Srsly Wrong

242 – The Dawn of The Dawn of Everything (w/ David Wengrow)

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Oct 18, 2021
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INSIGHT

Myth of Small Equals Egalitarian

  • The traditional story of human history linking small size to egalitarianism and large size to hierarchy is scientifically wrong.
  • Archaeology reveals a diverse 'carnival parade' of political forms and social experiments before agriculture.
INSIGHT

Origins of Inequality Myths

  • European early narratives of human origin, like Rousseau's and Hobbes', both present humans as inevitably ending in hierarchy.
  • These ideas emerged with 17th-18th century European reaction to indigenous societies' complex freedoms.
ANECDOTE

Tiotihuacan's Social Revolution

  • The city of Tiotihuacan experienced a revolt around 300 AD, halting human sacrifice and pyramid building.
  • They replaced elites with massive social housing and self-governing community assemblies.
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