Episode 160: Civilization and Its Discontents Part II-Putting Out the Fire
Reflecting History
What is Civilization? How did it develop and what are its goals? In his book “Civilization and Its Discontents,” Sigmund Freud looks at these questions from a psychoanalytic perspective. The conclusions he draws are as surprising and sometimes outrageous as they are insightful. This is part two in a series on Sigmund Freud’s “Civilization and Its Discontents.” It takes a look at Freud’s psychoanalytic understanding of how civilization began, how it developed over time, what the characteristics of civilization are, why it makes us unhappy, and why we live in a paradox. The...
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Episode 159: Civilization and Its Discontents Part I-Psychoanalytic Happiness
Reflecting History
What is happiness? Why is it so hard to achieve? What is “civilization” and how did it develop? Legendary psychologist Sigmund Freud seeks to answer these questions in his book “Civilization and Its Discontents.” Freud traces the development of human culture all the way from the beginning, all from the psychoanalytic perspective. While modern psychology often keeps Freud at arm’s length, there may be some important wisdom to learn from his application of psychoanalytic theories to human development. This is part one in a series on Sigmund Freud’s “Civilization and Its...
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Episode 158: Unraveling Historical Threads with Josh Johnson
Reflecting History
In this episode I’m joined by Josh Johnson-host of , which is a history podcast covering a variety of topics, currently doing a fantastic series on the Vietnam War. He’s also known as Joshreadsbooks on social media, where he has a devoted social media following on platforms like , , , etc. This episode is half of a wide ranging conversation that we had together on the process and theory involved in history podcasting, so listen to this one and then head over to Compendium to get the rest of the conversation. Here we discuss the origins of Reflecting History and Compendium, some meta...
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Episode 157: What is Fascism?
Reflecting History
This podcast provides an overview of fascism as both an ideology and a political tactic. In what ways was Nazi Germany a typical fascist state? This episode is one small part of my larger podcast series called "Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart." How does something like the rise of Nazi Germany happen? Why? Who’s responsible? What is fascism? What did it mean to be a Nazi? What role did the average person have in the development of the Nazi state? How responsible is the ordinary person in the development of great evil? How did nazism infect schools, institutions, and...
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Episode 156: The Fall of the Roman Republic
Reflecting History
The fall of the Roman Republic is one of the great stories in all of ancient history and it can still teach lessons relevant to every element of modern life. This telling of the Roman Republic's demise blends systems-based history, trends and forces, events like the Punic Wars and Spartacus' slave rebellion, and the sheer will of legendary historical figures like the Gracchi brothers, Gaius Marius, Sulla, Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Mark Antony, Octavian, and more. Shedding light on wealth inequality, political and economic corruption, population shifts, the impact of war-both overseas and at...
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Episode 155: Aztec Memories-The Story of the Aztec Empire
Reflecting History
Watch with video : This is all eight chapters of my Aztec Memories series, all in one place. I'm hoping this makes it easier for some folks out there to listen to the whole series, and it will allow me to release a video version of this podcast--coming very soon! Thanks for listening and for all the support over the years... The story of the Aztec Empire is a story unlike any other. From it's origins as a nomadic underdog, to it's ascendance at the rich and powerful city of Tenochtitlan, to it's clash of civilizations with the mighty Spanish Empire, this is a historical story that will...
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Episode 154: Aztec Memories Part VIII-Columbian Nightmare
Reflecting History
The Columbian Exchange remains maybe the most significant historical development in modern history-setting the stage for the world we inhabit today. In modern day Mexico, the post-conquest colonial period led to the beginnings of many processes that would define Mexico and the Americas for years to come-the encomienda system, the racial casta system, class struggle in Mexico, tension between Spanish and indigenous, and the sparks of future Revolution. With the benefit of hindsight and counterfactuals, it's worth asking if the Columbian Exchange was the best or worst outcome we could have...
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Episode 153: Aztec Memories Part VII-The Tickler
Reflecting History
For many fans of history, the story of the Aztec empire ends with the Spanish conquest and the fall of Tenochtitan. But there was a post-conquest period, lasting for hundreds of years, in which the Spanish exerted authority and control over the people of the former Aztec Empire. The Mexica people had to make difficult decisions about conversion to Christianity, how much tribute to pay to the Spanish, how to incorporate the new rule of the Spanish into their lives, and how to deal with violence and terror. For some who thought life under the Spanish would be an improvement over Aztec rule, they...
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Episode 152: Aztec Memories Part VI-Mightier Than the Sword
Reflecting History
The Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire provides a great opportunity to think about many complex historical questions. How should we think about topics of colonialism and conquest from a modern lens? How are morality and historical narrative closely tied together? How did Spanish people and Mexica people think about the conquest both at the time and deep into the future? The answers to these questions give insight into how morality and psychology are at the center of many historical stories. This is Part VI in a series on the rise, fall, and enduring legacy of the Aztec Empire. In this...
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Episode 151: Aztec Memories Part V-Crimson Sky
Reflecting History
In November of 1519, Aztec Emperor Moctezuma and Spanish Conquistador Hernando Cortez met on the causeway leading to Tenochtitlan in maybe the first official contact between powerful leaders of the Old and New Worlds. One of the great what if moments in world history, this was the opening act in what would eventually lead to a clash of civilizations between the two peoples. The war that followed was violent and brutal, and the stakes were everything. This is Part V in a series on the rise, fall, and enduring legacy of the Aztec Empire. It covers the war between the Aztec and the Spanish, the...
info_outlineThe story of the Aztec Empire is a story unlike any other. From it's origins as a nomadic underdog, to it's ascendance at the rich and powerful city of Tenochtitlan, to it's clash of civilizations with the mighty Spanish Empire, this is a historical story that will never happen again. If you think you know the story, think again. For hundreds of years myths and half-truths about the Spanish conquest have clouded the historical narrative. Even the name "Aztec" belies the deep connection between myth and history.
This is Part I in a series on the rise, fall, and enduring legacy of the Aztec Empire. It looks at the migration of early man into the Americas, the origins of the Mexica people as wandering nomad warriors, mesoamerican history and the development of agriculture there, the legacy of the Olmec, Maya, Toltec, and Teotihuacan, the Nahua language and cultural group, the arrival of the Mexica at Tenochtitlan, and more. The story will continue in Part II.
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Try my podcast series "Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart"-- What led to the rise of Nazi Germany? The answer may surprise you…Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? To what extent are ordinary people responsible for the development of authoritarian evil? This 13 part podcast series explores these massive questions and more through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who collaborated or resisted as the Third Reich expanded. You'll not only learn about the horrifying, surprising, and powerful ways in which the Nazis seized and maintained power, but also fundamental lessons about what fascism is-how to spot it and why it spreads. Through exploring the past, I hope to unlock lessons that everyone can apply to the present day. Check it out on my Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory.
Try my podcast series "Piranesi: Exploring the Infinite Halls of a Literary Masterpiece"-- This podcast series is a deep analysis of Susanna Clark's literary masterpiece "Piranesi." Whether you are someone who is reading the novel for academic purposes, or you simply want to enjoy an incredible story for it's own sake, this podcast series goes chapter by chapter into the plot, characters, and themes of the book...“The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; it’s kindness infinite.” Piranesi lives in an infinite house, with no long-term memory and only a loose sense of identity. As the secrets of the House deepen and the mystery of his life becomes more sinister, Piranesi must discover who he is and how this brings him closer to the “Great and Secret Knowledge” that the House contains. Touching on themes of memory, identity, mental health, knowledge, reason, experience, meaning, reflection, ideals, and more…Piranesi will be remembered as one of the great books of the 21st century. Hope you enjoy the series as much as I enjoyed making it. Check it out at https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory.