History for Tomorrow: Uncovering Future Possibilities from Humanity’s Past

The Great Simplification #142 with Roman Krznaric

While the global crises we face are on a larger scale than anything before, there is rich wisdom to glean from past civilizations who have faced existential challenges and survived – or even thrived. What lessons might we learn from history that could offer guidance for our future?

In this episode, I’m joined by social philosopher Roman Krznaric to discuss ways we might govern or lead during moments of crisis, using the lens of former and current civilizations. 

What lessons have we forgotten when it comes to being in community with and listening to each other? How have our ideas and expectations of the future been informed by seeing history as a story of individuals shaping the rise and fall of civilizations, rather than a collective effort? How could learning from the past to create better democracies, wiser natural resource stewardship, and more circular economies help us prioritize human and planetary well-being?

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In case you missed it…

In last week’s Frankly, I reflected on 7 key aspects of our socio-economic system which are in decline, with a main focus on the pager implication for globalization. What are the weakest links underpinning the status quo, and how close are they to breaking? Could it be that, just like the stability of our planet and social fabric, trust in global supply chains and globalization be areas of decline too?

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