Shankar Vedantam
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Appearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
In the 3rd century BC, China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, made a bold proclamation.
His dynasty would last 10,000 generations.
He launched an obsessive quest for immortality.
He ordered expeditions to the eastern sea, demanded his subjects search for an elixir of life, and even welcomed mystics into his court.
His obsession came at a cost, putting him at odds with Confucian scholars at the time.
Historians have pieced together parts of Qin Shi Huang's story from thousands of wooden strips unearthed in Hunan province.
The strips documented his correspondence.
These writings included responses from the emperor's minions who were too afraid to tell their boss what they really thought.
According to the BBC, the notes featured, quote, assorted awkward replies from regional governments who had failed to find the key to eternal life.
Qin Shi Huang did achieve extraordinary things during his lifetime.
He unified China, standardized currency and measures, built roads and canals, and linked fortresses into what became the Great Wall.
but he never found the key to immortality.
Even in death, he refused to believe death was the end.
His monumental mausoleum, guarded by thousands of terracotta soldiers, was designed to protect him on his journey into the afterlife.
What could cause such desperation, such obsession, such refusal to face the inevitable?
And is it possible that all of us share something in common with the great Chinese emperor?
This is the second part of our exploration into how design thinking can help you lead a more meaningful life.
If you missed the first story, you can find it in our podcast feed or at hiddenbrain.org.