famine and

agriculturalists like analysis of human remains and archaeological sites show us

starvation were much more common among early settlement dwellers.

that famine and starvation were much more common among early settlement

Also, hunter-gatherers were less likely to die of disease pandemics because, you know,

dwellers also hunter-gatherers were less likely to die of disease pandemics

cities meant lots of people living together, and getting each other sick, and also living with livestock

because you know cities meant lots of people living together and getting each other sick and also living with

so diseases could cross the species barrier.

livestock so diseases could cross the

So, living in early agricultural settlements was bad for your health.

species barrier so living in early agricultural settlements was bad for

It also probably meant more work. Like, studies of 20th century hunting and gathering communities showed that

your health it also probably meant more work like Studies of 20th century

members of those communities work on average less than 20 hours per week acquiring food.

hunting and gathering communities showed that members of those communities work on average less than 20 hours per week

And also less than 20 hours per week on so-called "domestic labor",

acquiring food and also less than 20 hours per week on so-called domestic

which is everything from preparing food, to tool and shelter maintenance.

labor which is everything from preparing food to tool and shelter maintenance

Everything we can gather about early agricultural life is that it was a lot more labor-intensive,

everything we can gather about early agricultural life is that it was a lot

and certainly contemporary life is a lot more labor-intensive.

more labor-intensive and certainly contemporary life is a lot more

Like Americans for instance work on average 40 hours a week, and spend another

labor-intensive like Americans for instance work on average 40 hours a week

36 hours per week on domestic labour.

and spend another 36 hours per week on

So why would anyone want to live in a city where your life is harder, but also shorter?

domestic labour so why would anyone want to live in a city where your life is

Well, there are many theories about this. Some people think the chicken of state power came first;

harder but also shorter well there are many theories about this some people think the chicken of state power came

that like the moment there was a surplus it was taxed by the state and then the power structure became

first at like the moment there was a surplus it was taxed by the state and

inescapable for the people living under it.

then the power structure became inescapable for the people living under

Others think the egg came first; that people chose to use the surplus to create a state that

it others think the egg came first that people chose to use the surplus to

could protect them from outside attack.

create a state that could protect them

Some theorized that then, as now, cities were just more exciting places to live with more connections to make.

from outside attack some theorized that then as now cities were just more exciting places to live with more

Others argue the relative equality of hunter-gatherer communities was unattractive to those who

connections to make others argue the relative quality of hunter-gatherer communities was unattractive to those

wanted power, and that the drive to concentrate power drove the growth of cities.

who wanted power and that the drive to concentrate power drove the growth of

But whatever happened, it does seem like cities were not in these short or even medium term interest of those who

cities but whatever happened it does seem like cities were not in these short or even term interest of those who lived in them

lived in them. Now, it'd be easy to say and, many have, that this was all a mistake, and we should have just remained

now it'd be easy to say and many have that this was all a mistake and we

hunter-gatherers. Certainly agriculture, and the ensuing human-centric planet has been very bad for biodiversity on earth.

should have just remained hunter-gatherers certainly agriculture and the ensuing human centric planet has been very bad for biodiversity on earth

But we also shouldn't romanticize pre- agricultural communities where infanticide was usually

but we also shouldn't romanticise pre agricultural communities where

common and rates of death by violence were usually much higher than they are now.

infanticide was usually common and rates of death by violence were usually much

And while settlements do seem to have been initially disastrous for those who lived in them,

higher than they are now and while settlements do seem to have been initially disastrous for those who

they did eventually lead to better lives for humans by almost any measure.

lived in them they did eventually lead to better lives for humans by almost any

We are less likely to die of infectious disease, or malnutrition, or violence than ever,

measure we are less likely to die of infectious disease or malnutrition or

and while as I mentioned earlier, we do work more than hunter-gatherers,

violence than ever and while as I mentioned earlier we do work more than

we also work less than we have at any point in the last 150 years.

hunter-gatherers we also work less than we have at any point in the last 150

Meanwhile, absolute poverty is declining dramatically and median US household income is at its

years meanwhile absolute poverty is declining dramatically and median US

highest point ever.

household income is at its highest point

But I'd actually argue the greatest benefit of cities has been reading and writing which have allowed us to

ever but I'd actually argue the greatest benefit of cities has been reading and writing which have allowed us to speed

speed our accumulation of knowledge, and fuel discoveries in science and technology, and which could

our accumulation of knowledge and fuel discoveries and science and technology

only be invented in big communities with specialization of labor.

and which could only be invented in big communities with specialization of labor

But there were trade-offs to the choices our ancestors made, and there are trade-offs to the choices

but there were trade-offs to the choices our ancestors made and there are

we're making today.

trade-offs to the choices we're making

To live intentionally I think you have to bear in mind what you believe to be the ground of meaning in life.

today toget intentionally I think you have to bear in mind what you believe to be the ground of meaning in life like if

Like if the point of life is to preserve biodiversity on our home planet then hunting and gathering is the way to go.

the point of life is to preserve biodiversity on our home planet than hunting and gathering is the way to go

If the point is to seek an understanding of the universe and our place in it, then specialization of Labor is a

if the point is to seek an understanding of the universe and our place in it then

specialization of Labor is a necessity

But I have to say that while I understand much has been lost, I am grateful to live in a world with

but I have to say that while I understand much has been lost I am grateful to live in a world with

telescopes, and vaccines, and YouTube, and books.

telescopes and vaccines and YouTube and

Late update! Speaking of books, Hank, I am so incredibly excited!

books late update speaking of books Hank

You are publishing a book next year! Fancy New York Times article in the doobly-doo below.

I am so incredibly excited you are publishing a book next to your fancy New York Times article when the doobly-doo

I continue to be awed by your ability to do so many things so well.

below I continue to be awed by your ability to do so many things so well it

It is An Absolutely Remarkable Thing. That is the title but it's also how I feel. Hank, I'll see you on Friday.

is an absolutely remarkable thing that is the title but it's also how I feel Hank I'll see you on Friday

Similar videos:

Why Cities Are Where They Are
Wendover Productions
4.7M views 78.3K likes 2.8K dislikes 03 Jan 2017100% match

Out of the Cities: When, Where, Why?
White Horse Media
37.7K views 925 likes 36 dislikes 03 Sep 2020100% match

If Only All Cities Had THIS!!
Tangerine Travels
8.3K views 802 likes 1 dislikes 13 May 2018100% match

03 Cities 1
EdTech UCU : The University in the Digital Age
2.2K views 7 likes 0 dislikes 16 Mar 2016100% match

You Are Here
vlogbrothers
126.5K views 10.5K likes 45 dislikes 28 Feb 201729% match

How Does This End?
vlogbrothers
341.3K views 22.5K likes 109 dislikes 03 Jul 201828% match

The General Crisis
vlogbrothers
279.6K views 15.1K likes 164 dislikes 10 Jul 201825% match

Sawdust Bread
vlogbrothers
243.8K views 12.1K likes 73 dislikes 06 Feb 201824% match

Behind the Scenes of My Life
vlogbrothers
261.2K views 11.4K likes 125 dislikes 20 Jan 201723% match

The History of Pizza John!
vlogbrothers
655.6K views 23.5K likes 109 dislikes 12 Nov 201423% match

How's the Water?
vlogbrothers
231.5K views 18.1K likes 92 dislikes 26 Jun 201822% match

History Is Happening
vlogbrothers
283.8K views 17K likes 0 dislikes 19 Dec 201721% match

On Punctuality
vlogbrothers
305.7K views 19.2K likes 0 dislikes 03 Apr 201821% match

On Our Way to the Dance (Pizzamas Day 6)
vlogbrothers
224.5K views 17.8K likes 53 dislikes 16 Nov 201520% match

Settings Privacy About Contact Donate