In 2000, you wrote a paper which I assigned to all my freshman students in reality 101. You describe the Byzantine Empire is the only example of a society that planned its own soft landing through a simplification. Can you expand on this example? And are there other examples that have come up since you wrote that paper? Well, I'll answer the second part first because it's the easiest. And the answer is no, I have not come across any other society that survived by simplifying by systematically collapsing.
On this episode we meet with archaeologist, historian, and Professor at Utah State University, Joe Tainter.
What are the key differences between complicated and complex? How can we better understand energy and society through these key distinctions? Tainter explains our current predicament based on decades of research and offers pathways for our collective future.
About Joe Tainter
Joe Tainter has been a professor at Utah State University in the Environment and Society Department since 2007, serving as Department Head from 2007 to 2009. His study of why societies collapse led to research on sustainability, with emphasis on energy and innovation. He has also conducted research on land-use conflict and human responses to climate change. He has written several books, including The Collapse of Complex Societies and Drilling Down: The Gulf Oil Debacle and Our Energy Dilemma.
For Show Notes and Transcript visit: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/27-joe-tainter