The Living Past

Anyone can swing a hammer, but it takes true strength to build something durable. This podcast explores the thin line between raw force and true leadership, challenging the misconception that aggression equals resolve. By analyzing the "internal rot" of empires like Rome and the Soviet Union alongside modern examples of "bullying" through trade wars and unilateral interventions, we examine why the hardest part of power is not the ability to dominate, but the discipline of restraint. Discover why legitimacy is the one asset that even the greatest power cannot buy back once it is lost.Subscribe to be notified when the next episode is released.More at: www.hermanforwood.com

Preview: Anyone can swing a hammer, but it takes true strength to build something durable. This podcast explores the thin line between raw force and true leadership, challenging the misconception that aggression equals resolve. By analyzing the "internal rot" of empires like Rome and the Soviet Union alongside modern examples of "bullying" through trade wars and unilateral interventions, we examine why the hardest part of power is not the ability to dominate, but the discipline of restraint. Discover why legitimacy is the one asset that even the greatest power cannot buy back once it is lost.Subscribe to be notified when the next episode is released.More at: www.hermanforwood.com

In light of the spat between President Trump and Pope Leo XIV, the upcoming podcast explores the historical reality that, for most of human history, church and state were inseparable. While we often view their separation as a norm, the upcoming episode will explore it is actually a radical departure from a long-standing model of consolidated power.Subscribe to be notified when the next episode is released.More at: www.hermanforwood.com

Episode preview: In light of the spat between President Trump and Pope Leo XIV, the upcoming podcast explores the historical reality that, for most of human history, church and state were inseparable. While we often view their separation as a norm, the upcoming episode will explore it is actually a radical departure from a long-standing model of consolidated power.Subscribe to be notified when the next episode is released.More at: www.hermanforwood.com

In this episode we dive deep into the concept of scapegoating—the populist's tool for simplifying complex crises into a single, convenient culprit.We explain how scapegoating acts as the "glue of false unity," providing a sense of empowerment to a frustrated public by telling them, "You’re not the problem. They are"This episode serves as a warning about the escalation of blame, noting that once a movement is built on directed rage, it cannot evolve; it can only search for new enemies until "yesterday’s ally becomes today’s traitor.Subscribe to be notified when the next episode is released.More at: www.hermanforwood.com

Preview of Charles Lindbergh, National Hero, Nazi Sympathizer, Populist… and Something Darker. Explore the hidden, darker side of the "golden boy of aviation"This episode reveals how Lindbergh’s populism, Nazi sympathies, and belief in eugenics tarnished his American hero image.From the infamous 1941 Des Moines speech to the shocking discovery of his secret parallel lives in Germany, we dive into the disturbing reality behind an American icon. It should. Because populism always follows the same trajectory. It doesn’t matter if it’s Lindbergh in 1940 or someone else. The formula works. The rage sells. And when it catches fire, it burns everything in its path, democracy included.That’s why, in my book “⁠Twilight of Democracy: World’s Descent into Darkness,⁠” I had no choice but to cast Lindbergh as the populist president in alternate 1950. Perhaps that’s also why Philip Roth chose him in his acclaimed novel “⁠The Plot Against America⁠” — because we both recognized that there’s hardly a more dangerous, charismatic, well-connected, and beloved figure who could have realistically taken the reins of power.Subscribe to be notified when the next episode is released.More at: www.hermanforwood.com

This preview introduces the concept of scapegoating—the populist's tool for simplifying complex crises into a single, convenient culpritIt briefly explains how scapegoating acts as the "glue of false unity," providing a sense of empowerment to a frustrated public by telling them, " You’re not the problem. They are"The upcoming episode serves as a warning about the escalation of blame, noting that once a movement is built on directed rage, it cannot evolve; it can only search for new enemies until "yesterday’s ally becomes today’s traitor"Subscribe to be notified when the next episode is released.More at: www.hermanforwood.com

Explore the hidden, darker side of the "golden boy of aviation"This episode reveals how Lindbergh’s populism, Nazi sympathies, and belief in eugenics tarnished his American hero image.From the infamous 1941 Des Moines speech to the shocking discovery of his secret parallel lives in Germany, we dive into the disturbing reality behind an American icon.It should. Because populism always follows the same trajectory. It doesn’t matter if it’s Lindbergh in 1940 or someone else. The formula works. The rage sells. And when it catches fire, it burns everything in its path, democracy included.That’s why, in my book “Twilight of Democracy: World’s Descent into Darkness,” I had no choice but to cast Lindbergh as the populist president in alternate 1950. Perhaps that’s also why Philip Roth chose him in his acclaimed novel “The Plot Against America” — because we both recognized that there’s hardly a more dangerous, charismatic, well-connected, and beloved figure who could have realistically taken the reins of power.Subscribe to be notified when the next episode is released.More at: www.hermanforwood.com

Stop asking if you're Left or Right. Writer Herman Forwood argues this framing is "misleading and dangerous". In this episode, we explore Forwood’s "Circle Model" to show how the extremes actually meet at a shared point of rage. We dive into the "populist trap" and the vital question for our time: are you a builder trying to improve the system, or a burner ready to tear it down? Learn why the "easy answers" of populism always break things and lead to instabilitySubscribe to be notified when the next episode is released.More at: www.hermanforwood.com