Summary of Dan Carlin: Hardcore History | Lex Fridman Podcast #136

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00:00:00 - 01:00:00

Dan Carlin discusses the concept of evil and how it is often motivated by a desire for power. He talks about how the perspective of the person committing the evil act matters, and how it is important to understand why they did it. Carlin also discusses heroism, and how it can be found in the smallest of actions. He argues that it is important to take oneself seriously when analyzing the ways of other societies, and to not be so quick to judge.

  • 00:00:00 Dan Carlin discusses the concept of evil, and how it can vary depending on the perspective of the person viewing it. He also speaks about Stalin, Hitler, and other famous historical figures and how their actions have impacted the world in negative ways.
  • 00:05:00 Dan Carlin discusses the concept of evil, and how different people can see it in different ways. He discusses the idea that some people are born with evil tendencies, and that the motivation behind evil actions matters. He suggests that it is important to consider the perspective of the person committing the evil action, and to understand why they did it.
  • 00:10:00 Dan Carlin discusses the role of force in human interactions and how it often leads to violence. He suggests that force may be with us for longer than violence, and that it is difficult to maintain peace without it.
  • 00:15:00 Dan Carlin discusses the concept of a "permanent constitution," and how it can be difficult for one nation state to prevent another nation state from acting in ways it deems detrimental to the global community or to its own interests. He also discusses the idea of a society of warriors, and how the existence of such a society can drive the need for war. He makes the distinction between the individual soldier and the military force as a whole, and explains why he has a less moral attachment to the upper echelons of the military than to the people on the ground.
  • 00:20:00 The speaker discusses the difference between warriors and those who control the military at the highest political levels, saying that he has less moral attachment to them. He also talks about the victims of war, noting that the greatest victims are often the warriors. He goes on to say that when we see these people coming home from war, we should treat them as heroes, even if they don't feel like it.
  • 00:25:00 Dan Carlin discusses how the goal of the Nazi's in World War II was to march on Moscow, and how the Soviet Union's goal was to slow the Nazis down so they would not achieve their goal. Carlin talks about how a soldier in the front line is willing to give up their life for the lives of their comrades, and how this narrows the world down to a very small space. He talks about how heroism can be found in the smallest actions, and how it is important to remember the sacrifices of those who have fought in wars.
  • 00:30:00 Dan Carlin discusses the concept of heroism, and how it differs depending on the situation. He specifically points to the Germans during World War II as an example of heroism, as they were fighting to defend things that everyone could understand. He also mentions the Soviet Union, which was an ideological based society. America, on the other hand, is a liberty based society, which means that it is based on ideas such as freedom and democracy. America is also a country that is based on a ideology, in this case, patriotism.
  • 00:35:00 Dan Carlin discusses how his views on the Soviet Union were formed when he was young, and how difficult it is to shake one's ideological biases. He recalls how fond he was of the Soviet Union's national anthem, and how he still identifies with it despite its authoritarian nature. He argues that it is important to take oneself seriously when analyzing the ways of other societies, and to not be so quick to judge.
  • 00:40:00 Dan Carlin discusses the idea that everyone's perspective is biased, and how this affects how one views the concepts of freedom and justice. He also talks about how traditional Americanism is not always universal, and how the American government has used propaganda and manipulation to control its people.
  • 00:45:00 Dan Carlin discusses Vladimir Putin and the Russian people's opinions of him. He says that while Putin may have been freely elected, he has become a dictator in recent years, limiting the freedom of the press and speech. He also says that there is a gray area in which Putin may have been a good leader at one point, but has since lost the support of the Russian people.
  • 00:50:00 In this video, Dan Carlin discusses how Russians view Putin's role as a stabilizing force, and how they see elections as a way to manipulate the system without allowing the people to speak with their voice. Americans have a belief in the electoral system, which Russians see as a way to elect the popular choice. If Putin's system is not designed to allow successors, he may have created a temporary stability, but he will eventually relinquish his position and the system will be vulnerable to a takeover by the oligarchs.
  • 00:55:00 Dan Carlin discusses how power can change a person, and how Vladimir Putin was a different man when he took power than he is today. He admires Putin for his humility and loyalty, and believes he still believes in the country's potential, even though he is deeply suspicious of the corruption that exists. America's traditional yellow journalism is nothing new, but the problem comes when journalists are removed from the system, leaving only government-approved journalists. This type of fake news is dangerous because it allows the government to control the narrative, and removes critical voices from the system.

01:00:00 - 02:00:00

In the "Dan Carlin: Hardcore History | Lex Fridman Podcast #136" video, Carlin discusses the history of Genghis Khan and argues that while he may have been responsible for atrocities, he was also responsible for creating a stable and liberal empire. Carlin also examines the idea of "great leaders" and cites examples such as Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan. He argues that a great leader is one who is able to unify different groups of people and make them powerful.

  • 01:00:00 Dan Carlin talks about how freedom of the press can lead to truth, but can also be corrupted. He goes on to discuss how journalists are killed regularly in some countries, and how it is their job to report on things that the government does not want reported.
  • 01:05:00 In this episode of the Lex Fridman podcast, Dan Carlin discusses the history of Genghis Khan, focusing on his positive aspects. He notes that while Khan may have been responsible for atrocities, he was also responsible for creating a stable and liberal empire.
  • 01:10:00 The video discusses the history of the Mongols, who were a nomadic warrior society that became famous for their conquests. Later, when their empire broke up, different groups of Mongols became settled, and some became rulers of settled societies. While the Mongols are not a special people, their tradition of being the best warriors in the world is fascinating and unique.
  • 01:15:00 In this video, Dan Carlin examines the idea of "great leaders," and cites examples such as Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan. He argues that a great leader is one who is able to unify different groups of people and make them powerful.
  • 01:20:00 Dan Carlin discusses the idea of "great leaders" and how one can be defined by their accomplishments and how Hitler's anti-semitism may have been one of his defining moments.
  • 01:25:00 Dan Carlin discusses how a person can be a hero in 1930s Nazi Germany, comparing it to modern day situations. He asks a listener to help him think about what heroic actions might look like in such a chaotic time.
  • 01:30:00 Dan Carlin discusses the bravery of people who opposed Nazi Germany in the 1930s, specifically the White Rose movement. He also points out that while some people in the military opposed Hitler, there were many more who did much more courageous things, such as running long distances for no reason.
  • 01:35:00 Dan Carlin discusses the idea of how a charismatic leader who inspired love and unity could have emerged in the context of the first world war and its aftermath, which created conditions where Hitler's message resonated. He points out that it is impossible to understand the rise of Hitler without understanding these events. The question of whether greatness can be restored through mechanisms or ideas that are not from our perspective today is explored.
  • 01:40:00 Dan Carlin discusses the possibility that Hitler could have been stopped before the Holocaust, and how it is possible that he rose to power due to German instability at the time. He argues that while the world war ii may have been worse, it would have been a "ticky-tack" difference compared to the Holocaust.
  • 01:45:00 Dan Carlin discusses the idea that anti-Semitism could have helped avert the Holocaust, noting that it was a "sidebar" that weakened Germany. He also points out that if there was no anti-Semitism in Germany, Einstein would have remained there along with other Jewish scientists.
  • 01:50:00 According to physicist and father of two Dan Carlin, the reason we haven't seen the world's first nuclear terrorist attack take place is because the people who would commit such an act are incompetent. Carlin argues that the kind of evil we see in the world is grounded in pure hatred and is less capable of causing destruction over time. He also touches on the importance of stability in a nation-state, suggesting that when we remove these types of governments, it creates instability and opportunities for terrorist organizations to grow.
  • 01:55:00 Dan Carlin discusses the possibility that human civilization will collapse, and how various factors could contribute. He also speculates about what could happen if power were to go out for an extended period of time.

02:00:00 - 03:00:00

Dan Carlin discusses various topics related to humanity's potential for self-destruction. He argues that a leader who can inspire love and kindness is more likely to emerge than one who inspires hatred. He also discusses the idea that love has the potential to be more powerful than weapons of war.

  • 02:00:00 Dan Carlin discusses the probability of a global catastrophic event, which he believes is more likely due to humanity's negative actions than any one individual's potential. He argues that the power of human intelligence and consciousness makes it possible for a leader to emerge and create a better future, even if many people are not initially on board.
  • 02:05:00 Dan Carlin discusses how the love in a system is greater than the hatred in a system, and how this is why charismatic leaders who inspire love and kindness are more likely to emerge than those who inspire hatred. He also points out that, although World War II was not as destructive as some other wars, it still resulted in the deaths of up to 100 million people. He argues that it is a question of what is good for the individual, and that self-interest is a factor in this equation.
  • 02:10:00 In this video, Dan Carlin discusses the greatest threats to humanity. He mentions nuclear weapons, environmental damage, and the pandemic as examples. He says that one of the things that the pandemic has done is show how quickly the earth can rejuvenate. He also says that Elon Musk is an impressive person because he is trying to create a car that is good for the environment and will help us transition away from one of the main causes of damage.
  • 02:15:00 Dan Carlin discusses the idea of humans transitioning away from using automobiles, and how Tesla Motors may be able to help facilitate this. He also discusses his endorsement of a political candidate, and how it generated a lot of angry emails.
  • 02:20:00 Dan Carlin discusses how the current media climate encourages divisions and pulls the United States apart. He cites a book written by George Friedman called "The Next Hundred Years" in which Friedman argues that the United States needs a "pearl harbor" event to keep it together.
  • 02:25:00 Dan Carlin discusses how a civil war would not be possible due to the divided society that we currently live in. Joe Rogan and Dan Carlin discuss the power of podcasts and how they can help prevent the escalation of events.
  • 02:30:00 Dan Carlin discusses how historical figures who try to bring peace between enemies can often be killed, and how this has the effect of diminishing their effectiveness. He also asks a question which is the ultimate doom caster: when people think of historical figures who have done good in the world, what do they think will happen to them if they're killed?
  • 02:35:00 Dan Carlin discusses the idea that love has the potential to be more powerful than weapons of war, and how governments may react if the average person became more powerful through love-based companies.
  • 02:40:00 Dan Carlin discusses the evolutionary motivations for humans' desire to meet new people and find love. He shares advice for new podcasters, emphasizing the importance of creating incentives that encourage the best and most beautiful aspects of feminism.
  • 02:45:00 Joe's 100 million dollar Spotify deal comes with some risks, as the idea of exclusivity may not be something that he cares about money-wise, but he does care about the freedom to create content. Dan Carlin discusses how podcasting is similar to pirate radio, and how the growth of the medium has made it more difficult to make money off of podcasts.
  • 02:50:00 Dan Carlin discusses how podcasting is changing and how it can be harder to be a pirate-like podcaster. He talks about how Spotify is a possible partner for him, but warns that they may interfere with his content. He also talks about how companies that do this are different from YouTube, which he views as more like Spotify.
  • 02:55:00 Dan Carlin discusses how consolidation of podcasting platforms can be a bad thing for the artists who produce content on those platforms. He recommends maintaining flexibility in your agreements with these companies in order to mitigate the downside risk.

03:00:00 - 03:20:00

In the podcast, Dan Carlin discusses how he creates his historical content and how he would approach a show about Adolf Hitler if he were to do it today. He also talks about the importance of having a flexible mind and how wisdom requires it.

  • 03:00:00 Dan Carlin discusses how he creates his historical content, citing the example of his political show which he says is like a car you buy and the minute you drive it off the lot, you realize it needs more work. He explains that his historical content is different from other historians because he does not script it out. This allows for improvisation and allows the viewer to connect emotionally with the story.
  • 03:05:00 Dan Carlin discusses how it is important to have a release schedule for your content, and how it's important to keep the quality of your work high. He also talks about how history can be divided into "good" and "bad" periods, and how he is planning to release a show about Alexander the Great one day.
  • 03:10:00 Dan Carlin discusses how he would approach a show about Adolf Hitler if he were to do it today, noting that new information keeps coming out about the dictator.
  • 03:15:00 Dan Carlin discusses the idea of "the ant farm," in which humans are a test subject for an alien race. He goes on to say that while it is difficult to say what the "meaning of life" or "why we're here" may be, it is fascinating to explore different theories and consider the human element in history.
  • 03:20:00 Dan Carlin discusses the idea that love is the answer to solving problems and restoring peace. He also discusses the importance of having a flexible mind and how wisdom requires it.

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