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The "What is Money?" Show
WiM001 - The Saylor Series | Episode 1 | The Rise of Man through The Stone and Iron Ages
Nov 20, 2020
02:15:22
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Quick takeaways
- The mastery of fire has been a crucial factor in human development, accelerating cognitive development and enabling the mastery of other technologies like metalworking.
- The use of missiles, such as slings and bows and arrows, allowed humans to hunt and defend themselves from a safe distance, becoming a crucial survival strategy and ensuring our dominance over other species.
- Access to water played a vital role in human civilization, supporting farming, fishing, hydraulics, and efficient movement of goods.
- The mastery of fire and tools, the use of missiles, and the harnessing of water contributed to humans becoming harder, stronger, faster, and smarter, increasing our chances of survival and playing a key role in our dominance as a species.
Deep dives
The Evolutionary Significance of Fire
Fire has played a crucial role in human development, enabling us to stay warm, scare away predators, cook food, and communicate through the use of fire signals. It accelerated our cognitive development and facilitated the mastery of other technologies like metalworking.
The Power of Missiles
The ability to use missiles, such as slings and bows and arrows, allowed humans to hunt and defend themselves from a safe distance. This strategy of killing from a distance, rather than engaging in close combat, became crucial for survival and ensured our dominance over other species.
Harnessing the Power of Water
Water played a vital role in human civilization, both for sustenance and transportation. Access to water allowed for farming, fishing, and hydraulics, which helped in the construction of cities, sanitation, and the efficient movement of goods.
Building Harder, Stronger, and Smarter
The mastery of fire and tools, the use of missiles, and the harnessing of water allowed humans to become harder, stronger, faster, and smarter. These technologies and strategies increased our chances of survival and played a key role in our dominance as a species.
The Romans' Ebb and Flow Strategy
The Romans had a strategic approach to their military campaigns, based on the seasons. They would campaign from May to October, then go into winter quarters. This allowed them to rest, recover, and reorganize. The Romans understood the importance of timing and adaptation in warfare, recognizing that the elements were a greater threat than the enemy itself.
The Advantage of Unfair Fights
The Romans employed advanced missile technology and tactics that gave them an advantage in battles. They used standardized equipment and formations, allowing them to engage enemies from a safe distance. By using tactics such as raining down projectiles on opponents, they were able to overcome larger and stronger adversaries through strategic and asymmetrical warfare.
The Proliferation of Civilization Through Protocols
The Romans built their civilization on the principles of standardization and protocols. Through centralized political and military systems, they established common rules and structures that maximized efficiency. Engaging in trade, they developed economic density and interdependence, allowing their society to flourish.
The Importance of Natural Law and Protocols
The Romans understood the significance of natural law and protocols in governing their society. By respecting the principles of life, liberty, and property, they established a society that incentivized cooperation and productivity. They recognized that a society with clear protocols and respect for natural law thrived and outperformed those lacking such foundations.
Michael Saylor joins me to discuss anthropology, energy, and technology from first principles as we build an intellectual foundation for grasping the significance of Bitcoin in the grand arc of history.
00:00:00 - Episode Trailer
00:01:03 - Robert's Intro
00:07:43 - Stone Age Technology
00:07:50 - The Digital Transformation of 2020: Currency & Covid Wars
00:13:08 - The rise of man against the brutality of nature
00:17:23 - Requirements for Survival in a Hostile Universe
00:19:12 - Significance of Fire: channeling chemical energy to evolve
00:21:28 - Foolishness of Heroics & Need to Channel Energy
00:23:48 - Modern arrogance & Paleolithic wisdom
00:25:48 - Energy efficient strategy critical for survival
00:26:44 - “Playing with Fire” is unique to humanity
00:27:17 - Spiritual significance of fire to civilization
00:28:59 - Significance of Missiles – channeling kinetic energy for survival
00:30:06 - Effectiveness of Slings & Arrows in the Ancient World
00:33:38 - Roman Slingers vs. Gaulic Tribes (Second Punic War)
00:34:31 - “Death from Above” :
On the Romantic ineffectiveness of close quarters weapons like swords & spears
00:37:10 - Survival Strategy with Missiles
00:38:54 - Dominant Technologies deliver force harder, faster, stronger, smarter
Superiority of Digital Gold vs. Physical Gold
00:40:36 - Significance of Hydraulics- channeling gravitational energy via water
00:41:51 - MIT’s Mascot – The Beaver “Nature’s Engineer” channeling water
00:44:05 - Significance of Water to Humanity – Water is Wealth
00:44:46 - Challenges of Life in the Desert – Water is Elemental to Life
00:47:26 - Hunter/Gatherer Myths – a better survival strategy based on channeling water
00:49:54 - Water for food, drink, protection, farming lobsters
00:52:36 - “Nature tends to pursue the most energy efficient strategy”
00:53:15 - Building the pyramids by channeling gravitational energy
00:55:06 - Water for Sanitation – Critical to Civilization - Santorini Epiphany
00:57:40 - Limits of Animal Power – Design of Ancient Cities
00:58:57 - Significance of the Roman Equestrian Class – Ancient Clean Energy
00:59:59 - Mediterranean as the Cradle of Civilization, Ancient Empires
01:03:22 - Agriculture – Orchards & Ponds
01:04:36 - Human Adaptation to Natural Requirements to Survive
01:06:28 - “3 minutes without air, 3 days without water, 3 months without food”
01:08:20 - Roman Superiority in the Ancient World –“Most Organized Society in Ancient World”
01:08:43 - Roman Politics & Natural Life Cycle “The Ides of March”
Elections, Religion, Celebration, Taxation, Training, Campaigning
01:12:02 - Roman Roles, Consensus Rules & Balance of Power, Antifragility
01:13:26 - Annual Patterns, Natural Life Cycles, Replenishment & Revitalization
01:14:26 - Virtues of Equity & Opportunity, Perils of Centralized Power, Corruption
Romans are Antifragile
01:16:01 - Benefits of Term Limits & Wisdom of Military Career System
(Darwinian Progression)
01:18:08 - Nuclear Aircraft Carrier Management Wisdom
01:21:04 - “Everyone needs their turn” - inspiring hope and devotion
01:22:19 - Benefits of Decentralization & equal opportunity
“Graveyards are full of tombstones of indispensable men”
01:24:09 - Roman Dignity, Pride, & Honor -Citizenship & Submission to Nature
01:24:45 - Romans suffered no Kings – Accountability
Roman System bred Harder, Stronger, Faster, Smarter Individuals
01:27:43 - Roman Army “There was never such thing as a fair fight”
Standard tools, techniques – the most organized ancient army
01:30:33 - Roman Military Industrial Complex – Creation of the Roman Navy
01:32:42 - War has a way of quickening innovation & activity – Stealing good ideas
01:33:44 - Roman Roads & Standardized Logistics
01:37:27 - Darwinian & Competitive Advantages of Standardized Protocols
01:39:26 - Roman Aqueducts & Roman Engineering
Credo of the Engineer “Construct a better world”
01:41:21 - The Bridge at Alcantara “This bridge will stand for all time”
01:42:49 - Breakdown of the Political & Monetary Protocols & Decline of Rome
01:44:42 - The importance of weights, measures, & truth (Taleb)
Importance of respect for natural law to societal health
01:45:29 - Consequences of breaking the laws of nature
01:46:57 - Perils of growth in the political & legal apparatus
01:47:42 - The virtues of pain, dangers of attempting to suppress signal (Taleb)
Law of Gravity cannot be Suspended
01:49:42 - Robert's outro
02:20:57 - The End
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