(Recorded February 18th, 2025)

Individually and collectively, we have become fixated on the pursuit and accumulation of wealth. But what is wealth? Our singular focus on financial capital obscures a fundamental truth: money is merely a marker for real wealth, all of which originates in nature. With the universal fungibility of the US dollar into everything as the engine, we are now transmuting the world’s wealth into income at an unprecedented rate. Driven by cultural incentives to maximize individual profit, we are collectively depleting the high quality ores and energy stocks, as well as the natural world and the ecosystems that sustain us.

In this Frankly, Nate explores the evolutionary and historical foundations of 'wealth', from optimal foraging theory and relative fitness to the modern pursuit of profit. He examines the collective action problem which the pursuit of wealth on a finite planet creates: as we chase more ‘fake wealth’, we degrade the 'real wealth' - the stability of Earth’s ecosystems that sustain our descendants and those of other species. We are drawing down our natural bank account in the pursuit of individual financial gain.

Can we mature our understanding of wealth before it’s too late? Could we create regenerative cultures which transmute income back into wealth? And can we collectively recognize that true wealth cannot be found in our pockets but rather in the natural world we inhabit?

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(Conversation recorded on November 22nd, 2024)

The first few months of the new year have brought a cacophony of political news and power plays, bringing with it an uproar of public outrage in the United States and around the world. In the midst of an unprecedented moment in modern history, what can history – and even mathematics – teach us about moments of political unrest and upheaval?

In this episode, Nate is joined by complexity scientist, Peter Turchin, to discuss his work modeling the key factors that drive patterns of peace, turmoil, and revolution in nations throughout history - and how those connect to the situation in the United States today. Turchin outlines the cyclical nature of ‘elite overproduction’ and its role in political disintegration, emphasizing the importance of economic inequality and elite struggles for control.

How does a declining standard of living, as seen in the U.S. over recent decades, affect a nation’s stability, civic engagement, and levels of violence? In what ways has history been shaped by the ‘wealth pump’ moving economic power towards the hands of the few? Lastly, how can we use these historical lessons to strengthen our communities and act collectively in times of chaos and instability?

About Peter Turchin:

Peter Turchin is a complexity scientist who works in the field of historical social science that he and his colleagues call Cliodynamics. His research interests lie at the intersection of social and cultural evolution, historical macrosociology, economic history and cliometrics, mathematical modeling of long-term social processes, and the construction and analysis of historical databases.

Currently his main research effort is directing the Seshat Databank project (and its offshoot, CrisisDB) which builds and analyzes a massive historical database that enables us to empirically test predictions from theories attempting to explain why and how complex human societies evolved, and why they periodically experience political breakdown. Turchin has authored ten books. His most recent books are End Times: Elites, Counter-Elites, and the Path of Political Disintegration and The Great Holocene Transformation (forthcoming).

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(Recorded February 12th, 2025)

Deception and self-interest seem to be increasingly prevalent in our modern cultural reality. From the highest levels of power to the cultural metrics of what is considered ‘success’ for individual humans: the Dark Triad traits of Narcissism, Sociopathy, and Machiavellianism have become disturbingly normalized. But is there an antidote? Could an opposing “Light Triad” of traits - if nurtured and protected - offer a path toward a society in service of life rather than power?

In this Frankly, Nate explores the concept of Light Triad personalities and their struggle against the Dark Triad forces shaping our social, economic, and ecological landscape. He examines how social media amplifies manipulation, why individual goodness is often outmatched by structural incentives, and whether strong, cooperative groups might hold the key to shifting the balance. Importantly, he questions whether the Light Triad can ever truly compete - or if it must evolve new strategies to stand a chance in service of life.

How many people does it take to shield a Light Triad individual from Dark Triad manipulation? Will these competing traits become more or less dominant as we move into the downslope of the Carbon Pulse? And can someone with a Dark Triad personality ever truly change, or are they hardwired for self-interest?

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