"WhatifAlthist" | World History, Philosophy, Culture

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dave Chappelle perfectly captured what many feel: supporting feminism's dictionary definition (equal rights) while rejecting what the movement has become. Most young men now see feminism's loudest voices promoting active hatred against males and fighting biological reality itself. This episode tracks feminism's transformation from noble cause to toxic force, examining the deeper historical, biological and cultural factors driving this evolution—a journey far more complex than you could possibly imagine. -- 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 Click this link to start earning rewards on Ipsos iSay! https://www.inflcr.co/SHII6 Thanks Ipsos iSay for sponsoring! Link to Common Ground- / @commonground-qg5oj Link to my podcast common ground- / @history102-qg5oj -- LINKS: 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: Lineages of Modernity by Todd Emmanuel The Origins of Ideology by Todd Emmanuel Sex and Power in History by Amaury de Riencourt Tragedy and Hope by Carroll Quiggley Sex and Power in History by JD Unwin Eve's Rib by Robert Poole The Genetic Lottery by Harden Behave by Sapolsky Cynical Theories by James Lindsay Woke Racism by John McWhorter Who We Are and How We Got Here by David Reich The Naked Ape by Desmond Morris The Naked Woman by Desmond Morris Sexual Personae by Camille Paglia Culture's Consequences by Hofsteder Evil by Baumeister The Happiness Hypothesis by Jon Haidt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Having created six different social clubs across spectrum—from "talented young people" to LA influencers—I've witnessed something terrifying: our society's most successful members exist in completely different realities from everyone else. At 22, I see obvious truths (Chinese threat, dating collapse, widespread poverty) that elites actively deny or remain shockingly unaware of. This profound disconnect mirrors pre-revolutionary France's elite blindness—a giant societal vacuum no one wants to acknowledge. -- 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 Shield Wallet-https://shield-wallet.com/discount/WH... Link to my podcast common ground- / @history102-qg5oj -- LINKS: 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 Economics of Discontent by Jean Michel Paul The Great Wave by David Hackett Fischer Secular Cycles by Peter Turchin Ages of Discord by Peter Turchin Lost Connections by Johann Hari Lineages of Modernity by Todd Emmanuel Sex and Culture by JD Unwin Dominion by Tom Holland Europe by Norman Davies The Righteous Mind by Jon Haidt The Storm Before the Calm by George Friedman Beautiful Losers by Samuel Francis Leviathan and its Enemies by Samuel Francis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even if you're coping, you feel it—the world is sliding toward catastrophe. As a historian who's analyzed secular crises (French Revolution, Wars of Religion, Black Death), I see the same demographic patterns repeating. With developed nations losing HALF their populations and fragile global supply chains collapsing, this isn't abstract history anymore—it's our future. Drawing on personal wilderness experience and apocalypse-prepper wisdom, I'll show practical ways to navigate what's coming. 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 Enlisted https://enplay.link/whatifalthist Don Shift's books-https://www.amazon.com/stores/Don%20S... -- LINKS: 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 Great Wave by David Hackett Fischer Ages of Discord by Peter Turchin Secular Cycles by Peter Turchin The End of the World is Just the Beginning by Peter Zeihan Disunited Nations by Peter Zeihan The Accidental Superpower by Peter Zeihan The Economics of Discontent by Jean Michel Paul On Grand Strategy by John Lewis Gaddis The True Believer by Eric Hoffer Atrocities by Matthew White The Ages of American Capitalism by John Levy Strategy by Lawrence Freeman Long Cycles by Goldman Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card Maps of Meaning by Jordan Peterson Meditations by Marcus Aurelius Evil by Baumeister Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung The Happiness Hypothesis by John Haidt The Secret to our Success by Joseph Heinrich Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're blind to what's right in front of us. While most see the 20th century as science triumphing over religious darkness, the TRUTH is exactly opposite—it was history's most intense RELIGIOUS conflict, featuring three competing faiths fighting to the death! This century produced more pseudoscience than real science, with academic institutions weaponized for ideological warfare. These religious wars continue today in their final stages. Prepare to have your entire understanding of modern history completely inverted! -- 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 -- SOURCES: Tragedy and Hope by Carroll Quigley The Evolution of Civilizations by Carroll Quigley Bloodlands by Timothy Snyder Liberalism by Paul Gottfried War in Human Civilization by Azar Gat The Master and His Emissary by McGhilchrist Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung The Origin of Ideology by Todd Immanuel The Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler A Secular Age by Charles Taylor Atrocities by Matthew White The Rise of the West by McNeil Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari Sex and Power in History by Amaury de Riencourt Mao by Jung Chang History's Greatest Conflicts by Joseph Cummins The Penguin History of the World by Roberts A History of Civilizations by Fernand Braudel A History of the English Speaking Peoples since 1900 by JM Roberts The First World War by John Keegan Millennium by Ian Mortimer The Proud Tower by Barbara Tuchman The Rise and Fall of Communism by Archie Brown Critical Theories by James Lindsay and Helen Pluckrose The World After Liberalism by Matthew Rose The Ascent of Humanity Charles Eisenstein The Knowledge Machine by Michael Strevens Reason, Faith and the Struggle for Western Civilization by Sam Gregg The Happiness Hypothesis by Jon Haidt The Righteous Mind by Jon Haidt A Conflict of Visions by Thomas Sowell Intellectuals and Society by Thomas Sowell The Invention of Yesterday by Tamim Ansary Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker The True Believer by Eric Hoffer A Secret History of the World by Mark Booth Cynical Theories by James Lindsay The Managerial Revolution by James Burnham Leviathan and its Enemies by Samuel Francis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After personal upheaval that forced me to reevaluate everything, I'm tackling philosophy's ultimate question despite our society's cowardly avoidance of mortality and meaning. The crushing crisis killing modernity is our inability to face death. This isn't just abstract philosophy—understanding death's role reveals why our civilization is collapsing beneath us. History viewed through this lens changes EVERYTHING. -- 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 Power up Paradise to buy incredible video game phone cases with the code WHATIF5-https://power-up-paradise.com/discoun... -- SOURCES: The Worm at the Core by Sheldon Solomon The Master and His Emissary by McGhilChirst Maps of Meaning by Jordan Peterson The Blank Slate by Steven Pinker World War 1 by John Keegan The Ascent of Humanity by Eisenstein The Knowledge Machine by Michael Strevens The Happiness Hypothesis by John Haidt The Origins of Ideologies by Todd Immanuel Lineages of Modernity by Todd Immanuel Sexual Personae by Camille Paglia Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung Cynical Theories by James Lindsay and Helen Pluckrose A Secular Age by Charles Taylor The Web of Meaning by Jeremy Lent Seculosity by David Zahl Hidden Truth by Houston Smith Norse Myth by Neil Gaiman Oriental Mythology by Joseph Camble Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari Recapture the Rapture by Jamie Wheal Nations by Azar Gat The Moral Animal by Robert Wright Dominion by Tom Holland The World's Religions by Houston Smith Dynasty by Tom Holland Homo Ludens by Johan Huizinga The True Believer by Eric Hoffer Trauma and the Soul by Thomas Kalsched Disunited Nations by Peter Zeihan The Coddling of the American Mind by Jonathan Haidt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Communism represents humanity's largest-ever attempt at total societal reinvention—briefly ruling ONE-THIRD of the human race! we both independently marked communist territories as completely different civilizations from what came before. This episode reveals why communism ultimately failed to establish itself as a lasting civilization despite controlling massive territory and populations. I explore its theological and sociological underpinnings as a functional religion, avoiding philosophical naval-gazing by focusing on historical evidence. -- 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 -- SOURCES: Bloodlands by Timothy Snyder Tragedy and Hope by Carroll Quigley The Rise and Fall of Communism by Archie Brown Envy by Helmut Schoeck The Master and His Emissary by Ian McGhilChrist A Secret History of the World by Mark Booth Dominion by Tom Holland A Secular Age by Charles Taylor Mao by Jung Chang Atrocities by Matthew White The Origins of Ideology by Immanuel Todd A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia by David Christian Sex and Power in History by Amaury de Riencourt Europe by Norman Davies A Conflict of Visions by Thomas Sowell Intellectuals by Thomas Sowell Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell The Righteous Mind by Jon Haidt A History of Philosophy by Bertrand Russel The Seven Types of Atheism by Gray Behave by Sapolsky The Genetic Lottery by Harden Who We Are and How We Got Here by David Reich The Blank Slate by Steven Pinker The Knowledge Machine by Michael Strevens Cynical Theories by James Lindsay and Helen Pluckrose The Square and the Tower by Niall Ferguson The History of Philosophy by Will Durant The Road to Serfdom by Hayek The True Believer by Eric Hoffer Rules for Radicals by Saul Alinsky Seeing Like a State by James C Scott The Worm at the Core by Sheldon Solomon A History of the English Speaking World since 1900 by Andrew Roberts -- LINKS: Instagram: . / 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 Check out Pearl:https://pearl.link/whatifalthist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nuclear weapons gave humanity godlike power that ancient Hindus attributed only to Vishnu: the ability to destroy civilization in an afternoon. For 80 years, we've lived under this Sword of Damocles—our technological wealth shadowed by potential annihilation. With Chinese warmongering and Russia's Ukraine invasion, this video examines whether our civilization is doomed to nuclear catastrophe, shattering your perception of reality. -- 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: Instagram: . / 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 Check out Pearl:https://pearl.link/whatifalthist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode dives beneath Middle Earth's surface to reveal the profound historical and philosophical foundations Tolkien embedded as an Oxford professor of Anglo-Saxon literature. What appears as a "silly fairy tale" actually represents both a perfect exemplification of its era AND timeless wisdom that transcends even Tolkien's intentions. Prepare to be shocked by its true depth. -- 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 Click here to use Masterworks:https://www.masterworks.art/whatifalt... -- LINKS: 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 Check out Pearl:https://pearl.link/whatifalthist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Countries worldwide are suddenly ditching the dollar to trade in local currencies—a seismic shift most know is important but can't explain why. This isn't just some obscure finance topic! The dollar's status as world reserve currency directly impacts YOUR survival. I'm breaking down the global monetary system and revealing whether these changes will collapse American dominance or prove meaningless. Either way, your financial future hangs in the balance. -- 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: 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 Check out Pearl:https://pearl.link/whatifalthist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After nine years making predictions, I'm revisiting my World War III analysis because reality has proven EVEN WORSE than I forecasted. My original video was reasonable, but history has completely changed my assessment. This updated analysis explores who would win modern history's bloodiest conflict, where battle lines would form, and what's truly at stake—potentially our very survival. Check out War Thunder here: https://playwt.link/whatifalthist -- 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: 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 Check out Pearl:https://pearl.link/whatifalthist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

History swings like a pendulum—progress exists, but never in a straight line. The left's "right side of history" mantra? DEAD WRONG. Data and historical patterns suggest the pendulum is violently swinging right for the next two decades. As a right-winger myself, I'm actually terrified how far this counter-reaction might go. Prepare to have your worldview shattered. -- 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 25% off Blinkist premium and enjoy 2 memberships for the price of 1! Start your 7-day free trial by clicking here: https://www.blinkist.com/whatifalthist -- LINKS: 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 Check out Pearl:https://pearl.link/whatifalthist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

America dominates every crucial metric yet remains profoundly misunderstood—even by its own citizens. Americans, lacking cultural contrast, fail to recognize their civilization's unique foundations beyond pop culture stereotypes. This episode reveals what truly separates America from all others and examines where the world's hyperpower is headed next. 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 Use my link https://www.piavpn.com/Whatifalthist and get 83% discount on Private Internet Access! That’s just $2.03 a month, plus 4 extra months completely for free! LINKS: 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 Check out Pearl:https://pearl.link/whatifalthist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With over a billion adherents, the Islamic/Middle Eastern civilization represents a paradoxical historical force - simultaneously the newest AND oldest of the great Eurasian civilizations that have molded our world order. The Islamic world stands at a critical historical inflection point - caught between traditional power structures, Western influence, and internal reformation movements. Their next moves will inevitably shape our historical trajectory as the great civilizational blocs position themselves in this new era of global competition. -- 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 owers 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 MORGAN & MORGAN: Check out https://www.forthepeople.com/whatifal... for our sponsor Morgan&Morgan -- LINKS: 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 Check out Pearl:https://pearl.link/whatifalthist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two shocking observations: 1950s children knew enough about the obscure Barbary Wars to buy toy soldier sets of them, while TWO-THIRDS of today's 10-year-olds are functionally illiterate. College professors confirm each new class is increasingly anxious, less knowledgeable, and less skilled than before. This episode examines why American education has become so expensive, biased, ineffective and universally disliked—revealing surprising connections to history, anthropology, and Game Theory. -- 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 SPONSORS: Click this link to make some cash for giving your opinion! https://www.inflcr.co/SHJrB Thanks YouGov for sponsoring! -- Bibliography: Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman The Lonely Crowd by David Riesman Seeing like a State by James C Scott The Geography of Nowhere by Kunstler Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire The History of Civilization by Will Durant Albion's Seed by David Hackett Fischer The Ascent of Humanity by Charles Eisenstein Spiteful Mutants by Edward Dutton Witches, Feminism and the Fall of the West by Edward Dutton The Moral Animal by Robert Wright Bullfinch's Mythology North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell The Coming Caesars by Amaury de Riencourt The Hunter Gatherer's Guide to the 21st century by Heather Heying and Bret Weinstein Envy by Helmut Schoeck The History of Manners by Norbert Elias The Unabomber's Manifesto The Demon Haunted World by Carl Sagan The Pursuit of Power by William McNeil Foragers, Farmers and Fossil Fuel by Ian Morris Cynical Theories by James Lindsay After Liberalism by Gottfried Woke Racism by John McWhorter A Conflict of Visions by Thomas Sowell Intellectuals and Society by Thomas Sowell The Master and His Emissary by McGhilchrist Tragedy and Hope by Carroll Quigley The Rise of the West by William McNeil Ages of Discord by Peter Turchin The Coddling of the American Mind by John Haidt Stolen Focus by Johann Hari Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices