Explaining Steppe Anti-Civilization

The brutality of Hamas's recent attack on Israel and the subsequent fighting has the world holding its breath. Though Israel itself is tiny—just the size of New Jersey—it stands at a geopolitical crossroads reminiscent of Bosnia before WWI. This episode examines whether this localized conflict could trigger the chain reaction of alliances that plunges our interconnected world into another global war. -- SPONSORS NetSuite:  More than 41,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: https://netsuite.com/102 Shopify:  Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at https://shopify.com/cognitive Get 50% off your first order of CookUnity meals — go to https://cookunity.com/whatif50 and use my code WHATIF50 at checkout to try them out for yourself! Thanks to CookUnity for sponsoring this video! -- LINKS Link to Pluribus. Cancellation Insurance-https://becomepluribus.com/creators/20 Link to my Twitter-https://twitter.com/whatifalthist?ref... Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlyn... -- Bibliography: The New Map by Dan Yergin The Human Tide by Paul Moreland The First World War by John Keegan Long Cycles by Goldstein The Great Wave by David Hackett Fischer Ages of Discord by Peter Turchin The Economics of Discontent by Jean Michel Paul The Next 100 Years by George Friedman A Secular Age by Charles Taylor The World in Conflict by John Andrews The Global Crisis by Geoffrey Parker The Military Revolution by Geoffrey Parker Disunited Nations by Peter Zeihan The End of the World is Just the Beginning by Peter Zeihan The Accidental Superpower by Peter Zeihan The Best of Times and the Worst of Times by Michael Burleigh A Quick and Dirty Guide to War by James Dunnigan Destined for War by Graham Allison War, What is it Good for by Ian Morris Destiny Disrupted by Tamim Ansary The Invention of Yesterday by Tamim Ansary World Order by Henry Kissinger Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall Global Catastrophes and Trends by Vaclav Smil Asia's Cauldron by Robert Kagan

22 Maalis 202442min

With several brutal wars raging and more potentially imminent, formerly "decent" people are turning into bloodthirsty sharks. This episode examines history's most devastating conflicts using Matthew White's meticulously researched "Atrocities"—data respected across the political spectrum. Blood transcends political bias, revealing how Eurocentric our historical education is. When countries are bucking toward war, only perspective keeps us from getting thrown. -- SPONSORS: NetSuite:  More than 41,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: https://netsuite.com/102 Shopify:  Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at https://shopify.com/cognitive Start your FREE scan for data brokers that are hoarding your personal info:https://www.optery.com/protect-your-p... -- Bibliography: Atrocities by Matthew White Bloodlands by Timothy Snyder A History of China by John Keay The First World War by John Keegan A History of the Second World War by Liddell Hart Plagues and Peoples by McNeil Our Oriental Heritage by Will Durant A History of China by Wolfram Eberhard Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom by Steven R. Platt The Cambridge Illustrated History of China War, Peace and War by Peter Turchin the Later Roman Empire by Bury A Guide to Late Antiquity by Peter Brown History's Greatest Wars by Cummins Tragedy and Hope by Carroll Quiggley A History of Russia, Mongolia and Central Asia by David Christian War in Human Civilization by Azar Gat The 30 Years War by Peter Wilson The Military Revolution by Geoffrey Parker The General Crisis by Geoffrey Parker Africa by John Reader African History by Basil Davidson Inglorious Empire by Sashi Tharoor Europe: A History by Norman Davies The Soul of India by Amaury de Riencourt Destiny Disrupted by Tamim Ansary Secular Cycles by Peter Turchin Generations of Captivity by Berlin The Story of the Americas by Leland Dewitt Baldwin

22 Maalis 202442min

Like fish unable to see the water they swim in, we're blind to Christianity's total transformation of Western society. Even our most "original" philosophies only make sense within Christian frameworks. This is the perfect moment to examine this influence—as Britain, Australia, and Netherlands become minority-Christian for the first time in 2,000 years. Christianity asks the least of societies yet paradoxically transforms them more profoundly than any other religion. -- SPONSORS: NetSuite:  More than 41,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: https://netsuite.com/102 Shopify:  Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at https://shopify.com/cognitive Sign up for Domain Money today https://dmnmny.co/whatifalthist Disclaimers here-https://www.domainmoney.com/t/terms-o... -- Bibliography: Dominion by Tom Holland The WEIRDest people in the World by Joseph Heinrech The Sorrows of the Ancient Romans by Carlin Barton The Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler The Coming Caesars by Amaury de Riencourt Sex and Power in History by Amaury de Riencourt A History of the Jews by Paul Johnson A Guide to Late Antiquity by Peter Brown Through the Eye of a Needle by Peter Brown A Secular Age by Charles Taylor Mere Christianity by CS Lewis The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis The Immortality Key by Brian Muraresku Religions of the World by Houston Smith A Secret History of the World by Mark Booth The Sacred History by Mark Booth Reason, Faith and the Struggle for Western Civilization by Sam Gregg The 3D Gospel by Jason Georges Seven Types of Atheism by John Gray The Invention of Yesterday by Tamim Ansary Tragedy and Hope by Carroll Quiggley Envy by Hemult Schoeck Dynasty by Tom Holland Debt a 5,000 Year History by David Graeber The Evolution of Civilizations by Carroll Quiggley Millennium by Ian Mortimer Caesar and Christ by Will Durant The Age of Faith by Will Durant The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon Rise, Fall and Rise by Peter Turchin The Next 100 Years by Philippe Fabry

22 Maalis 202456min

History's deadliest threats always arrive from unexpected dimensions. While we've conquered biological plagues, our society faces something equally devastating but largely unrecognized: a mental health catastrophe of Black Death proportions. This silent epidemic is already underway, potentially halving world population through indirect effects. The signs were always there in historical records—we just didn't know where to look. This may prove the defining catastrophe of our era. -- SPONSORS: NetSuite:  More than 41,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: https://netsuite.com/102 Shopify:  Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at https://shopify.com/cognitive Check out Softwarekeep here and use the coupon code WhatifAlthist20 https://softwarekeep.com/bestsellers?... -- Bibliography: A Secular Age by Charles Taylor Lost Connections by Johann Hari Stolen Focus by Johann Hari The Happiness Hypothesis by John Haidt The Coddling of the American Mind by John Haidt The Culture of Narcissism by Lasch The Master and His Emissary by McGhilChrist Forgotten Truth by Houston Smith Evil by Baumeister Trauma and the Soul by Kalsched The Inner World of Trauma by Kalsched The True Believer by Eric Hoffer Envy by Helmut Schoeck The Knowledge Machine by Strevens The Web of Meaning by Jeremy Lent Seculosity by David Zahl The World's Religions by Huston Smith Strange Rites by Burton Lineages of Modernity by Todd Immanuel The Past is a Future Country by Edward Dutton Spiteful Mutants by Edward Dutton The Lonely Crowd by David Riesman Empty Planet by Darrell Bricker Disunited Nations by Peter Zeihan Secular Cycles by Peter Turchin by David Hackett Fischer

22 Maalis 202454min

When analyzing societies for revolutionary potential—weak governance, economic problems, unpopular wars, military loyalty issues—Russia scores HIGHER than any major nation except China. This long-planned analysis examines why Russia shows all classic signs of pre-revolutionary collapse. After a year of researching since Ukraine's invasion began, the evidence points overwhelmingly toward Russian state failure within the next five years. -- SPONSORS: NetSuite:  More than 41,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: https://netsuite.com/102 Shopify:  Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at https://shopify.com/cognitive Start your free Optery Exposure Risk Report scan https://app.optery.com/signup?utm_cam... -- Bibliography: Nothing is True and Everything is Possible by Pomerantz All the Kremlin's Men by Zygar Fragile Empire by Ben Judah Crashed by Adam Tooze DisUnited Nations by Peter Zeihan The End of the World is just the Beginning by Peter Zeihan The Next 100 Years by George Friedman The Rise and Fall of Nations by Rushir Sharma Shadow World by Robert Chandler The New Map by Dan Yergin The Best of Times and the Worst of Times by Michael Burleigh A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia by David Christian Ages of Discord by Peter Turchin Rise, Fall and Rise Again by Peter Turchin Tragedy and Hope by Carroll Quigley

22 Maalis 202434min

Within living memory, tiny Britain dominated the globe—running India and controlling history's largest empire. Young people forget how recently Europe ruled the planet for 500 years. Our society has swung from celebrating colonialism as "The White Man's Burden" to condemning it as history's greatest evil. Both extremes are wrong. This balanced assessment examines whether colonialism's benefits ultimately outweighed its undeniable costs. -- SPONSORS: NetSuite:  More than 41,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: https://netsuite.com/102 Shopify:  Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at https://shopify.com/cognitive -- LINKS: Link to Philippe Fabry's New Book "Rise, Fall, Reclaim" https://amzn.to/3t9lcLr Link to his English speaking YouTube Channel-   / @philippefabry-eng   -- Bibliography: The Rule of Empires by War in Human Civilization by Azar Gat War: What is it Good for Ian Morris Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker Inglorious Empire by Sashi Tharoor War Before Civilization by Lawrence Keeley Atrocities by Matthew White Coming to Our Senses by Morris Berman The Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler The Isles by Norman Davies Inside Africa by John Gunther Inside Asia by John Gunther The Barbarous Years by Bernard Bailyn The Accidental Superpower by Peter Zeihan Rise of the West by McNeil The Pursuit of Power by McNeil Roll, Jordan Roll by Eugene Genovese War, Peace and War by Peter Turchin Dominion by Tom Holland 5th Sun by Camilla Townsend Colonial Empires by Fieldhouse Millennium by Ian Mortimer Albion's Seed by David Hackett Fischer African Founders by David Hackett Fischer Fairness and Freedom by David Hackett Fischer Empires of the Atlantic World by Elliot A History of Latin America by Hubert Herring Africa by John Reader Wars of Empire by Douglas Porch Generations of Captivity by Berlin History of the English Speaking Peoples by Winston Churchill The Anarchy by William Dalrymple Civilization by Niall Ferguson India by John Keay The Soul of India by Amaury de Riencourt The Soul of China by Amaury de Riencourt A History of the World by William McNeil The General Crisis by Geoffrey Parker

22 Maalis 202441min

Politicians can only reference four historical moments—Civil War, Revolution, WWII, and post-1960s events. This crippling historical myopia prevents us from seeing our true position in history's cycles (100-year, 300-year, and 2000-year patterns). Our society bears SHOCKING similarities to the 1630s—politically, religiously, and economically. Even modern warfare resembles the Thirty Years' War, not WWII. The Middle East is experiencing its own "Islamic Thirty Years' War" right now. -- SPONSORS: NetSuite:  More than 41,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: https://netsuite.com/102 Shopify:  Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at https://shopify.com/cognitive Link to common ground-   / @commonground-qg5oj   -- BIBLIOGRAPHY: The Global Crisis by Geoffrey Parker The Military Revolution by Geoffrey Parker The 30 Years War by Peter Wilson The Little Ice Age by Brian Fagan Europe by Norman Davies Atrocities by Matthew White The Culture Map by Erin Meyer The Great Wave by David Hackett Fischer Secular Cycles by Peter Turchin Disunited Nations by Peter Zeihan The End of the World is Just the Beginning by Peter Zeihan Millennium by Ian Mortimer Protestants by Alec Ryrie The Next 100 Years by George Friedman The Great Leveler by Walter Scheidel 1632 by Eric Flint Tecniques and Technology by Lewis Mumford

22 Maalis 202441min

The "NPC" meme—comparing scripted video game characters to real people trapped in repetitive, limited behavioral loops—has become ubiquitous among younger generations. This isn't just internet humor—it reveals a profound truth about modern industrial society. When you see people robotically following social scripts (baristas, subway commuters, classmates), you're witnessing a glitch in our social matrix. This episode reveals how NPCs symbolize the deeper failure of modern civilization. -- SPONSORS: NetSuite:  More than 41,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: https://netsuite.com/102 Shopify:  Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at https://shopify.com/cognitive -- LINKS: Link to my podcast common ground-   / @history102-qg5oj   Instagram: Rudyard William Lynch (@rudyardwlynch) • Instagram photos ...https://www.instagram.com › rudyardwlynch Twitter:https://twitter.com/whatifalthist?ref... Patreon, First 200 pages of cultural history of America and 400 of history of the new world alongside exclusive maps:https://www.patreon.com › whatifalthist -- Bibliography: The Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler The Happiness Hypothesis by John Haidt Debt by David Graeber Conquest and Cultures by Thomas Sowell Techniques and Civilization by Lewis Mumford Seeing Like a State by James Scott The History of Manners by Norbert Elias The Bible by God The Master and His Emissary by McGhilChrist The Lonely Crowd by David Riesman The Culture of Narcissism by Lasch The Unabomber's Manifesto by Ted K. Strategy by Lost Connections by Johann Hari Stolen Focus by Johann Hari Regime Change by Deenan The Coming Caesars by Amaury de Riencourt The Growth Delusion by David Pilling Empty Planet by Bricker Disunited Nations by Peter Zeihan A Conflict of Visions by Thomas Sowell The Century of the Self by Adam Curtis Pandora's box by Adam Curtis Can't Get you out of my Head by Adam Curtis Behave by Sapolsky Who We Are and How we Got Here by David Reich The Genetic Lottery by Harden The True Believer by Eric Hoffer

22 Maalis 202440min