Episode 173: Congo's Nightmare Part V - Shadow War
Reflecting History
As the evidence of atrocities in the Congo Free State became impossible to ignore, direct African resistance developed in numerous places around the Congo. As this was happening, a large and sophisticated human rights campaign developed around some courageous informants, journalists, and human rights activists. King Leopold II of Belgium then developed a response in one of the first modern versions of an information/misinformation shadow war in the age of mass media. This episode is Part 5 in a series on the Belgium Congo. It discusses African Resistance to the Congo Free State, E.D....
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Episode 172: Congo's Nightmare Part IV - The Rubber Boom
Reflecting History
As a result of a worldwide rubber boom where rubber became a highly demanded economic resource, the agents of the Congo Free State kicked off efforts to gain as much rubber and profit as possible-leading to some of the worst human rights violations in history. Forced labor, slavery, disease, and death highlight this part of the story. This episode is Part 4 in a series on the Belgian Congo. It discusses the impact of the late 19th century rubber boom on the people of Congo, the resulting human tragedy, the death toll in the Congo, the psychology of a typical Force Publique officer, and more....
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Episode 171: Congo's Nightmare Part III - Ivory Terror
Reflecting History
With King Leopold II of Belgium now in full control of the Belgian Congo, the extraction of ivory and other resources could begin. The story of the plunder of the Congo is so brutal and unbelievable, and at times so hard to believe, that it was once said that "to tell the full story it would have to be fiction." In the early period of the Congo Free State, forced labor and resource extraction ultimately led to atrocities and destruction, but the terror was far from over. This episode is Part 3 in a series on the Belgian Congo. It gives an overview of Congo's rich natural resources, and the...
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Episode 170: Congo's Nightmare Part II - A Slice of African Cake
Reflecting History
As European imperialism heated up in Africa in the late 1800's, King Leopold II of Belgium put into motion one of the most ambitious and villainous plans in all of European history - the theft of the entire Congo. Utilizing the work of explorer Henry Morton Stanley, European animus towards the Afro-Arab Slave Trade, the creation of dubious committees and associations, international lobbying of governments, public relations campaigns, and bogus treaties with the people of Congo, Leopold understood that "...we must be cautious, clever and quick to act. I would not expose myself to displeasing...
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Episode 169: Congo's Nightmare Part I - An Ancient Place
Reflecting History
From 1885 to 1908, King Leopold II of Belgium owned the Congo as his own personal colony. What transpired there over the course of his reign has credibly been called "the vilest scramble for loot that ever disfigured the history of human conscience." Forced labor, slavery, disease, destruction, and destabliziation led to millions of deaths in one of the lesser known mass trauma events in human history. This is the story of the Congo Free State in Central Africa. This episode is Part 1 in a series on the Belgian Congo. It takes a look at the origins of humanity in Africa, the Congo as a...
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Episode 168: Never Let Me Go and The Bear
Reflecting History
One particular episode of "The Bear" inspired me to think about Kazuo Ishiguro's classic novel "Never Let Me Go"- friendship, love, memory, regret, and what it is that makes us human. This is a bonus episode I released a few years ago to my Patreon supporters. I think it fits well with the holiday season, see you in the new year! The Bear: Season 2 Episode 7-"Forks": Never Let Me Go: -Consider Supporting the Podcast!- Leave a rating or review on or ! What led to the rise of Nazi Germany? The answer may surprise you…Why do 'good' people support evil leaders?...
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Episode 167: The Odyssey Part V - Purifying Memory (Books 21-24)
Reflecting History
The Odyssey concludes with release, purification, and contradiction. A legendary bow and arrow contest sets the stage for Odysseus' rampage through the suitors who tormented his household for so long. The results of this explosion of violence and the conclusion of the story have been discussed and debated for millenia. This episode looks at books 21-24 of The Odyssey, analyzing themes of memory, purification, cycles of violence, animal instinct, fate and coincidence, and more. Homer's The Odyssey is one of the oldest and most enduring stories in all of civilization. Set in the aftermath...
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Episode 166: The Odyssey Part IV - There Will Be Blood (Books 17-20)
Reflecting History
Odysseus has finally made it home, but the Ithaca he has returned to is almost unrecognizable. "Dangerous men and fools" hold power now, and the island has fallen into disrepair. Odysseus comes up with a plan to destroy the corrupt suitors, and Penelope has her own schemes. The stage is set for The Odyssey to reach it's conclusion. This episode analyzes books 17-20 of The Odyssey, examining themes of leadership, corruption, the nature of dreams, the treatment of migrants and the poor, the foreshadowing of violence, and much more. Homer's The Odyssey is one of the oldest and most...
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Episode 165: The Odyssey Part III - A Touch of Evil (Books 11-16)
Reflecting History
In books 11-16 of The Odyssey, Odysseus runs through a murderous string of mythological creatures on his long journey home. The Underworld, seductive Sirens, deadly whirlpools, and six headed monsters are menacing obstacles to overcome, but they also represent different elements of evil in Homer's Greek world. By the end of the this section, Odysseus has finally made it home and is reunited with his son Telemachus. All that's left is to figure out how to take his island back. This episode analyzes themes in the story of death, grief, evil, loneliness, family, and more. Homer's The...
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Episode 164: The Odyssey Part II - The Wanderer (Books 6-10)
Reflecting History
This episode delves into books 6-10 of The Odyssey. Odysseus has finally found a helping hand on his journey home, but before he can go, he must tell the story of where he came from. Lotus eaters, cannibals, cyclops, and the seductively terrifying Circe highlight this portion of the story. The "Homeric Question" is also examined. Who was the author of The Odyssey and how was the story originally told? Themes of grief, memory, forgetting, guest rite, greek colonization, marital fidelty, and more are discussed. Homer's The Odyssey is one of the oldest and most enduring stories in all...
info_outlineThis bonus episode is the first episode of a nine part podcast series on the Netflix show “Arcane.” I recap season 1 of the show and delve into the history, psychology, and philosophy underpinning the story-discussing why it is relevant for the real world problems that we all face. In Episode 1, we introduce some of the characters and their overarching themes and motivations, discuss the conflict between Piltover and Zaun, make connections between cyclical history and cycles of violence, introduce wealth inequality and trauma as major themes, and more.
If you're interested in the rest of the series, or you just want to support the podcast in general you can find everything on my patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory
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Leave a rating or review on apple podcasts or spotify!
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory
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.