On May 20th, 1910, nine kings gathered at Windsor for the funeral of King Edward VII.

The photograph they took is a stark reminder of how drastically European leadership has changed—the men pictured remain symbols of a bygone era of monarchy.

Who were they?🧵 King Haakon VII of Norway (top row, far left)

Ruled from November 1905 until his death in 1957. After the 1905 dissolution of the union between Sweden and Norway, he became the first independent Norwegian monarch since Olaf II in 1387.

In the heart of the Inferno lies a tremendous secret.

Odysseus burns in hell...but his story is only unlocked if you know how paganism and the sacred dance together.

Here is one of the most important lessons of the Inferno🧵 First, Dante makes an amazing claim.

He states he is "holding his genius under tighter rein..." He must bridle his intellect by virtue.

But why... what or who does he see that reminds him to rein in his genius?

Thomas Carlyle was one of the most prolific writers of the 19th century. His main thesis?

Heroes are born, not made.

But today he's dismissed — why?

Because his idea threatens everything modern history tries to teach us.

Let’s talk about the Great Man Theory🧵 Thomas Carlyle was a 19th-century Scottish essayist, historian, and philosopher who gave a series of lectures on heroism in 1840, which were later published into a book called “Heroes and Hero-Worship.”

One of the book’s main theses was the Great Man Theory of history.

America once believed it had a divine mission.

Rooted in self-confidence, it was known as "Manifest Destiny".

It inspired a people to conquer a continent — and push the boundaries of possibility...🧵 The term “manifest destiny” first appeared in an article by newspaper editor John O'Sullivan in 1845.

O'Sullivan, described as "always full of grand and world-embracing schemes," used the phrase in the midst of the ongoing Oregon boundary dispute with Britain.

Comparing the modern West to ancient Rome has become cliche, but that’s only because the parallels are real.

Rome’s fall, then, isn’t just ancient history — it’s a warning for us today.

Here’s what the Romans themselves said about their fall 🧵 1. Overexpansion

Rome’s borders grew faster than its ability to govern them. Ammianus Marcellinus noted:

“The empire was overrun by peoples who had not been Romanized… civil strife… vulnerability to external threats.”

Western Civilization has largely been a force for good.

A prime example is the British Empire. In many places it occupied it:

-raised the standard of living
-developed infrastructure
-promoted education

It also single-handedly ended slavery for much of the world…🧵 Though Britain had been a global power since the early 17th century, it wasn’t until Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo in 1815 that it emerged as the dominant power.

By eliminating France from the world’s stage, Britain was left without a serious competitor.

How in the world do you beat this formation?

Well, it was virtually unstoppable when it was first used in battle — it toppled an empire and became the default fighting formation of the ancient Greek world.

An introduction to the Macedonian phalanx…🧵 You’ve probably heard about Alexander the Great’s conquest of the ancient world—what’s lesser known is that much of his success was due to his father Philip II.

Specifically, it was Philip who created a game-changing new infantry formation called the Macedonian phalanx.

A democracy can only last 200 years.

At least, that’s according to 18th-century historian Alexander Tytler.

He claimed democracies always follow a predictable pattern and are doomed to end in servitude…🧵 Tytler was a Scottish judge, writer, and Professor of Universal History as well as Greek and Roman Antiquities at the University of Edinburgh.

After studying dozens of civilizations, he noticed some intriguing patterns…

Tolkien’s fiction was more than mere fantasy — it was myth, poetry, theology, and philosophy disguised as adventure.

He was a master storyteller who revealed, above all, truth.

But what inspired his genius?

The answer is death itself….🧵 Tolkien’s life was marked by grief from the beginning: he lost his father at age 3, then his mother at 12.

Orphaned and poor, he found comfort in books, languages, and the small town of Sarehole, South Africa — which later became the model for the Shire.

If you like Greek or Roman classics, you can thank a monk.

Just as much as on any battlefield, Western civilization was safeguarded within the quiet confines of a monastery...🧵 In the 6th century, the fate of western Europe was uncertain.

Barbarians had deposed the Roman emperor; age-old institutions were left decaying; the flame of civilization almost gone…

But at a monastery in Calabria, a monk named Cassiodorus toiled to keep this flame alight.

The West was won while fighting against insurmountable odds.

From the Thermoyplae to Tours, Western Civilization has been within a knife’s edge of defeat — yet we persisted.

The 10 greatest last stands in Western history... (thread) 🧵 10. Siege of Antioch, 1098

Shortly after the crusaders took the city in 1098, they found themselves besieged by the Seljuk Turks.

Finding inspiration after discovering the Holy Lance—the spear that pierced Christ—they sallied forth and confronted the Seljuks head on, winning the day.

Much of Medieval and Renaissance architecture was inspired by a single man.

Artists like Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, and Da Vinci were all informed by an obscure Roman engineer who lived more than 1000 years prior…

Who was he? 🧵 The 16th-century architect Palladio considered Vitruvius his “master and guide,” but not much is known about the figure.

We do know he was a military engineer who served under Julius Caesar in the 1st century BC, specializing in the construction of ballista and scorpio siege engines.

Kenneth Clark lamented that civilization was a fragile thing.

He observed three “enemies” that could topple even the mightiest cultures.

What are they? And can we stop them?🧵 Clark says fear is the first enemy:

“fear of war, fear of invasion, fear of plague and famine, that make it simply not worthwhile constructing things, or planting trees or even planning next year’s crops. And fear of the supernatural, which means that you daren’t question anything.”

Before movies or novels, the epic poem was the preferred way of telling a riveting story.

The most extraordinary tales were passed on in the form of meter and rhyme.

15 of the greatest epic poems... (thread) 🧵 1. The Odyssey, Homer

The “everyman’s journey” through life depicted in verse. Odysseus relies on smarts and sheer willpower to survive divine and natural trials on his way to Ithaca after the Trojan war.

It’s a timeless tale of strength and endurance to reach home.

How Are We Going to Get to Mars?

Explained by @elonmusk

A THREAD

1/12 https://t.co/PlRqAfGhRXtwitter.com/i/web/status/1…
"Starship is extremely fundamental. So, the holy grail of rocketry or space transport is full and rapid reusability. This has never been achieved...

1/12

Elon Musk owns Twitter.

So, why is this going to benefit you? What are Musk's goals?

Explained by @elonmusk @elonmusk "It's very important for there to be an inclusive arena for free speech.

Twitter has become kind of the de facto town square so it's really important that people have both the reality and the perception that they are able to speak freely within the bounds of the law.

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Have you ever felt like life could be a simulation?

Well, your gut feeling could be right...

Simulation Theory explained by @elonmusk... @elonmusk "Here is the strongest argument for us being in a simulation... 40 years ago we had Pong, two rectangles and a dot {primitive video game]. That was what games were...

1/7

What Is a Meaning of Life That Actually Makes Sense?

@elonmusk's perspective.

THREAD (🧵) @elonmusk "I think what Douglas Adams was saying in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is that the Universe is the answer and what we really need to figure out are what questions to ask about the answer that is the Universe.

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How Are We Going to Get to Mars?

Explained by @elonmusk

Thread (🧵) @elonmusk "Starship is extremely fundamental. So, the holy grail of rocketry or space transport is full and rapid reusability. This has never been achieved.

1/11

How Can You Use the Internet in the Middle of the Amazon Jungle?

Explained by @elonmusk

THREAD (🧵) @elonmusk Interviewer: "What has driven you to take on this new challenge?"

Musk: "Well, there's a need for connectivity in places that don't have it right now or where connectivity is very limited... or very expensive. In many parts of the world, it's completely unavailable.

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How to Solve Soul-Destroying Traffic.

Explained by @elonmusk

THREAD (🧵) @elonmusk "The boring company actually started as kind of a joke and a lot of times people would ask me what do I think the opportunities are out there and for five years or more I kept saying 'Can someone please start a tunneling company?'

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