Where Did It All Go Wrong? James DeMeo's Saharasia ... • T…

Where Did It All Go Wrong? James DeMeo's Saharasia ...

• The article examines the persistent occurrence of warfare in human history, questioning traditional physicalist and sociobiological explanations.
• It presents archaeological and ethnographic evidence showing that hunter-gatherer societies and early to middle Neolithic communities did not engage in warfare.
• James DeMeo's book, "Saharasia," argues that the onset of the 'age of war' around 4000 BCE was triggered by an environmental disaster in Central Asia and the Middle East.
• While DeMeo links the rise of war to environmental changes, the article's author critiques his Reichian perspective.
• The author suggests that the emergence of an intensified ego-consciousness among groups during this period was a crucial factor in the development of warfare.
• The article explores the reasons behind this heightened sense of ego and its lasting impact on the prevalence of war in human societies.
• Published on August 1, 2002, the research article is available through various content types, including free and open access options.