Big Ideas

Sarah Wilson reckons with our civilisational collapse

Aug 6, 2025
Sarah Wilson, an insightful author and activist known for tackling anxiety and civilizational collapse, shares her thoughts on the end of our post-industrial society. She discusses the intricate connections between financial, climate, and technological crises. With a focus on the paradox of growth and collapse, Wilson explores how personal choices impact collective futures. She advocates for embracing uncertainty as a chance for growth and highlights the need for community resilience and self-sufficiency in facing potential societal collapse.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
INSIGHT

Civilisation Collapse Cycle

  • All complex civilisations historically collapse around 250-300 years after surpassing growth limits.
  • Our post-industrial civilisation, about 270 years old, faces similar systemic collapse risks today.
INSIGHT

Limits of Infinite Growth

  • Infinite growth on a finite planet is unsustainable and peaked around 1970.
  • Surpassing planetary boundaries and population dynamics signal a pending decline and collapse.
INSIGHT

Moloch and Collective Collapse

  • The game theory concept of Moloch explains why individuals acting in self-interest cause collective loss.
  • Cooperation and communication can help escape this dilemma and foster communal survival.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app