"WhatifAlthist" | World History, Philosophy, Culture

In progressive religion, African-Americans occupy a sacred caste status—beyond criticism, requiring constant resource redistribution. Yet this narrative ironically continues black America's core historical theme: dehumanization. Leftists project onto black Americans whatever serves their power needs rather than seeing them authentically. Growing up in majority-black Philadelphia taught me that most progressives from whiter areas fundamentally misunderstand black culture, perpetuating the very dehumanization they claim to oppose. SPONSORS: Zcash: The right technology reshapes politics and culture toward freedom and prosperity. Zcash—the "machinery of freedom"—delivers unstoppable private money through encryption. When your wealth is unseen, it's unseizable. Download Zashi wallet and follow @genzcash to learn more: ⁠https://x.com/genzcash⁠⁠ NetSuite:  More than 42,000 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 second podcast on world history and interviews: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0NCSdGglnmdWg-qHALhu1w⁠ Link to my Twitter-⁠https://x.com/whatifalthist⁠ Link to my Instagram-⁠https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlynch/?hl=en⁠ Bibliography: Bibliography: Atrocities by Matthew White Plagues and Peoples by McNeil the Elder Rise of the West by McNeil the Elder Mosquito Empires by McNeil the Younger The Story of the Americas by Leland Dewitt Baldwin American Nations by Colin Woodard Albion's Seed by David Hackett Fischer African Founders by David Hackett Fischer Roll Jordan Roll by Eugene Genovese Ethnic America by Thomas Sowell Conquests and Cultures by Thomas Sowell Lineages of Modernity by Todd Emmanuel The Origins of Ideology by Todd Emmanuel Civilizations by Armesto A History of Civilizations by Braudel Bound Away by David Hackett Fischer Inside Africa by John Gunther Africa, a History by John Reader Generations of Captivity by Berlin Africa in History by Basil Davidson Who We are and How we got here by David Reich The Tree of Culture by Ralph Linton The Unabomber's Manifesto The Nine Nations of North America by Joel Garreau Seeing like a State by James Lindsay the 3D Gospel by Georges

Within a month of recording, the year's most politically important event happened—and NOBODY in the West covered it. India and Pakistan (combined population larger than Russia-Ukraine) exchanged missiles across borders in an escalation eerily mirroring 1914's Franz Ferdinand assassination. Two industrialized multi-ethnic empires fighting over terrorist proxies while alliance networks threaten continental war. Our media's total blackout reveals how completely we've lost track of global 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 Go to https://tryfum.com/WHATIFALTHIST or scan the QR code and use code WHATIFALTHIST to get your free FÜM Topper when you order your Journey Pack today. LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0NCSdGglnmdWg-qHALhu1w Link to my Twitter-https://x.com/whatifalthist Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlynch/?hl=en Bibliography: Disunited Nations by Peter Zeihan The Origins of Political Order by Fukuyama Monsoon by Kaplan Asian Waters by Humphrey Hawksley Asia's Cauldron by Kaplan The First World War by John Keegan The High Tower by Barbara Tuchman Europe by Norman Davies India by John Keay The Psychology of the Great War by Gustave le Bon Inglorious Empire by Sashi Tharoor

A historic shift occurred in the early 20th century when the West completely suspended any concept of reality or meaning. We adopted a new religion whose core belief was that it WASN'T a religion—agnostic liberalism that declared thousands of years of human struggle for glory and meaning "unnecessary." This tyranny greater than Rome or the Catholic Church dominates every moment of our lives while remaining invisible, creating our current "age of platitudes." 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 Try High Flavanol Cocoa (Stem Cells & Nitric Oxide): (40% OFF PROMO FOR 48HR) https://blackforestsupplements.com/WHAT LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews:    / @history102-qg5oj   Link to my Twitter-https://twitter.com/whatifalthist?ref... Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlyn... Bibliography: The Passion of the Western Mind by Tarnas A History of Western Philosophy of Bertrand Russell Mankind the Story of All of Us by the History Channel Maps of Meaning by Jordan Peterson The Gateway Protocol by Robert Monroe Leviathan and Its Enemies by Sam Francis The Total State by Auron Macintyre After Liberalism by Paul Gottfried The Crowd by Gustave le Bon The Revolt of the Elites by Lasch Ages of Discord by Peter Turchin Regime Change by Deneen The Economics of Discontent by Jean Michel Paul Warriors and Worriers by Joyce Benneson Fire in the Minds of Men by Billington A Conflict of Visions by Thomas Sowell

After reading 3,000+ pages for this series, I've concluded the Jews represent history's most improbable civilization. Pennsylvania alone has almost as many people as all Jews worldwide (15 million), yet this tiny desert tribe has repeatedly altered world history's trajectory over 4,000 years. They've produced ONE-THIRD of all Nobel Prize winners while comprising less than 1% of global population and birthed three major world religions. Their continued existence and influence completely defies rational historical models—making them perhaps history's most accomplished ethnic group. 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 Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code WHATIFALTHIST at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/whatifalthist LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews:    / @history102-qg5oj   Link to my Twitter-https://twitter.com/whatifalthist?ref... Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlyn... Bibliography: Paul. Johnson's History of the Jews A History of the Jewish People by Ben Sasson Our Oriental Heritage by Will Durant Caesar and Christ by Will Durant The Age of Faith by Will Durant Who We Are and How we Got Here by David Reich The Passion of the Western Mind by Tarnas A History of Religious Ideas by Mircea Eliade The Ordeal of Civility by Cuddihy The Jewish Evolutionary Strategy by Kevin Macdonald The Culture of Critique by Kevin Macdonald The People that Will Dwell Alone by Kevin Macdonal Pax by Tom Holland Dominion by Tom Holland Migrations and Cultures by Thomas Sowell A History of the Ancient World by Ben Sasson The Shaping of America by Meinig American Nations by Colin Woodard Masks of the Gods by Joseph Camble Sex and Power in History by Amaury de Riencourt Lineages of Modernity by Emmanuel ToddT The Righteous Mind by John haidt The Evolution of Civilizations by Carroll Quiggley A History of Egypt by Breasted 1177 BC the Year Civilization Died by Eric Cline Debt by David Grabber A Guide to Late Antiquity by Peter Brown Fire in the Minds of Men by Billington Cynical Theories by James Lindsay The Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler The World's Religions by Houston Smith Blooodlands by Timothy Snyder

After reading THOUSANDS of pages on Jewish civilization, I've hit that "skeleton key" threshold where the soul of a civilization becomes clear. Like India, Judaism is an "asterisk civilization"—for every principle, there's a paradoxical counterpoint. The sheer historical complexity demands its own dedicated video. Modern discourse about Jews suffers from profound historical illiteracy—most "experts" haven't read a single book on the topic. This episode provides the essential context everyone needs. 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 Compare news coverage. Spot media bias. Avoid algorithms. Try Ground News today and get 40% off your subscription by going to https://ground.news/whatif -- LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews:    / @history102-qg5oj   Link to my Twitter-https://twitter.com/whatifalthist?ref... Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlyn... -- Bibliography: The Passion of the Western Mind by Tarnas Migrations and Cultures by Thomas Sowell Ethnic America by Thomas Sowell A History of the Ancient World by Susan Wise Bauer Pax by Tom Holland Dominion by Tom Holland Rise of the West by McNeil A World History by McNeil Our Oriental Heritage by Will Durant The Life of Greece by Will Durant Caesar and Christ by Will Durant The Age of Faith by Will Durant The People that Shell Dwell Alone by Kevin Macdonald The Age of Reason Begins by Will Durant Europe Emerges by Reynold A History of the Jews by Paul Johnson A History of the Jews by Ben Sasson Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia by David Christian Empires of the Atlantic World by Evans Crusaders and Nomads by Lewis

The once-mighty Maya civilization—with populations LARGER than today's Yucatan—faced apocalyptic collapse in the 10th century. As unprecedented drought persisted, desperate nobles demanded increasingly extreme blood sacrifices while peasants abandoned a system clearly abandoned by the gods. The priests, whose calendar had predicted this cycle of rise and fall, watched helplessly as city-states waged total wars of annihilation. A haunting glimpse into what civilizational collapse truly looks like. 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 second podcast on world history and interviews:    / @history102-qg5oj   Link to my Twitter-https://twitter.com/whatifalthist?ref... Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlyn... -- Bibliography: Fire and Blood by Fehrenbach Epic Mexico by Rugely Rise of the West by McNeil 1491 by Mann Fifth Sun by Camilla Townsend A History of Latin America by Hubert Herring Why Nations Fail by Robinson and Acemoglu Empires of the Atlantic World by Elliot The Story of the Americas by Leland Dewitt Baldwin Atrocities by Matthew White The Ancient Sun Kingdoms of the Americas by Hagen Nine Nations of North America by Garreau Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari The Decline of the West by Spengler Our Oriental Heritage by Will Durant The Soul of India by Amaury de riencourt Masks of the Gods volume 1 and 2 by Joseph Camble The Year 1000 by Valerie Hansen War Before Civilization by Lawrence Keeley The Day Before Yesterday Tamim Ansary Spiral Dynamics by Beck Sex and Culture by JD Unwin The Explanation of Ideology by Emmanuel Todd The 3D Gospel by Georges Don't Know Much about Mythology by Ken Davis

World events keep derailing my civilization series! As a professional historian, I felt compelled to address the recent Rogan/Cooper podcast pushing the revisionist claim that Churchill was the villain of WWII who caused millions of deaths by refusing Hitler's peace offer. Let's examine what the historical evidence actually shows about this controversial take. -- 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 make some cash for giving your opinion with YouGov: https://www.inflcr.co/SHLCl Thanks, YouGov, for sponsoring this video! -- LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews:    / @history102-qg5oj   Link to my Twitter-https://twitter.com/whatifalthist?ref... Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlyn... -- Bibliography: Liddle Hart's the Second World War 2 Bloodlands by Timothy Snyder The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by Shirer World War 2 by Childers My Early Life by Winston Churchill A History of the English Speaking Peoples after 1900 by Andrew Roberts A Military History of the Western World by JFC Fuller The Dictators by Richard Overy The Rule of Empires by Parsons Tragedy and Hope by Carroll Quiggley War in Human Civilization by Azar Gat The World at War by Forster If the Allies had Fallen by Showalter History's Greatest Wars by Cummins A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia by David Christian Honor by Bowman Cynical Theories by James Lindsay Fire in the Minds of Men by Billington Atrocities by Matthew White The First World War 1 by John Keegan The Second World War by John Keegan The History of the English Speakings Peoples by Winston Churchill Albion's Seed by David Hackett Fischer 15 Battles of History by Creasy

We're living through a historic inflection point where the left lost the presidency but still dominates virtually every Western institution. Despite their electoral defeat, they control the bureaucracy, UN, Big Tech, media, academia, and even the Catholic Church—while the right has built no alternative power structures. The burning question is what the left will actually DO with this paradoxical position, as their own leadership seems unsure following Trump's victory. Their next moves will inevitably shape our historical trajectory as history is carved into stone before our eyes. -- 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 Surfshark: Go to https://surfshark.com/whatdeal for 4 extra months of Surfshark -- LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews:    / @history102-qg5oj   Link to my Twitter-https://twitter.com/whatifalthist?ref... Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlyn... Bibliography: The Righteous Mind by Jon Haidt Ages of Discord by Peter Turchin End Times by Peter Turchin The Master and His Emissary by Ian McGhilchrist The Storm before the Calm by George Friedman On Grand Strategy by John Lewis Gaddis The True Believer by Eric Hoffer Woke Racism by John McWhorter Leviathan and its Enemies by Sam Francis Regime Change by Patrick Deneen The Origins of Woke by Richard Hanania The Unabomber's Manifesto The Revolt of the Elites by Lasch The Total State by Auron Macintyre A Conflict of Visions by Thomas Sowell Seeing like a State by James Scott After Liberalism by Paul Gottfried Japan and the Shackles of the Past by Taggart Murphy Destined for War by Graham Allison Envy by Helmut Schoeck Cynical Theories by James Lindsay Spiral Dynamics by Don Beck Forgotten Truth by Houston Smith The Economics of Discontent by Jean Michel Paul

Beyond the Big Four Eurasian civilizations (Europe, India, Middle East, China) that dominated 90% of humanity, there existed a fifth major player—not a civilization, but its opposite. The Steppe produced history's greatest conquerors despite having 1/100th the population and no cities or formal religions. These nomadic warriors influenced world history as much as any civilization, creating an anti-civilization power that repeatedly brought empires to their knees. The ultimate historical paradox: how could Mongolia conquer China with 1% of its population? -- 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 Go to https://ground.news/whatif to stay fully informed on every side of every story. Save 50% on unlimited access with their Vantage Plan through my link. It's their biggest sale of the year! -- LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews:    / @history102-qg5oj   Link to my Twitter-https://twitter.com/whatifalthist?ref... Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlyn... -- Bibliography: A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia by David Christian The Invention of Yesterday by Tamim Ansary Europe's Steppe Frontier 1500-1800 by McNeil Plagues and Peoples by McNeil Rise of the West by McNeil Genghis Khan and the making of the modern world by Jack Weatherford The Khan Trilogy by Khan Iggulden (fiction but is the best intro to Mongol history for lay people since the author does the research really well) A History of Warfare by John Keegan A History of Religious Ideas v 3 by Mircea Eliade War and Peace and War by Peter Turchin Fighting Techniques of the Oriental World by Rice War in Human Civilization by Azar Gat The Soul of China by Amaury de Riencourt Nomads and Crusaders by Archibald Lewis War! What is it Good for by Ian Morris The Evolution of Civilizations by Carroll Quiggley Who We Are and How We Got Here by David Reich The Tree of Culture by Ralph Linton The Silk Road by Frankopan

As a Zoomer, I process World Wars as ancient history despite their recent shadow. The 20th century stands in opposition to ALL previous human experience, rejecting thousands of years of shared wisdom. Our unprecedented wealth and technological power convinced us to believe things previous generations would find INSANE—that men and women are identical, money can be printed infinitely, and culture doesn't matter. Most shocking: we've built a totalitarian democracy so pervasive we don't even recognize it. -- 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 Black Forest Supplements and Turkestrone: https://blackforestsupplements.com/?s... More information here: https://blackforestsupplements.com/bl... -- LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews:    / @history102-qg5oj   Link to my Twitter-https://twitter.com/whatifalthist?ref... Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlyn... -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov and researcher Nadia Asparouhova kick off the series with an unfiltered conversation about their relationship evolution. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod -- Bibliography: The True Believer by Eric Hoffer 1984 by George Orwell On Grand Strategy by John Lewis Gaddis Why Nations Fail by Acemoglu Intellectuals and Society by Thomas Sowell The Dictator's Handbook by Mesquita Woke Racism by John McWhorter Leviathan and Its Enemies by Sam Francis Origins of Woke by Richard Hananai The Unabomber's Manifesto The Total State by Auron Macintyre A Conflict of Visions by Thomas Sowell Seeing Like a State by James Scott Gulag Archipelago by Solzhenitsyn Bloodlands by Timothy Snyder Tragedy and Hope by Carroll Quiggley On Power by Bertrand de Jouvenal On Politics by Aristotle The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu The Origins of Ideology by Todd Immanuel Sex and Power in History by Amaury de riencourt Rise of the West by William McNeill

Reality operates through paradox—simultaneously everything and nothing, connected yet divided. The most revealing truth? People project their own nature onto their enemies. The left accuses the right of exactly what it does itself: institutional control, hatred, and power obsession. Modern civilization's greatest hypocrisy? Proudly championing "human rights" while systematically dehumanizing its population into interchangeable cogs. This isn't a bug—it's industrial society's primary function and underlying purpose. 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 second podcast on world history and interviews:    / @history102-qg5oj   Link to my Twitter-https://twitter.com/whatifalthist?ref... Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlyn... RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov and researcher Nadia Asparouhova kick off the series with an unfiltered conversation about their relationship evolution. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod Bibliography: The Lonely Crowd by David Riesman Thus Spake Zarathustra by Nietzche Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler The Gulag Archipelago by Solzenitsyn Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker The Blank Slate by Steven Pinker Humanity's Ascent by Charles Eisenstein The Unabomber's Manifesto Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung Das Kapital by Karl Marx Universe 65 by Calhoun Sex and Power in History by Amaury de Riencourt Nihilism by Seraphim Rose The Passion of the Western Mind by Tarnas A Secular Age by Charles Taylor Seeing like a State by James Scott The Leviathan and Its Enemies by Sam Francis The Managerial Revolution by James Burnham The Master and His Emissary by Ian McGhilchrist Atrocities by Matthew White The Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler The History of Philosophy by Will Durant The History of Philosophy by Bertrand Rusell The Web of Meaning by Jeremy Lent Envy by Helmut Schoeck The Happiness Hypothesis by John Haidt

Why are people SHOCKED by the obvious consequences of their actions? We print money and act surprised at inflation. We pursue godless lives and wonder why we feel empty. I've spent years asking the most accomplished people I know—CEOs, politicians, artists—how to live happily as a young man, and received NO satisfying answers. This episode identifies the 12 toxic cultural assumptions driving our collective misery and offers the only path forward: shattering these illusions completely. 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 Go to https://ground.news/whatif to stay fully informed on every side of every story. Save 50% on unlimited access with their Vantage Plan through my link. It's their biggest sale of the year! RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov and researcher Nadia Asparouhova kick off the series with an unfiltered conversation about their relationship evolution. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod -- LINKS: Link to HIstory 102: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0NCSdGglnmdWg-qHALhu1w Link to my cancellation insurance: https://becomepluribus.com/creators/20 Link to my Twitter - https://x.com/whatifalthist Link to my Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlynch/?hl=en -- Bibliography: Lost Connections by Johann Hari A Secular Age by Charles Taylor The Myth of Disenchantment by Storm A History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell The Master and His Emissary by McGhilChrist The Blank Slate by Steven Pinker The Happiness Hypothesis by Jon Haidt Maps of Meaning by Jordan Peterson A Conflict of Visions by Thomas Sowell Envy by Helmut Schoeck Cynical Theories by James Lindsay Intellectuals and Society by Thomas Sowell The Righteous Mind by Jon Haidt How to Know a Person by David Brooks The Myth of Normal by Gabor Mate The Elephant in the Brain by Kevin Simler Culture of Narcissism by Lasch The True Believer by Eric Hoffer The Body Keeps the Score by Van Der Kolk Dominion by Tom Holland

In this episode of Whatifalthist, host Rudyard is joined by Samo Burja, founder of Bismarck Analysis and Palladium Magazine. They engage in a wide-ranging discussion covering political dynamics, the impact of technology on society, and the historical parallels that can be drawn from current events. For full shownotes, visit highlight: https://highlightai.com/share/35528506-03e8-4ef2-84b2-5424f7f2fc7b 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 RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov and researcher Nadia Asparouhova kick off the series with an unfiltered conversation about their relationship evolution. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod

The World War-era historians—Spengler, Toynbee, Quigley—operated at intellectual levels we can't match today. Despite our "progress" myth, we've intellectually regressed. These giants accurately predicted our 21st century collapse: atheism, caesarism, social alienation, population decline. Their most urgent warning? BUREAUCRACY would destroy Western civilization if left unchecked. We ignored them, and now it's devouring everything that made our civilization great, exactly as they predicted. 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 Black Forest Supplements and Turkestrone: https://blackforestsupplements.com/?s... More information here: https://blackforestsupplements.com/bl... LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews:    / @history102-qg5oj   Link to my 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: * means book was really important for this video The Managerial Revolution by James Burnham** Tragedy and Hope by Carroll Quiggley The Evolution of Civilizations by Carroll Quigely The Old Regime and the French Revolution by De Toqueville A New World Begins by Poptkin Fire in the Minds of Men by Billington Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber Leviathan and Its Enemies by Sam Francis** Strategy by Lawrence Freedman On Grand Strategy by John Lewis Gaddis Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler War in Human Civilization by Azar Gat Sex and Power in History by Amaury de Riencourt The Soul of China by Amaury de Riencourt The Ruling Classes by Gaetano Mosca The Fate of Empires by Hubbard The History of Philosophy by Bertrand Russel Why Nations Fail by Robinson and Acemoglu A Secular Age by Charles Taylor The Gulag Archipelago Solzenitsyn The Total State by Auron Macintyre* The Revolt of the Elites by Christopher Lasch The Storm before the Calm by George Friedman* Rise of the West by McNeil On Politics by Aristotle The Soul of India by Amaury de Riencourt The Sea and Civilization by Lincoln Payne The West and the Rest by Niall Ferguson Reason and Faith by Sam Gregg The Shaping of America by Meinig Caesar and Christ by Will Durant The Life of Greece by Will Durant Destiny Disrupted Tamim Ansary Empires of the Atlantic World by Elliot The 13th Century World System by Abu Laughed Colonial Empires from the 18th century by Fieldhouse War What is it good for by Ian Morris The Lonely Crowd by David Riesman Regime Change by Deenan Atrocities by Matthew White The Road to Serfdom by Hayek

Growing up with Catholic/Protestant parents showed me how ideas shape reality—and why people throughout history die for them. As a child, I couldn't understand why someone would sacrifice their life for beliefs. Now I realize justice isn't just an abstract concept—it's what separates America from Argentina. Reading Orwell's 1984 as a teenager horrified me, watching its predictions materialize around us as wokeness creates the perfect pathway to totalitarianism. -- 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

Sick in Montpellier, France during the early virus days, surrounded by Yellow Vest protests and social decay, I read "The Great Wave" about inflation history at 2AM and experienced a horrifying revelation—everything suddenly connected. Like a horror movie where scattered clues form a terrifying pattern, I saw civilization's trajectory with perfect clarity. This profound realization changed my life and this channel forever, shifting my focus from alternate history to sharing the uncomfortable truths I'd discovered. 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 Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code WHATIFALTHIST at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: http://incogni.com/whatifalthist -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov and researcher Nadia Asparouhova kick off the series with an unfiltered conversation about their relationship evolution. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod -- LINKS: Link to HIstory 102: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0NCSdGglnmdWg-qHALhu1w Link to my cancellation insurance: https://becomepluribus.com/creators/20 Link to my Twitter - https://x.com/whatifalthist Link to my Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlynch/?hl=en -- Bibliography: The Great Wave by David Hackett Fischer Secular Cycles by Peter Turchin Ages of Discord by Peter Turchin The Economics of Discontent by Jean Michel Paul The Identity of France by Fernand Braudel The History of Civilizations by Fernand Braudel The Mediterranean at the time of Philip 2nd by Fernand Braudel The Structures of Every day life by Fernand Braudel Leviathan and Its Enemies by Sam Francis The Global Crisis by Geoffrey Parker On Hero Worship by Thomas Carlyl Albion's Seed by David Hackett Fischer Long Cycles by Goldstein The Rise and Fall of Great Powers by Paul Kennedy Generations by Strauss and Howe Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler The Coming Caesars by Amaury de riencourt Rise of the West by William McNeil The Pursuit of Power by William McNeil Tragedy and Hope by Caroll Quiggley The Great Leveler by Walter Schedule Capital by Thomas Picketty The History of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell The Middle Ages by Sidney Painter The Distant Mirror by Barbara Tuchman

While history remained relatively objective, anthropology has been utterly destroyed by pseudoscience—THREE-QUARTERS of Amazon's top anthropology books are scientifically fraudulent! My research across multiple fields has uncovered something unprecedented: the 20th century pulled off the most astonishing deception in human history. Despite unprecedented access to information and "intellectual freedom," our supposedly advanced civilization embraced absurdities our descendants will mock us for believing. This discovery is so enormous that those who see it feel momentarily insane. 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 Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code WHATIFALTHIST at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: http://incogni.com/whatifalthist LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0NCSdGglnmdWg-qHALhu1w Link to my cancellation insurance: https://becomepluribus.com/creators/20 Link to my Twitter - https://x.com/whatifalthist Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlyn... Bibliography: War in Human Civilization by Azar Gat War Before Civilization by Lawrence Keeley The Naked Ape by Desmond Morris The Elephant in the Brain by Simler Albion’s Seed by David Hackett Fischer Ethhic America by Thomas Sowell The Leviathan and its Enemies by Sam Francis The Managerial Revolution by James Burnham Sex and Culture by JD Unwin Who we Are and How We Got Here by David Reich The Righteous Mind by Jon Haidt The Blank Slate by Stephen Pinker Maps of Meaning by Jordan Peterson Humanity’s ascent by Eisenstein  Who Are We by Sam Huntingdon Seeing Like a State by James Scott The Master and His Emissary by Ian McGhilchrist The Moral Animal by Robert Wright The Secret to Our Success by Joseph Heinrich The History of Civilizations by Fernand Braudel  The Knowledge Machine by Michael Strevens  Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell Mere Christianity by CS Lewis Forgotten Truth by Houston Smith War, Peace and War by Peter Turchin The Genetic Lottery by Kathryn Harden Behave by Sapolsky The Secret History of the World by Mark Booth Cynical Theories by James Lindsey The Cave by Plato The Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking Lineages of Modernity by Tom Emmanuel Ages of Discord by Peter Turchin The Growth Delusion by James Pilling Everyone Lies by Stephenowitz The World After Liberalism by Matthew Rose Tragedy and Hope by Carroll Quiggley The Strange Death of Europe by Douglas Murray The Madness of Crowds by Douglas Murray Gateway Trilogy by Robert Monroe

Unlike the left's coherent ideology (blank slate humans + social engineering = utopia), the right isn't unified except in OPPOSING leftism. Taliban, neocons, libertarians, and religious fundamentalists share little beyond rejecting progress-worship. This episode explores four distinct conservative factions navigating modernity's central question: as humans gain godlike industrial powers, how much traditional wisdom do we preserve? The 200-year battle between machine-followers and those brave (or mad) enough to resist progress. 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 PDS Debt is offering a free debt analysis. It only takes thirty seconds. Get yours at https://PDSDebt.com/WHATIFALTHIST -- LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0NCSdGglnmdWg-qHALhu1w Link to my cancellation insurance: https://becomepluribus.com/creators/20 Link to my Twitter - https://x.com/whatifalthist Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlyn... -- Bibliography The Ruling Classes by Gaetano Mosca The Rise of the West by McNeil The Story of the Americas by Leland Dewitt Baldwin Forgotten Continent by Michael Reid American Nations by Colin Woodard The WEIRDest people in the world by Joseph Heinrich Why Nations Fail by Acemoglu and Robinson War, Peace and War by Peter Turchin The Art of Not Being Governed by James Scott Seeing like a State by James Scott The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by Shirer The History of Philosophy by Bertrand Russel Democracy the God that Failed by Herman Hoppes Atrocities by Matthew White The Origins of Political Order by Francis Fukuyama The Soul of France by Fernand Braudel A History of Civilizations by Fernand Braudel The Best of Times and Worst of Times by Michael Burleigh After Liberalism by Paul Gottfried The Leviathan and Its Enemies by Sam Francis  Politics by Aristotle The Pursuit of Power by McNeil Tragedy and Hope by Carroll Quiggley The Evolution of Civilizations by Carroll Quiggley Enlightenment Now by Stephen Pinker The Story of Philosophy by Will Durant A Conflict of Visions by Thomas Sowell Envy by Helmut Schoeck Dominion by Tom Holland The True Believer by Eric Hoffer The Dictators by Richard Overy Bloodlands by Timothy Snyder Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari The Invention of Yesterday by Tamim Ansary After Liberalism by Matthew Rose Destiny Disrupted by Tamim Ansary The Master and His Emissary by Ian McGhilchrist Japan and the Shackles of the Past by Taggert Murphy The True Believer by Eric Hoffer Shadow World by Chandler The Righteous Mind by Haidt The Strange Death of Europe by Douglas Murray Islamo Leftism by Philippe Fabry Fire in the Minds of Men by Billington Political Order and Political Decay by Francis Fukuyama War in Human Civilization by Azar Gat

We know nothing about what we're closest to—like toxic relationships we can't recognize. Today's society is arguably history's most ABSURD, yet we refuse to study ourselves anthropologically. Instead, we embrace untested stupidities: blank slate theory, cultural equivalence, gender sameness. This series examines modern political tribes through the same objective lens we'd use on Amazonian cultures. First up: the origins, strengths, weaknesses and character of the left. The findings will shock you. -- 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 Compare news coverage. Spot media bias. Avoid algorithms. Try Ground News today and get 40% off your subscription by going to https://ground.news/whatif LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0NCSdGglnmdWg-qHALhu1w Link to my cancellation insurance: https://becomepluribus.com/creators/20 Link to my Twitter - https://x.com/whatifalthist Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlyn... -- Bibliography: Intellectuals and Society by Thomas Sowell The Vision of the Anointed by Thomas Sowell A Conflict of Visions by Thomas Sowell The True Believer by Eric Hoffer Dominion by Tom Holland Fire in the Minds of Men by Billington Strategy by Lawrence Freeman The Leviathan and Its Enemies by Sam Francis The Unabomber’s Manifesto The Revolt of the Elites by Lasch The Total State by Auron Macintyre The Culture of Critique by Kevin MacDonald The Righteous Mind by Jon Haidt Nihilism by Seraphim Rose Spiteful Mutants by Edward Dutton The Coming Caesars by Amaury de Riencourt Sex and Power in History by Amaury de Riencourt A History of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell Albion’s Seed by David Hackett Fischer Assemblywoman by Aristophanes  The Lonely Crowd by David Riesman The Future is the Past Country by Edward Dutton Witches, Feminism and the Fall of the West’s by Edward Dutton Secular Cycles by Peter Turchin Ages of Discord by Peter Turchin American Nations by Colin Woodard A Secular Age by Charles Taylor A History of the Jews by Paul Johnson The Blank Slate by Steven Pinker The Web of Meaning by Jeremy Lent Behave by Sapolsky Seeing Like a State by James Scott Coming to Our Senses by Morris German Women Deserve Less by Myron Gaines A Secret History of the World by Mark Booth Foragers, Farmers and Fossil Fuels by Ian Morris Lineages of Modernity by Todd Immanuel Cynical Theories by James Lindsay and Helen Pluckrose Curt Doolittle Yuri Bezmonov Rules for Radicals by Saul Alinsky The Abolition of Man by CS Lewis The Storm before the Calm by George Friedman The Managerial Class by James Burnham The Ruling Class by Gaetano Mosca The Evolution of Civilizations by Carroll Quiggley Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber Maps of Meaning by Jordan Peterson The Evolutionary Psychology behind Politics  The Gulag Archipelago by Solzhenitsyn The Culture of Narcissism by Lasch After Liberalism by Paul Gottfried Shadow World by Robert Chandler Envy by Helmut Schoeck A History of Manners by Norbert Elias The Elephant in the Brain by Smiler The Story of Work by Lucassen  The Fate of Empires by Hubbard The Master and His Emissary by Ian McGhilchrist The Madness of Crowds by Douglas Murray

Our era judges itself against utopian fantasies rather than real historical comparison—the ultimate intellectual sleight-of-hand. This episode exposes the shocking truth: your life is VASTLY harder than you realize. Examining economic, social, spiritual, and physical aspects reveals how normal young people today live objectively terrible lives despite our denial. When ancient wisdom across civilizations aligns with cutting-edge science against modern assumptions, the horror of what we've done to ourselves becomes breathtaking. -- 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 PDS Debt is offering a free debt analysis. It only takes thirty seconds. Get yours at https://pdsdebt.com/free-debt-assessment/?ref=whatifalthist -- LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@History102-qg5oj Link to my cancellation insurance: https://becomepluribus.com/creators/20 Link to my Twitter- https://x.com/whatifalthist Link to my Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlynch/?hl=en -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST: 🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast -- Bibliography: The Lineages of Modernity by Todd Immanuel The Origins of Ideology by Todd Immanuel The Unabomber's Manifesto by Ted Kazcynski The Economics of Discontent by John Michel Paul Ages of Discord by Peter Turchin Secular Cycles by Peter Turchin The Great Wave by David Hackett Fischer The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Kuhn The Knowledge Machine by Michael Strevens Tragedy and Hope by Carroll Quiggley Religions of the World by Houston Smith The History of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell Maps of Meaning by Jordan Peterson The Anxious Generation by Jon Haidt  The Coddling of the American Mind by Jon Haidt The True Believer by Eric Hoffer Woke Racism by John McWhorter The Leviathan and its Enemies by Sam Francis Nihilism by Seraphim Rose The Origins of Woke by Richard Hanania Sex and Power in History by Amaury de Riencourt Seeing like a State by James Scott The Lonely Crowd by David Riesman The Myth of Normal by Gabor Mate The Elephant in the Brain by Simler A Hunter Gatherer's Guide to the 21st century by Bret Weinstein Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber How to Know a Person by David Brooks The Culture of Narcissism by Lasch Lost Connections by Johann Hari The Culture of Narcissism by Lasch The Master and His Emissary by Ian McGhilchrist The Happiness Hypothesis by John Haidt