Does environment and climate determine culture? Environmental Determinists think so. I first learned about the school of thought in Mrs. Rosenthal’s nine grade social studies class after reading an article proposing that Europeans conquered Africa and the tropics because the severe European weather instilled a strong cultural work ethic, whereas equatorial heat made tropical people lazy. It was an interesting theory, but we learned as high schoolers that Environmental Determinism had long since waned in popularity.
Consider this post a new defense of Environment Determinism. I just spent the last week in extreme heat and humidity and it was debilitating. I slept without any clothing with the windows all open and a fan blowing directly on me, and I was still sweating. And that was at night. Yesterday’s mid-day heat put me into a nap-coma from noon until 5pm, and I still slept a full 8 hours last night. My neighbors have the same nap and sleep schedules. Obviously, this heat kills productivity.
I haven’t blogged for a few days because of this motivation-sapping heat (and because I have a head cold and my typing with my index finger splinted to my middle finger is inconvenient). I have only two days left in Ha’apai and the excitement has my thoughts racing with things to say. But to be quite honest right now, I’m not wearing a shirt or underwear here at my computer, the fan is one me, the windows are all open, and I’m sweating. I think I might just lay down for the day’s second nap…
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