The Complex Dynamics of Centralization and Decentralization

On this episode of Live Players, Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg discuss the way we misunderstand or skew history. They cover the Bronze Age, Europe's Decline, Russia/Ukraine conflict, and more. If you need an ecommerce platform, check out our sponsor Shopify: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial period.

Live Players is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

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RECOMMENDED PODCAST: History 102 with WhatifAltHist

Every week, creator of WhatifAltHist Rudyard Lynch and Erik Torenberg cover a major topic in history in depth -- in under an hour. This season will cover classical Greece, early America, the Vikings, medieval Islam, ancient China, the fall of the Roman Empire, and more.

Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/36Kqo3BMMUBGTDo1IEYihm

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/history-102-with-whatifalthists-rudyard-lynch-and/id1730633913

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@History102-qg5oj

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We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.

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SPONSORS: HARMONIC | SHOPIFY

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LINKS:

Samo’s Bismarck Brief: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:50) Technological Backsliding in Civilizations

(01:59) The Mystery of Greek Fire

(04:24) The Late Bronze Age Collapse

(11:03) The Impact of Civilizational Failure

(11:17) Predicting Centralization and Decentralization

(12:30) The Fall of the Soviet Union

(18:00) Sponsor: Shopify

(19:37) The Future of Europe

(21:49) The Role of the United States

(25:10) The Potential of a Federal Europe

(27:20) The Digital Cold War

(28:40) The Rise of AI in Europe

(29:29) Key Players in Europe's AI Scene

(29:38) The Role of Macron and Orban in Europe's AI Development

(30:16) The Potential of Eastern European Countries

(32:41) The Future of Western and Northern Europe

(33:41) Understanding Orban's Policies

(33:50) The Demographic Challenges in Eastern Europe

(36:13) The Impact of Nationalism and Cultural Conceptions

(41:02) The Russia-Ukraine Conflict

(50:10) The Influence of Politics on Historical Understanding

(56:08) Revisiting the History of North America