The Curse of “Interesting Times” – Epi-3724 episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 19, 2025 · 1H 44M

The Curse of “Interesting Times” – Epi-3724

from Podcasts | The Survival Podcast · host Jack Spirko

The earliest known use of the saying, “may you live in interesting times” is from the early 20th century. A 1936 speech by Sir Austen Chamberlain (brother of Neville Chamberlain) is often cited. He claimed it was an old Chinese curse, but he probably picked it up secondhand. Later, during the mid-20th century, it spread widely in English writing and speeches, particularly in political and diplomatic contexts.  Well no matter the real origin as we will see today it can indeed be a curse. Today who pays for protest damages and who should, Trumps 180 on Ukraine security guarantees, republicans … Continue reading →

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The Curse of “Interesting Times” – Epi-3724

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The earliest known use of the saying, “may you live in interesting times” is from the early 20th century. A 1936 speech by Sir Austen Chamberlain (brother of Neville Chamberlain) is often cited. He claimed it was an old Chinese curse, but he...

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