Explaining Sex and Power in History

In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett examine how sexual dynamics between men and women have shaped civilizations, arguing that modern society's departure from archetypal gender roles threatens societal stability. -- 📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess -- SPONSOR: NETSUITE | SHOPIFY | ORACLE More than 42,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/102 - Download your free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning. Shopify is the world's leading e-commerce platform, offering a market-leading checkout system Shoppay and exclusive AI apps. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Get a $1 per month trial at https://shopify.com/momentofzen. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers. OCI powers industry leaders like Vodafone and Thomson Reuters with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before March 31, 2024 at https://oracle.com/cognitive. -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia -- Central Thesis Sexual relationships between men and women follow archetypal patterns that determine societal rise and decline throughout history. Three Historical Revolutions Western Revolution - European individualism vs. clan societies Civility Revolution - Rise of social constraints and manners Sexual Revolution - 1960s birth control and "free love" Core Arguments Masculine vs. Feminine Archetypes Masculine = Order, stability, frame-setting Feminine = Chaos, fluidity, boundary-breaking Most masculine societies (Vikings, Romans, Spartans) treated women best Feminine societies paradoxically oppress women more The Modern Crisis ("Mouse Utopia") Traditional mating mechanisms have collapsed Society is "squeamish, terrified, and obsessed with sex simultaneously" Polygamous distribution emerging (high-status men, multiple partners) Rising homosexuality correlates with mating marketplace breakdown Historical Patterns Medieval Period: More sexually open than commonly believed Europe vs Asia: Europe liberalized women's status; Asia restricted it (1000-1800 AD) Christianity's Impact: Created sexual protections for women against powerful men Marriage Ages: Remained 20-30 for over 1000 years, fluctuating with economic conditions Contemporary Issues Birth control removed natural consequences driving commitment Women's economic rise creates mate selection paradox Technology disrupted traditional courtship Current structures function as "harems without sex" Proposed Solutions Need "higher men" to consciously redirect societal trends Rebuild cultural traditions and social structures Masculine frame-setting as foundation for healthy relations "The answer to evolution is being a Chad" Controversial Claims: All societies have been patriarchal; modern feminism decreases women's happiness; sexual differences exceed racial differences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices