Robert Kaplan’s erudite take on the world’s geopolitical situation can be summed up in the manner described in our headline, but there is so much more nuance in his book “Waste Land: A World in Permanent Crisis” that you must read it for yourself to grasp the complexities of our fast-changing world in these illegible times.  Trust me, a careful reading describes a new era of global cataclysm with a deadly cocktail of war, climate change, great power rivalry, rapid technological advancement, the end of monarchy and empire, and countless other dangers.  Our guest makes the keen observation that the current geopolitical landscape must be considered alongside contemporary social phenomena such as urbanization and digital media.  His framework encompasses philosophy, politics and literature as he helps us find our footing in this tremulous period.  His masterful comparisons to the Weimar Republic are alone worth the price of the book.  Or listen to the podcast, which is free to all.