Keep in mind when reading Diamond that he's one of these folks who doesn't believe Western civilization is special in any way. He really believes we got lucky and hit the right resources, and that our values had nothing to do with our rise. A silly premise.
I don't believe that is his premise, at least from Guns, Germs, and Steel. Diamond acknowleges the affect of culture and values, but his main point is to explain how and why we developed those values and culture in the first place.