Question

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a civilization remaining isolated and maintaining their way of life without outside influence? An example is Egypt in the early kingdom period, when no outside cultural influence existed and the Nile River was used as a source for transportation and agriculture.

“Out of sight, out of mind”; “Even a fool learn something once it hits him”, quotes from the first known poet, Homer. Greek influence is present throughout the western world. Identify some ways you recognize Greek culture in your daily life. i.e. food, art, etc.

Answer 1

There are advantages and disadvantages of a civilization remaining isolated. Some of the advantages would be the maintenance of cultural integrity, unfettered ability to build and expand, the continuity of social, cultural and historical traditions, and stable institutions. Disadvantages would be tendency of the culture to stagnate due to the lack of new and innovative thinking, inability to  compete with civilizations that are rapidly advancing, lack of awareness of new developments, and the inability to build cross-cultural connections.