Do Crops Shape Culture?

Alison Copnick suggest just that in her New York Times article “Rice, What and the Values They Sow”. http://online.wsj.com/articles/can-wheat-and-rice-determine-the-nature-of-cultures-1401489355

 She says that an article in the journal Science written by Thomas Talhelm (www.sciencemag.org/content/344/6184/603)  suggests that  wheat growing, bread cultures think differently than a rice growing, rice-eating society. 

Further, his research shows differences in how each group would reward a friend versus a stranger, or how people explain relationships between images.  What do you think are the the relationship between a dog, rabbit and carrot?  Thinking based on bread or rice?

At the heart of this article is the idea that rice growing requires more coordinated and cooperative effort than growing wheat.  And that leads to different ways of thinking, living, levels interdependence,  independence and views of the world.

It appears that what you grow makes a difference beyond what you eat.