It is regrettable. I know enough about precolonial Africa to know that I don’t know as much as I’d like to about precolonial Africa–that there is much more worth learning. Good alternate-history speculation, of course, requires background in the circumstances which precede the “divergence.”
Personally, I appreciated contributions in the thread from even sven as always on the African front, Lemur866, Malthus, Mijin, MrDibble, orcenio and Ramira–even when there was some disagreement within that set! Thank you. Your insights, perspectives or interesting links taught me things or made me reflect.
Conversely, I’m wearied and mystified by the dedication of the anti-contributors, a smaller set than that just named. That their efforts should be capped off in this case with the remark,
makes me laugh/cry at the lack of shame or of self-awareness, depending on interpretation… if someone outside the usual suspects had said that particular line, I’d have thought it a clever (referencing this thread) strike against them! Of course there have been several attempts to engage bell-curved race theories, to little evident effect. These people believe what they believe, I must suppose, for some reason of internal necessity. Science has nothing to do with it.
What’s to be done? Shall ponies be banned for lack of tricks?