Making Sense with Sam Harris - Subscriber Content

#440 - A World in Crisis

48 snips
Oct 24, 2025
In this captivating discussion, bestselling author Robert D. Kaplan shares insights from his latest book, exploring the nature of a world in crisis. He delves into the profound implications of climate change, migration, and political extremism. Kaplan argues that order must precede freedom and analyzes the potential fallout from conflicts with Russia and China. He highlights the rise of right-wing populism in Europe and assesses the shifting geopolitical landscape, offering a sobering look at our future amidst growing global tensions.
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INSIGHT

Global Weimar: Proximity Without Governance

  • Robert Kaplan views globalization and tech as shrinking geography and knitting crises together, creating a “global Weimar” of permanent crisis.
  • This closeness breeds paralysis because no single power governs the interconnected world.
INSIGHT

Environment And Demography Drive Security Risks

  • Kaplan argues environmental stress plus unchecked population growth will be the 21st century's central security issue.
  • Urbanization and depleted resources drive migration and strain governance in rapidly growing cities.
INSIGHT

When Safeguards Produce Fragility

  • The Weimar analogy highlights how overcorrecting against tyranny can make governance brittle and chaotic.
  • Kaplan warns that excessive institutional constraints plus global proximity produce chronic instability, not fascism necessarily.
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