Episode · Behind the Bastards · 2022-04-16
Books mentioned on It Could Happen Here Weekly 30
All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file. See omnystudio.
Mentioned: Against the Grain by James C. Scott, The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and others, The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan, and The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Against the Grain
Why people recommend it: Challenging traditional assumptions about the rise of human civilization and the origins of state control, Against the Grain by James C.
Discussed“I think that Scott explores it in a very interesting way in chapter 2 of Against the Grain.”
Where to get it
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The Dawn of Everything
The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity by David Graeber and David Wengrow is a sweeping archaeological and anthropological study that challenges conventional narratives about social evolution, inequality, and the origins of human civilization.
Discussed“And I mean those of you who have read dawn of everything, you kind of see that picture coming into shape as you progress through the book.”
Where to get it
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The Botany of Desire
The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan is a fascinating exploration of the co-evolutionary relationships between humans and four specific plants, demonstrating how domesticated species like apples, tulips, cannabis, and potatoes have successfully fulfilled human desires while securing their own survival and global spread.
Discussed“Um, I read this book uh I think last year called Boty of Desire. And in it, the guy um what is his name? And in it, Michael Pulan talks about how the plants we thought we were domesticating domesticated us too.”
Where to get it
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The Wealth of Nations
The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith is a foundational 1776 text by the Scottish thinker often regarded as the father of modern economics, exploring free markets, capitalism, and the mechanics of national wealth.
Discussed“you know, um, as I believe Adam Smith points out in Wealth of Nations, you know, you have all these people on this assembly line making pins, but Alexis de Tokavville asks, "What can be expected of a man who has spent 20 years of his life putting heads on pins?"”
Where to get it
