Jared Dimond's thesis, that the way civiliations advanced, base simply on geographical luck does seem a bit to straight forward, seams like there has to be something more. but when you look at the facts, it is a pretty well based assumption. the Afro-Eurasian land mass is very suitable for life, animals plants ans humans alike. the first civilisations sprung up in Mesopotamia and since the land was on almost the same latitude line, the conditions for the plants and animals were almost the same where ever they went. This luck, when thought through, can explain for why the people in the mesopatamin region at the time farming began to spread were in fact put in a better place. with that first step they were able to get a head and shoulders above the rest of the world, and eventually when adavnced enough to decome the dominant race.