Long Ripples in History

In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch is joined again by Bismarck Analysis's Samo Burja (podcast host: Live Players) for a mind-bending discussion and deep dive into the concept of "long ripples" — how ideas and events from the distant past continue to shape our present and future in unexpected ways. From Plato's influence on modern political movements to the unforeseen consequences of the Industrial Revolution, this conversation challenges our understanding of historical cause and effect. Are we truly progressing, or are we caught in cycles we fail to recognize? Can we learn from the past, or are we doomed to repeat it in new, technologically-amplified ways? This episode is a rollercoaster ride through time, technology, and human nature, forcing us to reconsider our place in the grand sweep of history.  -- 🎙️ Dealcraft: Insights from Great Negotiators is the brand new weekly podcast that features interviews with world’s greatest dealmakers and diplomats, including Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman, and music industry super-lawyer John Branca, on their most challenging negotiations. Each episode, host Jim Sebenius (Harvard Business School professor and renowned negotiation expert) relates fascinating deal stories and distills useful insights for listeners to apply in their toughest deals and disputes. Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/3CG3TbHY?sid=Turpentine -- 🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/ -- SPONSORS: Fundrise | WorkOS | Dealcraft 💡 Level up your portfolio with access to pre-IPO companies via the Fundrise Innovation Fund. Access a $125M+ fund of cutting edge tech companies including AI frontrunners, now available to individual investors. Start your journey at Fundrise.com/upstream. 💻 Building an enterprise-ready SaaS app? WorkOS has got you covered with easy-to-integrate APIs for SAML, SCIM, and more. Join top startups like Vercel, Perplexity, Jasper & Webflow in powering your app with WorkOS. Enjoy a free tier for up to 1M users! Start now at https://bit.ly/WorkOS-Turpentine-Network This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at [email protected]. -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @eriktorenberg (Erik) @SamoBurja (Samo) @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (00:15) Exploring Plato's Influence (05:10) Historical Ripples and Convergent Evolution (06:45) The Fall of Civilizations (12:43) Comparing Civilizational Cycles (17:42) The Future of Human Civilization (23:30) Sponsor: Dealcraft | Fundrise (29:02) AI and Genetic Engineering: Potential and Pitfalls (33:30) Pandemic Era Reflections (34:04) Genetic Engineering and Society (34:49) Sponsor: WorkOS (35:43) 19th Century Misconceptions (38:23) Cycles of Societal Transformation (40:54) Intellectual Decay and Historical Rewriting (43:13) Anthropology and Cultural Studies (45:34) Decline of Western Institutions (52:12) Space Exploration and Technological Decline (1:00:15) Hypernormalization and Social Reality (1:01:39) Wrap BOOKS MENTIONED: What Is To Be Done? by Vladimir Lenin Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari's Fitzpatrick's War by Theodore Judson