What insights can our ancient past shine on our political future?

Were hunter-gatherers the ultimate traditionalists—or proto-communists? 

Is it possible hunter-gatherers lived with greater equality and more political freedom than most societies today?

And why do both communism and capitalism, despite being sworn enemies, rest on the same assumption of endless growth?

Psychologist Jonathan Haidt argues that humans are wired with both liberal and conservative tendencies—and that societies function best when those forces stay in balance. Where can we find the liberal and conservative elements in our hunter-gatherer past? And how might it reframe our political future?

In The King Is Dead, Now What? we explored modern political history. Now we zoom out, connecting  the dots to a much broader civilizational story.

Plus, we’re debuting a new segment: The State of Civilization, featuring our up-and-coming optimistic reporter Jeff Opolis, reporting on the fantastic news coming from civilization right now. Everything is great! Or… is it?

If you’d like to support Human Nature Odyssey, please subscribe wherever you enjoy your podcasts, leave us a review, and visit humannatureodyssey.com.

Join us on Patreon and get exclusive access to audio extras, writings, and notes.

Additional music for this episode by Adam Tell, from the albums Peripheries, This Time With Feeling, and Object Impermanence. Courtesy of Adam Tell. All rights reserved. 

CITATIONS

Haidt, Jonathan. “The Moral Roots of Liberals and Conservatives.” TED, 2008.

Fiddler on the Roof. Directed by Norman Jewison, United Artists, 1971.

“Net Energy and Sustainability, or… The Story of the Overstuffed Strongman.” Crazy Town podcast, Post Carbon Institute, 2021.

Ryan, Christopher. Civilized to Death: The Price of Progress. Avid Reader Press, 2019.

“Ken Burns.” The Joe Rogan Experience, episode 1745, Spotify, 2022.

Cronon, William. Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England. Hill and Wang, 1983.

Marx, Karl. Critique of the Gotha Programme, 1875.

Hyde, Lewis. The Gift: Imagination and the Erotic Life of Property. Vintage, 1983.

Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants. Milkweed Editions, 2013.

Norberg-Hodge, Helena. Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh. Sierra Club Books, 1991.

Ho, Fred. A World Where Many Worlds Fit. Big Red Media, 2008.

World Health Organization. (2024, July 24). Hunger numbers stubbornly high for three consecutive years as global crises deepen.

Colquhoun, P. A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis. 

Elhacham, Emily, et al. “Global Human-Made Mass Exceeds All Living Biomass.” Nature, vol. 588, no. 7838, 2020, pp. 442–444.

Music: Celestial Soda Pop

By: Ray Lynch

From the album: Deep Breakfast

Courtesy Ray Lynch Productions © Ⓟ 1984/BMI 

All rights reserved.

This is the first 30 minutes of a longer conversation. The full conversation is available on the Human Nature Odyssey Patreon.

===

Jake Marquez and Maren Morgan are fellow podcasters, filmmakers, and new friends. Starting today, the three of us are joining forces to create monthly bonus episodes where we’ll seek to better understanding this self-destructive civilizational 10,000 year predicament we find ourselves in.

In this episode we discuss artificial intelligence. We found that despite all our philosophical overlap we were advocating two different approaches when it came to AI. I was exploring the idea of a cautious adoption, Maren argued for more of an abstinence policy.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, every good conversation ends with the same conclusion: oh yeah, balance. We find ourselves there eventually. But the road we take is filled with insights, questions, and jokes. 

Christopher Ryan joins the odyssey to discuss human nature - shouldn’t be surprising - it’s in the name! What’s universal, what’s cultural, and what’s personal? Can we really change the culture we live in? And are some societies better suited to human well-being than others?

Christopher Ryan is the New York Times bestselling author of Sex at Dawn: How We Mate, Why We Stray, and What It Means for Modern Relationships as well as the book Civilized to Death: The Price of Progress. He also hosts the long-running podcast, Tangentially Speaking,” which has been downloaded over 30 million times.

You can learn more about Christopher here.

Music: Celestial Soda Pop

By: Ray Lynch

From the album: Deep Breakfast

Courtesy Ray Lynch Productions © Ⓟ 1984/BMI 

All rights reserved.

1.  Amazon: Celestial Soda Pop 

https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B000QQXURI    

2.  iTunes: 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/celestial-soda-pop/3242445?i=3242425

3.  Spotify:  

https://open.spotify.com/track/2THDVIVytLuGX7S7UghuC1?si=20ea63807bba401f

Breaking news: The Soviet Union has collapsed! The Berlin Wall has crumbled! Communism has fallen! Capitalism wins! USA! USA!

But wait… what’s this? Russia has been overtaken by oligarchs and an authoritarian dictator. Oh no… Well, at least that could never happen in the United States. Right?

This is the climactic Part Three of our three-part series on the history of the left/right political spectrum.

After the youth protests of the 1960s failed to topple governments, left-wing radicalism shifted its focus—from revolution to championing social equality through pop culture. But as culture wars raged, neoliberalism—liberalism and capitalism’s love child—conquered the globe, fueling deregulation, rising corporate power, and deepening economic divides that hollowed out democracy itself.

Just three decades after the Cold War, the old adversaries—Russia and the U.S.—found themselves on eerily parallel paths, ushering in a new era of oligarchy and a return to right-wing rule—like the one the French Revolution fought against all those years ago.

Join us as we trace how the world drifted from dreams of liberation to authoritarian control—and how a new generation began planting the seeds of liberty and equality once again.

If you’d like to support Human Nature Odyssey, please subscribe wherever you enjoy your podcasts, leave us a review, and visit humannatureodyssey.com.

Join us on Patreon and get exclusive access to audio extras, writings, and notes.

CITATIONS

“Vietnam War.” Encyclopaedia Britannica. 

“Vietnam War U.S. Military Fatal Casualty Statistics.” National Archives. 

Thatcher, Margaret. Speech to the Conservative Women’s Conference. May 21, 1980.

Wong, Edward. “China’s Black Cat, White Cat Diplomacy.” Foreign Policy, July 10, 2009. 

Reagan, Ronald. Speech at Reagan-Bush Rally in Warren, Michigan. October 10, 1984.

“Distribution of Household Wealth in the U.S. since 1989.” Federal Reserve. 

Davidson, Amy. “Exploring Occupy Wall Street’s Adbusters Origins.” NPR, October 20, 2011.

“Youth Voting in 2016 Primaries and Caucuses.” CIRCLE, Tufts University. 

Kestenbaum, David. “How Shock Therapy Created Russian Oligarchs and Paved the Path for Putin.” NPR, March 22, 2022.

Steele, Jonathan. “How Football Conquered Russia.” The Guardian, July 2, 2003.

Harding, Luke. “Roman Abramovich: The Billionaire Oligarch with a Backstory Shrouded in Secrecy.” The Guardian, March 21, 2022.

Keats, Jonathon. “Design of Dissent.” Forbes, October 28, 2019. 

Birnbaum, Michael. “Occupy Wall Street Protests Go Global.” The Washington Post, October 15, 2011. 

Jojo Rabbit. 2019. Directed by Taika Waititi.

Music: Celestial Soda Pop

By: Ray Lynch

From the album: Deep Breakfast

Courtesy Ray Lynch Productions © Ⓟ 1984/BMI 

All rights reserved.

In the The King Is Dead, Now What? we're exploring the history of the left / right political spectrum and the 250 year struggle for democracy.

In Part 1 we started telling the story that began with the French Revolution of 1789, when those in favor of monarchy sat on the right wing of the national assembly room and those in favor of revolution sat on the left wing. 

In the wake of the 1848 revolutions, the struggle between left and right gave rise to three major political ideologies—conservatism, liberalism, and radicalism—each offering a distinct vision for society. These competing forces would ignite a global struggle for power.

In this episode, we trace the ongoing clash between these ideologies, imagining them as bickering gods, each vying for control of the human realm. From the Russian Revolution and the collapse of monarchies after World War I to the rise of fascism, the global conflict of World War II, the Cold War standoff between the U.S. and Soviet Union, and the global youth protests of 1968, we explore how these powerful ideas collided, evolved, and continue to shape the struggle for power, equality, and freedom.

If you’d like to support Human Nature Odyssey, please subscribe wherever you enjoy your podcasts, leave us a review, and visit humannatureodyssey.com.

Join us on Patreon and get exclusive access to audio extras, writings, and notes.

Articles

Narewska, Elli. “Tsar Nicholas II Abdicates.” The Guardian, March 3, 2017.

Hoffmann, David L. "The October Revolution in Russia" Ohio State University Origins, 2017 “The Paris Riots of 1968, Part 1.” CBC Radio, April 24, 2018.

Keats, Jonathon. “Design of Dissent.” Forbes, October 28, 2019.

Baker, Peter. “CIA Helped Arrest Mandela.” Time, February 2023.

Statista. 2022. “Second World War: Share of Total Population Loss.” BBC Bitesize. “The Vietnam War: Casualty Statistics.” U.S. National Archives. “Vietnam War Casualty Statistics.” ECPAT International. “How Many Vietnamese Died in the Vietnam War.” Horner, Sam. “The Birth of the Soviet Union and the Death of the Russian Revolution.” JSTOR Daily, 2021.

YouTube

“Days That Shook The World: Russia's Two Revolutions of 1917” Epic History. Mar 8, 2022

Films

Jojo Rabbit. 2019. Directed by Taika Waititi.

Music: Celestial Soda Pop

By: Ray Lynch

From the album: Deep Breakfast

Courtesy Ray Lynch Productions © Ⓟ 1984/BMI 

All rights reserved.

How many people are happy with the way society is headed? There seems to be a general consensus - maybe the one thing we all agree on - that things are not right. 

But our different opinions on what’s wrong and what directions could be better too often fall on either side of a left vs right political spectrum.

Where did we get this idea of a left wing and a right wing anyway? How is it in a world of such diversity of languages and traditions and religions there’s just two freakin’ wings? What are we, a bird? 

Well, it all started… during the French Revolution. And if we want to expand our map and chart a better direction, that’s where our story needs to begin.

In this episode, we journey back to the French Revolution, where revolutionaries and monarchists first split into left and right wings—and the world has never been the same. Out of the chaos emerged ideals of liberty, the terror in the streets, and a fierce battle of ideas that spread across Europe, sparking revolutions from Sicily to Poland. The 1848 uprisings shook monarchies to their core, as liberals, conservatives, and radicals fought over society’s future. Most of the revolutions were crushed—but none left the world unchanged.

Join us for a deep dive into political ideologies, French accents, guillotines,  and the struggle for democracy.

If you’d like to support Human Nature Odyssey, please subscribe wherever you enjoy your podcasts, leave us a review, and visit humannatureodyssey.com.

Join us on Patreon and get exclusive access to audio extras, writings, and notes.

CITATIONS

Websites and Articles

Britannica. France: Peasant Insurgencies.

Yale University Library. French Revolution Political Cartoons: The Guillotine.

Fine Dining Lovers. 2022. “Dining with King Louis XVI.”

Chastain, James. The Two Sicilies. Ohio University.

Statista. 2024. Global Elections in 2024.

Hincks, Joseph. 2024. “More Voters Than Ever Will Vote in 2024.” TIME. 

Reuters. 2024. “What Are the Key Issues in Mozambique’s 2024 Elections?” 

World History Encyclopedia. French Republican Calendar. 

Britannica. Reign of Terror.

Prothero, Stephen. 2016. “Culture War Is an American Tradition.” Los Angeles Times, February 14.

Chastain, James. The European Revolutions of 1848 and 1989: A Comparative Analysis. 

Tocqueville, Alexis de. “Speech to the French Chamber of Deputies, January 29, 1848.” Speeches USA. 

Books

Arasse, Daniel. 1987. The Guillotine and the Terror.

Bussiek, Dagmar. 2002. Mit Gott für König und Vaterland: Die Neue Preußische Zeitung (Kreuzzeitung) 1848–1892. Münster: LIT Verlag, p. 18.

Clark, Christopher. 2023. Revolutionary Spring: Europe Aflame and the Fight for a New World.

Kirchner, Emil J. 1988. Liberal Parties in Western Europe.

Marx, Karl, and Friedrich Engels. 1848. The Communist Manifesto.

Terwecoren, Edouard. 1870. Collection de Précis historiques. J. Vandereydt, p. 31.

Podcasts and YouTube

The Rest Is History. 2023. “The Year of Revolutions: 1848.” Podcast audio, April 30, 2023.

Duncan, Mike. Revolutions podcast season 7

Green, John. Crash Course: European History #26. YouTube playlist. 

Additional Music

Track: Symphony no. 41 in C 'Jupiter', K. 551 - I. Allegro vivace

Music provided by Classical Music Copyright Free [https://tinyurl.com/visit-cmcf]

Music: Celestial Soda Pop

By: Ray Lynch

From the album: Deep Breakfast

Courtesy Ray Lynch Productions © Ⓟ 1984/BMI 

All rights reserved.

1.  Amazon: Celestial Soda Pop 

https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B000QQXURI    

2.  iTunes: 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/celestial-soda-pop/3242445?i=3242425

3.  Spotify:  

https://open.spotify.com/track/2THDVIVytLuGX7S7UghuC1?si=20ea63807bba401f

You are listening to a bonus episode of Human Nature Odyssey. This is a conversation with bible teacher and author J Snodgrass about his book "Genesis and the Rise of Civilization."

You may remember from Episode 5 "Adam, Eve, and the Agricultural Revolution" that author Daniel Quinn theorized that the story of the Garden of Eden and Cain and Abel were originally told by hunter gatherers as a way to mythologically explaining the agricultural revolution they were witnessing around them. J Snodgrass, as you’ll hear, was struck by this idea as well, exploring this theory further. It's a wealth of research, interpretation, and insights.

This is a bonus episode that will exist for one month and one monthly only before returning to its Patreon home. The next feature episode of Human Nature Odyssey will be released in May.

You can find John's work at: j-snodgrass.com 

You are listening to a bonus episode of Human Nature Odyssey. This is a conversation I had a little bit ago with D. Firth Griffith: farmer, author, and host of the Unshod podcast. Together we talk about the Tower of Babel as a metaphor for civilization, our relationship with technology, and whether humanity is the hero, victims, or villain of our global story. 

As Daniel wrote for the episode description:

"The metaphor of the Tower of Babel serves as a philosophical lens through which we examine civilization's complexities and our relationship with technology. Are we building a society without understanding its true purpose, and how does this impact our local engagements? Alex and I also reimagine classic narratives, pondering if true heroism lies not in saving the world, but in developing a reciprocal relationship with nature and ourselves. This is a candid exploration of humanity's environmental role, challenging the notion that we're merely defenders of a world in peril." "Inspired by Daniel Quinn’s “Ishmael,” our conversation turns to humanity’s impact on Earth, from ancient health paradigms to modern civilization's paradoxes. The conversation dives into embracing diverse worldviews, especially indigenous perspectives, and exploring the cultural narratives shaping our interactions with nature."

Daniel's new book The Plain of Pillars: A Celtic Story is available now.

If you are reading this that means you are about to listen to a special and temporary episode that in a month will only exist on the HNO Patreon.

On our odyssey, we're going to need friends to help us along the way. Jake and Maren are exactly that - as well as hosts of their own podcast Death in the Garden.  All you have to do is visit their website and you'll immediately know why I wanted to talk with them. In their own words, DITG is a "quest for ecological & cultural regeneration." In it they "question the direction of industrial civilization." 

Here's their origin story:

"Feeling dislocated and helpless to make the world a better place, despair took over. Jake and Maren met each other at just the right time, and emboldened within each other a shared passion to do somethingabout the wrongness they had always felt. They began with a hypothesis of how to solve the problems of the world, and found themselves on a quest that shocked and surprised them as they began to untangle the web of interconnected problems that we face as a species. Instead of coming to a conclusion about what can be done to solve the problems of the world, their path follows the questions and quandaries they faced in making this film, and instead have arrived at a thesis as to how we got here, and what we do about it, well, that remains to be seen."

This was a fun conversation. You'll certainly learn a lot about them and their story - and you'll also learn more about mine.

Join us on Patreon and get exclusive access to audio extras, writings, and notes.

If you are reading this that means you are about to listen to a special and temporary episode that in a month will only exist on the HNO Patreon. Why? Well for two reasons. The first is I have a good announcement to make about the podcast and the second is because I needed to give myself a little more time to finish the next couple episodes I’m working on right now before releasing them soon. I figured it’d be nice to share something in the meantime.

In this episode I share my reflections and feelings on the fires raging in Los Angeles and living through difficult times. Then I play a conversation with Asher Miller, Executive Director, of the Post Carbon Institute. We discuss zombie apocolypses, whether the bat signal should be replaced with the gorilla signal, and the possibility of shifting our culture's mindset and creating a livable (and just) future. 

Join us on Patreon and get exclusive access to audio extras, writings, and notes.