Gregory Aldrete

You know, you may not realize this is decisive at the time, but from a longer perspective, it is. And often those are ones that either allow some new people or idea or institution to either grow or have its growth curbed. Mm-hmm. So at various points, we have empires that were expanding and basically were stopped at some battle.

And so you say, well, if they hadn't been stopped there, they might have gone on to dominate this whole area. Or conversely, you could say Rome wasn't – they were one place before the Second Punic War. After the Second Punic War, they were its dominant force. So you could pick one of those battles and say that was decisive in setting them on this new path.

And so you say, well, if they hadn't been stopped there, they might have gone on to dominate this whole area. Or conversely, you could say Rome wasn't – they were one place before the Second Punic War. After the Second Punic War, they were its dominant force. So you could pick one of those battles and say that was decisive in setting them on this new path.

And so you say, well, if they hadn't been stopped there, they might have gone on to dominate this whole area. Or conversely, you could say Rome wasn't – they were one place before the Second Punic War. After the Second Punic War, they were its dominant force. So you could pick one of those battles and say that was decisive in setting them on this new path.

Huge. I mean, the history of warfare is basically the history of technological change often. So, I mean, there's all the great moments of transition for a long time. We fought with, you know, hand to hand with metal weapons. Then you start to have the gunpowder revolution, which causes all sorts of shifts there. You know, there's big changes of planes when they become a huge force.

Huge. I mean, the history of warfare is basically the history of technological change often. So, I mean, there's all the great moments of transition for a long time. We fought with, you know, hand to hand with metal weapons. Then you start to have the gunpowder revolution, which causes all sorts of shifts there. You know, there's big changes of planes when they become a huge force.

Huge. I mean, the history of warfare is basically the history of technological change often. So, I mean, there's all the great moments of transition for a long time. We fought with, you know, hand to hand with metal weapons. Then you start to have the gunpowder revolution, which causes all sorts of shifts there. You know, there's big changes of planes when they become a huge force.

I mean, World War II is this crazy time where planes go from literally biplanes, you know, string and wood to jets four years later. Yeah. So that's this moment of incredibly fast technological change. Going into World War II, everybody thinks it's all about battleships. Who's got the biggest battleships? Four years later, battleships are just junk. Let's just scrap them.

I mean, World War II is this crazy time where planes go from literally biplanes, you know, string and wood to jets four years later. Yeah. So that's this moment of incredibly fast technological change. Going into World War II, everybody thinks it's all about battleships. Who's got the biggest battleships? Four years later, battleships are just junk. Let's just scrap them.

I mean, World War II is this crazy time where planes go from literally biplanes, you know, string and wood to jets four years later. Yeah. So that's this moment of incredibly fast technological change. Going into World War II, everybody thinks it's all about battleships. Who's got the biggest battleships? Four years later, battleships are just junk. Let's just scrap them.

It's all about aircraft carriers, and that's everything war at sea. So you have these moments of – particularly in warfare, almost accelerated technological change where things – happened very rapidly. And the civilization or the nation or the army that adapts more quickly to the new technology will often be the one that wins. And we've seen that story over and over and over again in history.

It's all about aircraft carriers, and that's everything war at sea. So you have these moments of – particularly in warfare, almost accelerated technological change where things – happened very rapidly. And the civilization or the nation or the army that adapts more quickly to the new technology will often be the one that wins. And we've seen that story over and over and over again in history.

It's all about aircraft carriers, and that's everything war at sea. So you have these moments of – particularly in warfare, almost accelerated technological change where things – happened very rapidly. And the civilization or the nation or the army that adapts more quickly to the new technology will often be the one that wins. And we've seen that story over and over and over again in history.

I think there's a real geographic determinism to civilization itself. I mean, you know, if you look at where civilization arose, it's in Mesopotamia and sort of a swampy land between two rivers. It's in the Nile River Delta where the same situation. It's in the Indus River where you have the same thing. And it's along the Yellow Rivers and the Yangtze Rivers where it's the same thing.

I think there's a real geographic determinism to civilization itself. I mean, you know, if you look at where civilization arose, it's in Mesopotamia and sort of a swampy land between two rivers. It's in the Nile River Delta where the same situation. It's in the Indus River where you have the same thing. And it's along the Yellow Rivers and the Yangtze Rivers where it's the same thing.

I think there's a real geographic determinism to civilization itself. I mean, you know, if you look at where civilization arose, it's in Mesopotamia and sort of a swampy land between two rivers. It's in the Nile River Delta where the same situation. It's in the Indus River where you have the same thing. And it's along the Yellow Rivers and the Yangtze Rivers where it's the same thing.

So I mean that is geographically determined where those great civilizations of Asia or Europe are going to arise. It's very much determined by that. And often the course of history has that strong geographical determination. I mean you can argue that all of Egyptian – ancient Egyptian society –

So I mean that is geographically determined where those great civilizations of Asia or Europe are going to arise. It's very much determined by that. And often the course of history has that strong geographical determination. I mean you can argue that all of Egyptian – ancient Egyptian society –

So I mean that is geographically determined where those great civilizations of Asia or Europe are going to arise. It's very much determined by that. And often the course of history has that strong geographical determination. I mean you can argue that all of Egyptian – ancient Egyptian society –

It's kind of based around the cycle of the Nile flood because it was so predictable and everything depended on it. And their whole religion actually develops around that. And in Mesopotamia, the same thing. The way their religion develops is a reaction to the particular geographic environment that those people grew up in. So that's a very profound influence on civilization.