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
