279. Ian Morris on Deep Time and Big History

<p>Shermer and Morris discuss: the history of Big/Deep History • the US, UK, Europe and the West in the context of Russia and China and his book <em>Why the West Rules — for Now</em> • Russia’s war on Ukraine in the context of his book <em>War: What is it Good For?</em> • the future of energy and civilization in the context of his book <em>Foragers, Farmers, and Fossil Fuels</em> • “national character” • the similarities and differences in people from the US, UK, and Europe • China and the future of energy and political power • what Britain was like 8000 years ago • the major transitions in British history • Nigel Farage and Brexit, and 5 things that matter then and now: Identity, Mobility, Prosperity, Security, Sovereignty • Adam Smith and the economic revolution • counterfactual history • slavery • the role of ideas in history (civil rights, rule of law, justice, etc.) • colonialism • postcolonialism • reparations • immigration and migration in history and today.</p> <p>Ian Morris is the Jean and Rebecca Willard Professor of Classics and Professor in History at Stanford University and the author of the critically acclaimed <em>Why the West Rules — for Now</em>, as well as <em>The Measure of Civilization: How Social Development Decides the Fate of Nations</em>; <em>Foragers, Farmers, and Fossil Fuels: How Human Values Evolve</em>; and <em>War! What is it Good For?</em> He has published many scholarly books and has directed excavations in Greece and Italy. His new book is <em>Geography is Destiny: Britain’s Place in the World: A 10,000-Year History</em>.</p>