why empathy is the meaning of life
I correctly predicted both woke tyranny AND the ugly right-wing backlash that's consuming online discourse today. Living through human "mouse utopia," people rationalize cruelty as anti-left revenge while lacking tools to distinguish rationalization from rationality. This episode reveals empathy's true nature—not weakness, but a masculine superpower for understanding enemies and allies alike. Empathy gets you inside opponents' heads, making it warfare's most potent weapon. Time to reclaim this misunderstood concept. SPONSORS: NetSuite: More than 42,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: https://netsuite.com/102 Zcash start resisting financial tyranny with Zcash or Zashi wallet today: https://z.cash or for Apple store https://apps.apple.com/us/app/zashi-zcash-wallet/id1672392439 LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0NCSdGglnmdWg-qHALhu1w Link to my Twitter-https://x.com/whatifalthist Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlynch/?hl=en Bibliography: Bibliography: The Master and His Emissary by Ian McGhilchrist Sex, Ecology and Spirituality by Ken Wilbur Spiral Dynamics by Don Beck What Kind of Society Nurtures the Soul by James Hillman The Soul's Code by James Hillman The Muqqahdimma by Ibn Khaldun The Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler Conflicting Visions by Thomas Sowell Ethnic America by Thomas Sowell On Power by Bertrand de Jouvenal Illusions of our Culture by Leonard Griffith Religion and Culture by Chris Dawson The World Unbalanced by Gustave le Bon The Psychology of Socialism by Gustave Le Bon Out of Our Minds by Felipe Fernandez Armrest The Passion of the Western Mind by Richard Tarnas Zombies in Western Culture by Vervaeke How to Know a Person by David Brooks The Myth of Normal by Gabor Mate Stolen Focus by Johann Hard Lost Connections by Johann Hari The Happiness Hypothesis by John Haidt The Righteous Mind by John Haidt Trauma and the Soul by Donald Kalsched The Culture of Narcissism by Lasch The Body Keeps the Score by Besel van Der Kolk The Elephant in the Brain by Simler The Unabomber's Manifesto Intellectuals and Society by Thomas Sowell Maps of Meaning by Jordan Peterson Forgotten Truth by Houston Smith Religions of the World by Houston Smith Leviathan and Its Enemies by Sam Francis Iron Kingdom by Christopher Clark On Heroes by Carlyle
21 Sep 56min
the lonely crowd consooms all
After wandering with digital nomads, I discovered nightclub culture perfectly embodies our societal illness—everyone pretending to enjoy activities they hate because they think others find them cool. This anthropological bluff extends throughout Western civilization, creating David Riesman's "lonely crowd" where authentic connection becomes impossible. Our society rewards conformity while punishing genuine personality, trapping us in a popularity contest that's destroying meaning, innovation, and human flourishing itself. SPONSORS: Zcash: The right technology reshapes politics and culture toward freedom and prosperity. Zcash—the "machinery of freedom"—delivers unstoppable private money through encryption. When your wealth is unseen, it's unseizable. Download Zashi wallet and follow @genzcash to learn more: https://x.com/genzcash NetSuite: More than 42,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: https://netsuite.com/102 LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0NCSdGglnmdWg-qHALhu1w Link to my Twitter-https://x.com/whatifalthist Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlynch/?hl=en Bibliography: The Lonely Crowd by David Riesman On Power by Betrand de Jouvenal Very Important People by Ashley Mears The Righteous Mind by Jon Haidt The Instincts of the Herd in Peace and War by Wilfred Trotter The Psychology of Socialism by Gustave le Bon The Psychology of Revolution by Gustave le Bon The Crowd by Gustave le Bon The Coming Caesars by Amaury de riencourt The Delusions of Crowds by Bernstein Spiral Dynamics Integral by Beck Identity by Francis Fukuyama The Anxious Generation by Jon Haidt The Muqqahdima by Ibn Khaldun The Culture of Narcissism by Lasch The Total State by Auron Macintrye Nihilism by Seraphim Rose The Leviathan and its Enemies by Sam Francis The Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler The True Believer by Eric Hoffer Envy by Helmut Schoeck The Happiness Hypothesis by John Haidt Behave by Sapolsky
19 Sep 1h 2min
The Story of Black America
In progressive religion, African-Americans occupy a sacred caste status—beyond criticism, requiring constant resource redistribution. Yet this narrative ironically continues black America's core historical theme: dehumanization. Leftists project onto black Americans whatever serves their power needs rather than seeing them authentically. Growing up in majority-black Philadelphia taught me that most progressives from whiter areas fundamentally misunderstand black culture, perpetuating the very dehumanization they claim to oppose. SPONSORS: Zcash: The right technology reshapes politics and culture toward freedom and prosperity. Zcash—the "machinery of freedom"—delivers unstoppable private money through encryption. When your wealth is unseen, it's unseizable. Download Zashi wallet and follow @genzcash to learn more: https://x.com/genzcash NetSuite: More than 42,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: https://netsuite.com/102 Shopify: Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at https://shopify.com/cognitive LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0NCSdGglnmdWg-qHALhu1w Link to my Twitter-https://x.com/whatifalthist Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlynch/?hl=en Bibliography: Bibliography: Atrocities by Matthew White Plagues and Peoples by McNeil the Elder Rise of the West by McNeil the Elder Mosquito Empires by McNeil the Younger The Story of the Americas by Leland Dewitt Baldwin American Nations by Colin Woodard Albion's Seed by David Hackett Fischer African Founders by David Hackett Fischer Roll Jordan Roll by Eugene Genovese Ethnic America by Thomas Sowell Conquests and Cultures by Thomas Sowell Lineages of Modernity by Todd Emmanuel The Origins of Ideology by Todd Emmanuel Civilizations by Armesto A History of Civilizations by Braudel Bound Away by David Hackett Fischer Inside Africa by John Gunther Africa, a History by John Reader Generations of Captivity by Berlin Africa in History by Basil Davidson Who We are and How we got here by David Reich The Tree of Culture by Ralph Linton The Unabomber's Manifesto The Nine Nations of North America by Joel Garreau Seeing like a State by James Lindsay the 3D Gospel by Georges
22 Aug 1h 3min
India-Pakistan: Asia's WW1?
Within a month of recording, the year's most politically important event happened—and NOBODY in the West covered it. India and Pakistan (combined population larger than Russia-Ukraine) exchanged missiles across borders in an escalation eerily mirroring 1914's Franz Ferdinand assassination. Two industrialized multi-ethnic empires fighting over terrorist proxies while alliance networks threaten continental war. Our media's total blackout reveals how completely we've lost track of global reality. SPONSORS: NetSuite: More than 41,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: https://netsuite.com/102 Shopify: Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at https://shopify.com/cognitive Go to https://tryfum.com/WHATIFALTHIST or scan the QR code and use code WHATIFALTHIST to get your free FÜM Topper when you order your Journey Pack today. LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0NCSdGglnmdWg-qHALhu1w Link to my Twitter-https://x.com/whatifalthist Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlynch/?hl=en Bibliography: Disunited Nations by Peter Zeihan The Origins of Political Order by Fukuyama Monsoon by Kaplan Asian Waters by Humphrey Hawksley Asia's Cauldron by Kaplan The First World War by John Keegan The High Tower by Barbara Tuchman Europe by Norman Davies India by John Keay The Psychology of the Great War by Gustave le Bon Inglorious Empire by Sashi Tharoor
8 Aug 41min
Explaining Jewish Civilization
After reading 3,000+ pages for this series, I've concluded the Jews represent history's most improbable civilization. Pennsylvania alone has almost as many people as all Jews worldwide (15 million), yet this tiny desert tribe has repeatedly altered world history's trajectory over 4,000 years. They've produced ONE-THIRD of all Nobel Prize winners while comprising less than 1% of global population and birthed three major world religions. Their continued existence and influence completely defies rational historical models—making them perhaps history's most accomplished ethnic group. SPONSORS: NetSuite: More than 41,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: https://netsuite.com/102 Shopify: Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at https://shopify.com/cognitive Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code WHATIFALTHIST at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/whatifalthist LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews: / @history102-qg5oj Link to my Twitter-https://twitter.com/whatifalthist?ref... Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlyn... Bibliography: Paul. Johnson's History of the Jews A History of the Jewish People by Ben Sasson Our Oriental Heritage by Will Durant Caesar and Christ by Will Durant The Age of Faith by Will Durant Who We Are and How we Got Here by David Reich The Passion of the Western Mind by Tarnas A History of Religious Ideas by Mircea Eliade The Ordeal of Civility by Cuddihy The Jewish Evolutionary Strategy by Kevin Macdonald The Culture of Critique by Kevin Macdonald The People that Will Dwell Alone by Kevin Macdonal Pax by Tom Holland Dominion by Tom Holland Migrations and Cultures by Thomas Sowell A History of the Ancient World by Ben Sasson The Shaping of America by Meinig American Nations by Colin Woodard Masks of the Gods by Joseph Camble Sex and Power in History by Amaury de Riencourt Lineages of Modernity by Emmanuel ToddT The Righteous Mind by John haidt The Evolution of Civilizations by Carroll Quiggley A History of Egypt by Breasted 1177 BC the Year Civilization Died by Eric Cline Debt by David Grabber A Guide to Late Antiquity by Peter Brown Fire in the Minds of Men by Billington Cynical Theories by James Lindsay The Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler The World's Religions by Houston Smith Blooodlands by Timothy Snyder
17 Mai 53min
Explaining Every Jewish Migration | Expulsion
After reading THOUSANDS of pages on Jewish civilization, I've hit that "skeleton key" threshold where the soul of a civilization becomes clear. Like India, Judaism is an "asterisk civilization"—for every principle, there's a paradoxical counterpoint. The sheer historical complexity demands its own dedicated video. Modern discourse about Jews suffers from profound historical illiteracy—most "experts" haven't read a single book on the topic. This episode provides the essential context everyone needs. SPONSORS: NetSuite: More than 41,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: https://netsuite.com/102 Shopify: Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at https://shopify.com/cognitive Compare news coverage. Spot media bias. Avoid algorithms. Try Ground News today and get 40% off your subscription by going to https://ground.news/whatif -- LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews: / @history102-qg5oj Link to my Twitter-https://twitter.com/whatifalthist?ref... Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlyn... -- Bibliography: The Passion of the Western Mind by Tarnas Migrations and Cultures by Thomas Sowell Ethnic America by Thomas Sowell A History of the Ancient World by Susan Wise Bauer Pax by Tom Holland Dominion by Tom Holland Rise of the West by McNeil A World History by McNeil Our Oriental Heritage by Will Durant The Life of Greece by Will Durant Caesar and Christ by Will Durant The Age of Faith by Will Durant The People that Shell Dwell Alone by Kevin Macdonald The Age of Reason Begins by Will Durant Europe Emerges by Reynold A History of the Jews by Paul Johnson A History of the Jews by Ben Sasson Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia by David Christian Empires of the Atlantic World by Evans Crusaders and Nomads by Lewis
13 Mai 46min
Explaining Native Mexican Civilization
The once-mighty Maya civilization—with populations LARGER than today's Yucatan—faced apocalyptic collapse in the 10th century. As unprecedented drought persisted, desperate nobles demanded increasingly extreme blood sacrifices while peasants abandoned a system clearly abandoned by the gods. The priests, whose calendar had predicted this cycle of rise and fall, watched helplessly as city-states waged total wars of annihilation. A haunting glimpse into what civilizational collapse truly looks like. SPONSORS: NetSuite: More than 41,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: https://netsuite.com/102 Shopify: Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at https://shopify.com/cognitive -- LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews: / @history102-qg5oj Link to my Twitter-https://twitter.com/whatifalthist?ref... Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlyn... -- Bibliography: Fire and Blood by Fehrenbach Epic Mexico by Rugely Rise of the West by McNeil 1491 by Mann Fifth Sun by Camilla Townsend A History of Latin America by Hubert Herring Why Nations Fail by Robinson and Acemoglu Empires of the Atlantic World by Elliot The Story of the Americas by Leland Dewitt Baldwin Atrocities by Matthew White The Ancient Sun Kingdoms of the Americas by Hagen Nine Nations of North America by Garreau Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari The Decline of the West by Spengler Our Oriental Heritage by Will Durant The Soul of India by Amaury de riencourt Masks of the Gods volume 1 and 2 by Joseph Camble The Year 1000 by Valerie Hansen War Before Civilization by Lawrence Keeley The Day Before Yesterday Tamim Ansary Spiral Dynamics by Beck Sex and Culture by JD Unwin The Explanation of Ideology by Emmanuel Todd The 3D Gospel by Georges Don't Know Much about Mythology by Ken Davis
13 Mai 1h
