[notarobot123]

The claim actually made was that culture, not just technology, is what made these irrigation systems successful. It's an interesting insight.

Perhaps we can learn lessons from ancient cultures about how we might be able to efficiently manage our resources and achieve more with what is available. Is that so far fetched an idea?

[lurk2]

I understand what you’re saying. I’m not sure that the distinction is all that important, however. Culture is just a form of technology.

> Perhaps we can learn lessons from ancient cultures about how we might be able to efficiently manage our resources and achieve more with what is available. Is that so far fetched an idea?

I don’t mean to imply that European models get everything right, but I think it would be far-fetched to bet against these models; historically, they’ve worked, and they’ve worked far better than any other model. The author does have a paper she linked to (which I missed on my first reading), so she might have a more compelling case to make than I originally assumed.

[suavesito]

I would say it reversed. Technology is _just one_ form of culture.