The title is a bit over dramatic but, per the title, if you could contribute with one piece of knowledge to a book that every single individual should learn in order to kickstart a civilization?
My personal choice would be the process of soap making, from scratch.
What would be your contribution?
Brewing began as a way of preserving fruits and grains, and of guaranteeing the safety of drinking water. It’s absolutely going to be essential if we get blasted back by about a thousand years.
I was thinking of it purely as a means to unwind, but you’re right. I kind of forgot about the documentary How Beer Saved the World, even if it is a bit exaggerated at times.
Even that angle is more than just frivolity. Sitting around a fire, having some drinks and some laughs isn’t just a nice time, it’s vital to humans both as individuals and as a community. We’re social critters. We thrive when we care for others and are cared for by others, and the bonding that develops out of those drinking sessions is a way to establish that.
Very true. Leisure is essential even if it’s not “productive.” That’s not a great metric to measure things by.