The David McWilliams Podcast The Lost Sailors: From Aboriginals to Schumpeter
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Oct 23, 2025 Dive into the intriguing mystery of Aboriginal Australians, the first to sail across open seas 60,000 years ago, and yet later generations forgot these skills. Discover how European diseases devastated their population and the fascinating concept of the collective brain, which highlights the role of cultural connection in innovation. Explore Tasmania's cultural loss as a case study, and examine how societal attitudes can stifle progress, as seen in Ireland's economic history. Finally, consider the ecological consequences of invasive species that disrupted Australia's ecosystems.
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Ancient Maritime Colonizers
- Aboriginal Australians sailed to and colonized Australia 45–60,000 years ago, proving early long-distance maritime skill.
- Their arrival reshaped ecosystems and marks one of humanity's most significant but under-discussed migrations.
Collective Brain Drives Cultural Evolution
- Isolated societies lose technologies when ongoing cultural exchange disappears, as Tasmania's people illustrate.
- Joseph Henrich's 'collective brain' argues innovation depends on population contact and cultural transmission.
First Contact Calmness
- When the British first met Aboriginal groups, observers recorded calm curiosity and apparent contentment among indigenous people.
- Captain Cook noted they lived with tranquility and seemed happier than Europeans despite lacking possessions.
