The American Empire: Built to Last or Just Another IKEA Disaster?"

What do empires and cheap IKEA bookshelves have in common? They all collapse when you least expect it. Ray Dalio has been yelling into the economic void about the U.S. falling apart, and honestly… the guy might be onto something. Max Bennett and Lisa Vega take a no-BS dive into Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order, where Dalio lays out exactly how great powers go from world rulers to history lessons. Spoiler: America is ticking all the wrong boxes—crippling debt, political chaos, economic decay, and the kind of tech disruption that makes billionaires richer while everyone else fights over rent money.

So, is the U.S. actually on its way to becoming a washed-up empire, or is there still time to avoid a full-blown collapse? Either way, grab a drink—this episode is about to hit harder than an economic recession.

Note: This project explores the new creative potential unlocked by generative AI, showcasing how a single person, in just two hours, can curate (not create, but curate) a polished podcast series. I recognize the critiques around AI-generated content and the potential for digital clutter but invite you to take a listen on your next walk or drive and see what you think. Audio is AI-generated by Google's NotebookLM. Images by Grok-3 and Magic Studio.