Why Our Civilization Could Fail and What To Do About It

"Live Players" with Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg

On today's episode of Live Players, Samo Burja, shares his theory of long history, suggesting complex societies in human history is much older than traditionally assumed. He and Erik Torenberg discuss the implications of understanding ancient societies in the broader context of human behavior, power structures, China, the US, and A.I. existential risk. If you need an ecommerce platform, check out our sponsor Shopify: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial period.

Live Players is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

-

RECOMMENDED PODCAST: History 102 with WhatifAltHist

Every week, creator of WhatifAltHist Rudyard Lynch and Erik Torenberg cover a major topic in history in depth -- in under an hour. This season will cover classical Greece, early America, the Vikings, medieval Islam, ancient China, the fall of the Roman Empire, and more.

Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/36Kqo3BMMUBGTDo1IEYihm

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/history-102-with-whatifalthists-rudyard-lynch-and/id1730633913

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@History102-qg5oj

---

We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.

---

SPONSORS: HARMONIC | SHOPIFY

🧲 Learn why Craft, Bedrock, NEA and 100s more trust Harmonic’s data to source deals. Harmonic is the most complete startup database, finding new companies as soon as they incorporate and tracking them through IPO. Head to https://bit.ly/harmonicturpentine and make sure to mention Turpentine VC during your demo.

SHOPIFY: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial period

Shopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. Shopify powers 10% of all e-commerce in the US. And Shopify’s the global force behind Allbirds, Rothy’s, and Brooklinen, and 1,000,000s of other entrepreneurs across 175 countries. From their all-in-one e-commerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you’re selling, Shopify’s got you covered. With free Shopify Magic, sell more with less effort by whipping up captivating content that converts – from blog posts to product descriptions using AI. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/momentofzen

---

LINKS:

- Samo's article in Palladium Magazine: https://www.palladiummag.com/2021/05/17/why-civilization-is-older-than-we-thought/

- Samo’s Bismarck Brief: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

---

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg

@samoburja

@turpentinemedia

---

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Intro

(00:26) Samo explains what long history is (the idea that human history has been far longer than previously believed)

(02:16) Why civilization is older than we thought

(07:27) The response of historians and archeologists and revision of general theories

(14:24) The implications of having a new understanding of history and why would it matter

(21:16) Sponsor: Shopify

(22:56) Why do civilizations rise and fall?

(31:04) The Downfall of Advanced Civilizations

(31:37) The Role of Mythology in Modern Society

(35:01) The Impact of Social Technologies on Civilizations

(37:44) The Similarities Between the US and China

(43:31) The Risks of Population Decline

(47:33) The Role of Fertility in Society

(53:21) Fertility, feminism, and anti-feminism