Was the Neolithic Revolution really a revolution?

In the assigned reading, both articles suggest that early agricultural practices shaped gender roles throughout the progression of humankind in a misogynic direction, which I agree. The article from the Economist focuses more on the specific cultural effects of using the plough vs. the hoe-- an argument I found to be crafted more cogently than Jared Diamond’s piece. Diamond describes the agricultural revolution as possibly the worst mistake in human history, deviating from the accepted norm and making a case for the superiority of hunting and gathering. His claims are insufficiently supported because he neglects to make a case against the exponential growth in technological advancements and improved quality of life. The fact that I was able to access his published works online and that it can be communicated to the masses with a click of a mouse is an attribute to the wonders of the modern world- duly owed to the agricultural revolution. So do I believe the agricultural revolution was a mistake? No. Statistics regarding the exponential drop in infant mortality, whether it be regional or global, enforce my beliefs. I will end with this: Stephen Hawking, arguably the smartest man alive, has physical disabilities that would hinder his ultimate survival if humankind was still dependent on hunting/gathering and more physically-based “survival of the fittest,” and who is to say he doesn’t deserve a chance for survival?