Wally Wallington is my hero.
And a good refutation to a certain lard-assed drug addict's assertion that "We should just let cities like Flint (Michigan) go".
This my prologue to some humor - unintentional and maybe that's what's best about it.
Here's a write-up on the book that's got some neo-natal-cons all in a lather.
The premise is simple; modern man vs folks for whom survival was less complex but far more urgent.
Short version: Anyone from our recent and distant past could kick our sorry, soft, modern asses
Done deal, I would think.
I'm not willing to go toe-to-toe with Java Man.
But it becomes obvious that, to the hobby survivalists that fuel this forum, the real issue is; who was more wicked-bad-assed?
Find it discussed intelligently here
And, if you were too lazy to click to the actual Reuters article earlier, the initial poster quotes it verbatim. Woo Hoo!

Now, you've got to know, the real gold here is in the responses.
The initial post was relatively neutral.
Shall we proceed?

Ok, and a broken arm or leg meant death or a crippled limb to all three of those. How high can you jump when you are friggin dead?
Man has always been at a physical disadvantage to nature. So what? In combat, one modern soldier could probably take out a few dozen prehistoric Australian aboriginals, Tutsi men, or Neanderthal women. Why? Because we play to OUR advantage. Intelligence. Physical ability is not everything.

This guy's a weeeeeeenie.

Even if I can't out arm wrestle a neanderthal woman or out race a prehistoric aborigine, I'd still much rather be a modern man.
Why? Cause modern man's brain has gone through thousands of years of conditioning to be able to learn, adapt, and create. I might not be able to throw a spear as far or row a boat as fast as ancestors. But I know how to make and use a bow and arrows, and even if I can't fix a boat's engine I don't think that I'll need to help sail a trimaran against the Persians anytime soon.
The article is interesting, but the thesis is silly. Modern man inherently sissies any more than ancient man was inherently retarded. We are just adapted to our situations and the tools and knowledge available.

Okay, my bad.
The thesis is silly.
Now, does he really know how to make bows and arrows or does hejust remember doing it with twigs and rubber bands?
Now this next one is sweet.
We'll cut him a break vis-a-vis spelling as he's from Austria.

What he hasnt taken into account is they may be supperiour specimens well at least in his eyes, that we invented the gun for a reason, to kill the natives and take their stuff. Seriously though who gives 2 hoots if you can jump twice your hight? They make ladders for a reason, also chassing a animal probably means they are hungry and thats as good a motivation as any, also how far did they run for?
So much for only the strongest survive, those with the gun do

NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TAKING ABOUT, DAMMIT.
It's guns! Isn't it always guns?


OK, so neanderthals, aboriginals, and tribesmen in africa could kick our arses.
They're still extinct or living in mud huts. There are reasons for that.
Sure, they're better at living a primitive lifestyle than we are. That's an advantage if you're living a primitive lifestyle. However, unlike them, we have the capability to NOT live a primitive lifestyle. That's tremendously better. This is not a racial comment, btw. The differences in intelligence between different races is basically inconsequential. The differences are in education and social development

Well, yeah! If all you take are the "Primitive Lifestyles" courses in college and just you blow off the "Pasty, Fat Schlubb" courses, courses that will actually get you somewhere in life.
Then, maybe you could kick my ass - er arse I mean - but I'm more educated - and socially developed, so there.
Okay, next up, one of my all-time faves:

Additionally the assumption that if we have a SHTF event we'll immediately revert back to primitive lifestyles. Thats the beauty of intelligence. As soon as we learn something we can build, and rebuild and continue to develop. So the world ends tommorow. Within 4 years man is rebuilding in some semblance of what the pre-existing order was. Maybe not the same extent but...
Great example is the Romans. The roman empire fell. But many of their basic skills such as roads and buildings were maintained, just look to the British Isles. No one empire after Rome had need of so large an expanse of roadways but internally withing their country yes.

I've been waiting for someone to explain the "beauty of intelligence" to me, harm (screen name - menacing, no?).
Okay, in the 7th and 8th centuries around Britain, the locals thought that all the Roman ruins had been left behind by a previous race of giants.
Also, we forgot how to make concrete for Christ's sake!
All of ancient Rome, the Collesium, the Pantheon (largest dome in antiquity), poured concrete.
All poured concrete.
All those later, soaring Gothic cathedrals?
Cut stone.
We figured out concrete again about 150 years ago.
The beauty of intelligence, a bit transient maybe.
All I'll say regarding this next is;
Raft of the Medusa.

In a true SHTF scenario, anarchy wouldn't last that long at all. The thing about anarchy is, it falls apart too easily. Yes, there will be a short time of very terrible conditions, but man will quickly reorganize back to a livable level. That level may well be far below what they had before, but we'd come up with something.

And people call us liberal fuck-tards niave.

This guy is a damn retard. There has a been a trade off of more brain capacity to lessened physical ability since Hominids first started. It is apparently a pretty good evolutionary adaptation since we rule the damn planet now. You do not have to run fast or throw a spear far once you make a bow and arrow or start farming.

Now that's what I want, the cast-iron balls to come out and call someone with actual credentials, in anthropology, a "damn retard".
Not that it's courageous.
It's just a Fox News version of reality.
My poor version of reality, gleaned from a long-ago anthropology class is this.
Relative to body size, Neanderthals had the largest brain size of any primate, living or dead - bar none.
Us too - or more properly - you too, you damn retard.
This next guy has chosen, as his avatar, Vincent D'Onofrio as Pvt Pyle in "Full Metal Jacket".
The crazy Pvt Pyle.

LIke most science of the anthropological or archaeological stripe, most is pure conjecture and is contrived at best. If they had to take this crap to a court of law, it would be thrown out for lack of evidence.

And that Einstein clown?
Where's the thread of evidence for that?
Okay, all is not lost.
The penultimate response from one called "Deer Hunter":

This really did stir up a few of the he-men here.
It's true, they could kick our ass backwards sideways up the wall. But, "modern" men are not the most athletically fit these days anyway.

Back to Wally at the top.
Earlier folks - dumber than us - or just smart differently?
PS the stupid acronym SHTF stands for "Doo Doo in the HVAC".
These people are congenitally terrified, it's hilarious.
What if...

Anyway, if you managed to stay with me, thanks.
This is as nice as I can muster right now.
I've waxed more cruel in this latest mean-spirited tirade against a guy who's just trying to get along - but I thought I'd play it slightly saner.
Why can't I just leave The Madogre alone?
I'm just no damned good is why.