"The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it" - Alan Watts

This opening episode invites you on a journey, not just through time, but through perspective.

From fire-starting hominids to spacefaring technologists, we are going to trace the ripples of human imagination that turned tools into empires, and sparks into systems.

In this introduction episode:

Set the tone for the podcast
Explain what the show is and isn't
Learn how we are going to navigate this journey
Answer who the hell is this 'Sam Harris' (the host)
Explain our 7 principles for exploring history and innovation

Change is rarely neat or obvious, but this podcast is here to help us understand it. You'll start to connect the dots that are all around you.

History isn't just a study of the past, it is also our present. As we live through unprecedented innovation, it's a perfect time to study the forces of tectonic shifts and how to guide them.

If you're curious, optimistic, and even a little lost. You're in the right place.

ABOUT

This show is an independent podcast on a mission.

It is written, recorded, re-recorded, rewritten and re-re-recorded entirely by Sam Webster Harris.

Designs were crafted by Francisca Correia.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction: The Dawn of Human Influence

02:22 A Journey Through Time

05:10 The Plan for the Podcast

07:08 What counts as an innovation

08:31 Release Schedule

09:40 Beyond a history podcast

10:54 Why this point in history

12:34 A map is not a blueprint

14:24 Why is Sam doing this?

17:19 Why should you listen?

18:29 Psychology and Innovation

19:01 Bias and Hindsight

19:37 Illusion of obviousness

20:32 Gratitude - Understanding - Curiosity

20:34 The Myth of Stability

21:42 7 Core Principles of the Show

21:51 1 - Interdisciplinary Thinking

22:34 2 - Systems Thinking

23:21 3 - Understanding of knowledge

25:01 4 - Context

26:06 5 - No current affairs and politics

27:14 6 - Side Quests

28:23 7 - Optimism

29:26 Mission and sign off

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Carson Palmer on retirement, faith and serving with Compassion International