Breaking Down: Collapse

Kory & Kellan

Apprehensive about the future? Like many, you likely have a gut feeling that things aren't quite right, but haven’t been able to place your finger on why. That feeling only grows with the increasing political tensions, economic uncertainty, natural disasters, and supply chain disruptions. What do all these challenges mean? And what will be the result of society’s current trajectory? “Breaking Down: Collapse” takes the complex concepts surrounding the ultimate collapse of modern industrial society and simplifies them so they’re easier to learn. The compelling evidence for our inevitable decline is introduced by collapse-aware Kory to his good friend, Kellan, who probably doesn’t realize what he signed up for! Skeptical? Gear up for a paradigm shift!

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377 episodes
Updated Thursday

Episodes377

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Mar 29, 2023 · 43 min
Episode 132 - Lobbying
It's pay to play! Apparently it's legal to pay the government to pass (or not pass) desired legislation. This episode focuses on how the wealthy corporations and individuals control the system. Learn More: Is Lobbying Good or Bad? | RepresentUs America’s lobbying addiction (brookings.edu) Lobbying: How the Wealthy and Business Get Their Way | Second Rate Democracy Corruption is Legal in America - YouTube Support the show Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 22, 2023 · 41 min
Episode 131 - The Problem with Fast Fashion
I bet you didn't know that 10% of all emissions come from the fashion industry. Or that 75 million people are employed in manufacturing plants for the fashion industry, with only 2% of them being paid a living wage. This episode highlights these and many other global issues with fast fashion. Learn More: What Is Fast Fashion—and Why Is It a Problem? (treehugger.com) The 10 Essential Fast Fashion Statistics | Earth.Org The Fashion Industry Waste Is Drastically Contributing To Climate Change (pirg.org) 10 Concerning Fast Fashion Waste Statistics | Earth.Org How Much Do Our Wardrobes Cost to the Environment? (worldbank.org) Fast Fashion Getting Faster: A Look at the Unethical Labor Practices Sustaining a Growing Industry | International Law and Policy Brief (gwu.edu) Support the show Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 15, 2023 · 48 min
Episode 130 - The Outlook of Youth
Today's youth are tomorrow's leaders. How do young adults feel about the future, and how does it compare to their elders? What do they feel their role is in the future of our world? Let's break it down! Learn More: Young People's Voices on Climate Anxiety, Government Betrayal and Moral Injury: A Global Phenomenon by Elizabeth Marks, Caroline Hickman, Panu Pihkala, Susan Clayton, Eric R. Lewandowski, Elouise E. Mayall, Britt Wray, Catriona Mellor, Lise van Susteren :: SSRN Trust in government by generation U.S. 2021 | Statista World’s Youth Are Surprisingly Optimistic, UN Study Finds – Mother Jones Axios|Momentive Poll: Capitalism and Socialism (surveymonkey.com) America's continued move toward socialism (axios.com) Support the show Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 8, 2023 · 25 min
Episode 129 - El Niño
The impacts of climate change dramatically influence and are influenced by cyclical weather patterns. Future El Niño cycles have major implications on society at large. Learn More: Stronger El Niño events may speed up irreversible melting of Antarctic ice, research finds | El Niño southern oscillation | The Guardian What does the return of El Nino mean for the planet – and you? | The Straits Times The Global Impacts of El Niño | Water Resources Research Center | The University of Arizona United States El Niño Impacts | NOAA Climate.gov El Niño (nationalgeographic.org) Four possible consequences of El Niño returning in 2023 (phys.org) Arctic sea ice loss to increase strong El Niño events linked to extreme weather: Study (mongabay.com) El Niño and La Niña Years and Intensities (ggweather.com) Support the show Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 1, 2023 · 1 hr 7 min
Episode 128 - Zoonotics and H5N1
There's been much talk lately about the threat of H5N1 (Avian Influenza). In this episode we talk about what there is (and isn't) to fear about the virus, as well as we take a look at David Quammen's book "Spillover". Learn More: An Expert Says Why H5N1 Bird Flu Is Here to Stay (insider.com) 7 Reasons Diseases Are Spreading Faster These Days (insider.com) Emergence and Evolution of H5N1 Bird Flu | Avian Influenza (Flu) (cdc.gov) Airborne Transmission of Influenza A/H5N1 Virus Between Ferrets - PMC (nih.gov) Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic: Quammen, David: 9780393066807: Amazon.com: Books Support the show Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 22, 2023 · 41 min
Episode 127 - Heat Pumps
Can technology save us? Nah. Can it help us, though? Sure! Here's an example of a great technology with a lot of potential... but we don't think it answers all of life's problems. Learn More: Heat Pumps Can Lower Home Emissions, but Not Everywhere - Eos Heat Pumps Will Change Everything About Climate Change—and Not Enough (foreignpolicy.com) How Do Heat Pumps Work to Be the Ultimate Climate Techno-Fix? - Bloomberg Narendra Modi: India poised for five-fold rise in gas consumption | Upstream Online The Inflation Reduction Act offers subsidies for heat pumps — will US homeowners warm to them? (yahoo.com) Support the show Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 15, 2023 · 50 min
Episode 126 - Eastern Philosophies (Part 1)
How we cope with the knowledge of the future is deeply personal. In this episode we touch on 2 ancient Eastern philosophies that many use as a source of maintaining a healthy mental attitude. Learn More: Understanding Wuwei: The Daoist Art of Going With the Flow - YouTube Tao of Yoda: Based Upon the Tao Te Ching, by Lao Tzu: Kreger, D. W., Patacsil, Jamielly: 9780983309925: Amazon.com: Books Daoism: The Basics - YouTube Taoist philosophy What is Daoism? - YouTube https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/buddhism https://www.history.com/topics/religion/buddhism https://tricycle.org/magazine/noble-eightfold-path/ Support the show Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 8, 2023 · 43 min
Episode 125 - Homelessness
It's no secret that capitalism doesn't take kindly to those caught in the feedback loop of homelessness. How will collapse affect homelessness, and how will homelessness affect collapse? Learn More: How a hard-working, middle-class family spiraled into homelessness - The Boston Globe (archive.ph) State of Homelessness: 2022 Edition - National Alliance to End Homelessness List of sovereign states by homeless population - Wikipedia The Homeless-Poor and the COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Policy of Government: Rethinking the Plight of Homelessness in Nigeria - Cletus O. Obasi, Christopher M. Anierobi, 2021 (sagepub.com) https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/15/briefing/homelessness-america-housing-crisis.html https://www.security.org/resources/homeless-statistics/ https://finance.yahoo.com/photos/10-countries-with-maximum-homeless-people-how-many-homeless-in-india-131259042/20-may-2020-berlin-homeless-123811016.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAE8DpQStyhQ1N60vQOQC4L98ojUCWB-MxV0yyeA---J-YD1oeCBOzMYXibuEEtcbjGk_b2G2OTq7NnWEOScsBmSXHOV7PQKUSYmIj-fC7Vksk8S5SG6HfBD-S5KLgM1pm67QUuKYj_H1u9F8Y1jha4J3bjcgX0U7pDdM4NxjCjHi https://therealdeal.com/2022/12/04/housing-affordability-is-worst-on-record-data-shows/ Support the show Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 1, 2023 · 39 min
Episode 124 - Book Review: Chris Hedges "America, The Farewell Tour"
This week we discuss journalist and author Chris Hedges and his book "America, The Farewell Tour. Learn More: America: The Farewell Tour | Book by Chris Hedges | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster (simonandschuster.com) Support the show Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 25, 2023 · 50 min
Episode 123 - Debt
Consumer and national debts are growing exponentially. The unsustainable nature in which we borrow money in order to maintain our economic system is the perfect definition of a bubble. But when will it burst and what will it look like? Learn More: Americans’ household debt surpasses $16T for first time | The Hill Average American Debt: An Overview | First Republic Bank Household debt soars at fastest pace in 15 years as credit card use surges, Fed report says (cnbc.com) 17 Canadian Household Debt Statistics [Updated in 2022] (reviewlution.ca) Canada Households Credit Market Debt to Disposable Income - 2022 Data - 2023 Forecast (tradingeconomics.com) Debt owned by U.S. households by type 2022 | Statista Car Owners Strain as More Loan Payments Soar to $1,000 - Bloomberg The U.S. Consumer Debt Crisis What is Behind America's Credit Card Debt Crisis? - InvestorsObserver Consumer Debt Isn’t Stressing Banks — Yet - The Washington Post US Economic Collapse: What Would Happen? (thebalancemoney.com) Recession could be U.S. banks’ guilty pleasure | Reuters Will the Banks Collapse? - The Atlantic Consumer debt is at an all-time high. Should banks be worried? | American Banker https://www.truthinaccounting.org/about/our_national_debt?gclid=Cj0KCQiA_P6dBhD1ARIsAAGI7HAGTpK7ZXOnvyAnoyAAysPmvwcwk9qjEl5kA3VyHGzkFfaDwu_67ekaAs4wEALw_wcB https://www.usdebtclock.org/ https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/national-debt/ https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/national-debt/ https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/11/us/politics/debt-ceiling-economy-congress.html Support the show Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 18, 2023 · 44 min
Episode 122 - The Future of Ownership
What is the future of ownership? Is it "The Great Reset" or "Feudalism 2.0"? In this episode we look into the direction we're headed, and the existing theories commonly shared around. Learn More: 8 predictions for the world in 2030 - YouTube The Great Reset | World Economic Forum (weforum.org) Fact check: The World Economic Forum does not have a stated goal to have people own nothing by 2030 | Reuters Who does the World Economic Forum really represent? | Transnational Institute (tni.org) U.S. Wage Growth Fails To Keep Up With Rising Prices For 17 Consecutive Months (forbes.com) America is Becoming a Nation of Renters | 37th Parallel (37parallel.com) Housing affordability collapses at fastest clip on record (axios.com) Household debt soars at fastest pace in 15 years as credit card use surges, Fed report says (cnbc.com) https://www.worldhistory.org/Feudalism/ https://www.firstthings.com/article/2022/01/our-neo-feudal-future Support the show Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 13, 2023 · 30 min
Bonus Episode - 80
Here is a sample of our weekly bonus episodes. You can access all 80 of our bonus episodes by joining us on Patreon ($5/month). Kellan runs through several news stories of the week and their relation to collapse. Learn More: Déjà coup: How election lies sparked the violent attack on Brazil's government | CNN Business Seattle Schools Sue Big Tech Over Youth Mental Health Crisis - Bloomberg Cheddar News on LinkedIn: #poop Elon Musk Has Officially Lost More Of His Own Money Than Anyone In History (buzzfeednews.com) Climate-fueled disasters cost U.S. $165 billion in 2022 : NPR India set to overtake China as world's most populous country in next 3 months: UN report | Fox News Nisha Mehta, MD on LinkedIn: The Coming Collapse of the U.S. Health Care System ‘Terrifying prospect’: Utah’s Great Salt Lake could disappear in 5 years without drastic water conservation – ICMGLT Support the show Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 11, 2023 · 58 min
Episode 121 - Artificial Intelligence (Part 2): Dark Potential
This week we talk about the potentially dark future of AI and what is known as the "singularity", were it able to break the constraints that currently hold it back. Learn More: The Artificial Intelligence Revolution: Part 1 - Wait But Why The Artificial Intelligence Revolution: Part 2 - Wait But Why World’s most powerful AI chatbot ChatGPT will soon ‘look like a boring toy’ says OpenAI boss | The Independent A new experiment: Does AI really know cats or dogs -- or anything? | ZDNET 1.1 quintillion operations per second: US has world’s fastest supercomputer | Ars Technica When will singularity happen? 1700 expert opinions of AGI [2023] (aimultiple.com) Support the show Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 4, 2023 · 52 min
Episode 120: Artificial Intelligence (Part 1): Current Reality
There is a lot of hype, especially recently, around the future of AI. The fact is that AI is present now in our world, for both positive and negative. In this episode we talk about the current reality and near-term expectations of AI, and how it relates to collapse. From surveillance and policing to job and culture loss to deepfakes, AI is helping drive us towards a dystopian future. Learn More: COVID restrictions in India are being enforced by artificial intelligence and facial recognition | Fortune San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors Grants Police More Surveillance Powers | Electronic Frontier Foundation (eff.org) SFPD’s killer robots are off the table for now (sfbayview.com) Actor Goes Viral With Deepfake Star Impressions—How Many Can You Name? (newsweek.com) How ChatGPT actually works (assemblyai.com) https://www.searchenginejournal.com/what-is-chatgpt/473664/ https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/21/technology/personaltech/how-to-use-chatgpt-ethically.html https://builtin.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-replacing-jobs-creating-jobs https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleystahl/2022/05/03/the-rise-of-artificial-intelligence-will-robots-actually-replace-people/?sh=5a88c4403299 https://www.saviom.com/blog/12-jobs-that-robots-ai-will-replace-in-the-future-and-12-that-wont/ https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/02/technology/ai-artificial-intelligence-artists.html https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2022/12/artstation-artists-stage-mass-protest-against-ai-generated-artwork/ Support the show Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 28, 2022 · 1 hr 6 min
Episode 119 - Collapse in 2022
Our second annual installment, discussing the happenings of the previous year and how they relate to collapse. We often forget everything that's happened over the course of just 365 days and stepping back to take it all in can be eye-opening! Learn more: 2022 CPI and Inflation Rate for the United States | CPI Inflation Calculator (2022 Updated Monthly) How Africa Can Escape Chronic Food Insecurity Amid Climate Change (imf.org) Putting Africans at the Heart of Food Security and Climate Resilience (worldbank.org) The top 10 crises the world can't ignore in 2022 | International Rescue Committee (IRC) Fed’s Interest Rate Hikes in 2022 - What the December Raise Means for You (moneycrashers.com) Compare Current Mortgage Rates – Forbes Advisor WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard | WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard With Vaccination Data Weekly confirmed COVID-19 deaths, Dec 20, 2022 (ourworldindata.org) What can explain the excess mortality in the U.S. and Europe in 2022? - Health Feedback 'Tripledemic' Data Shows Cold and Flu Season Is Already Among the Worst on Record - The New York Times (nytimes.com) Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) (noaa.gov) U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis Mass shootings in the US: 2022 could be the second-highest year | CNN Support the show Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 21, 2022 · 45 min
Episode 118 - Narcissism in Leadership
In dire times, such as these, it is more important than ever to have empathetic leaders who strive to do the right thing for their people. So why do we keep electing narcissists? Learn More: Narcissism: 5 Signs to Help You Spot Narcissistic Behavior (webmd.com) Narcissistic personality disorder - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic The Rich Have Higher Level of Narcissism, Study Shows | TIME.com Psychology study indicates that narcissists are more involved in politics than the rest of us (psypost.org) Narcissism: Why It's So Rampant in Politics | Psychology Today The Narcissism Of Politicians - Mental Health Matters Cofe (mentalhealthmatters-cofe.org) The Narcissists Are Running Amok: Many Politicians Are Narcissists -- And Many of Their Followers Are, Too - Alternet.org Professions With the Most Psychopaths (businessinsider.com) https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-disorders/narcissistic-personality-disorder.htm https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/how-narcissistic-leaders-destroy-within https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00773/full https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/narcissistic-traits-leadership/ https://www.psypost.org/2021/02/narcissists-make-their-way-to-ceo-positions-faster-than-their-counterparts-study-finds-59517#:~:text=A%20main%20finding%20that%20has,a%20propensity%20for%20manipulative%20behavior. Support the show Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 14, 2022 · 34 min
Episode 117 - A History of the Railroad and its Strikes in the US
Relevant in the news recently have been the multiple attempts at railroad strikes by unions. What is the cause of these strikes, what impact would they have, and will they continue? Learn More: The Averted National Rail Strike Is a Parable of Contemporary American Capitalism | The New Yorker House passes bills to stop railroad strike, give rail workers more paid sick leave - YouTube Rail Strike Ahead? Why These Workers Rejected The Contract Deal - YouTube Rail Strike: Why The Railroads Won’t Give In on Paid Leave (nymag.com) https://www.up.com/customers/track-record/tr120120-freight-rail-how-much-ships-by-rail.htm https://www.aar.org/topic/industries-we-support/ https://www.aar.org/facts-figures https://www.fb.org/market-intel/farmers-and-ranchers-feel-crunch-of-railway-supply-chain-shortfalls https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/9745 Support the show Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 7, 2022 · 32 min
Episode 116 - Infrastructure Deep Dive: Roads and Public Transport
Infrastructure is the glue that holds our supply chain and economy together. The Army Corps of Engineers rates our roads at a grade of D, and our Public Transport at a D-. 43% of US roads are considered to be in poor or mediocre condition. With a growing backlog ($786 million) of repairs and upgrades needed, it's no mystery that our infrastructure is in a freefall of decay. This episode helps make the case for why a feedback loop of decaying infrastructure leads to collapse. Learn More: Transportation Infrastructure | ASCE's 2021 Infrastructure Report Card Road Infrastructure | ASCE's 2021 Infrastructure Report Card The State of America’s Roads | Busbud blog https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-08/why-building-roads-and-transit-costs-more-in-the-u-s https://transportgeography.org/contents/chapter3/transportation-and-economic-development/ https://transportgeography.org/contents/chapter3/transportation-and-economic-development/ https://transportationtodaynews.com/news/21079-failure-to-address-infrastructure-could-cost-the-10-trillion-in-gdp-report-says/ https://www.motortrend.com/features/american-roads-bridges-need-repairs-now/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/interactive/2021/commute-calculator-pandemic/ https://www.history.com/news/8-ways-roads-helped-rome-rule-the-ancient-world https://www.valuepenguin.com/highway-spending-study Support the show Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 30, 2022 · 35 min
Episode 115 - The Adaptation and Relocation of Fiji and Tuvalu
We know that sea level rise is a real and accelerating threat - but what are nations doing to respond to it? In this episode, we talk about adaptation plans for two different Pacific Island nations: Fiji and Tuvalu. Learn More: https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/08/how-to-move-a-country-fiji-radical-plan-escape-rising-seas-climate-crisis https://www.greenbiz.com/article/what-world-can-learn-fijis-national-climate-strategy https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/24/travel/fiji-global-warming.amp.html Tuvalu unveils Long-Term Adaptation Plan at COP27, a vision for a safe, climate-resilient future — Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project (tcap.tv) COP 27: Tuvalu announces stronger climate targets for 2050 | The Pacific Community (spc.int) Tuvalu Turns to the Metaverse as Rising Seas Threaten Existence (usnews.com) Support the show Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 23, 2022 · 54 min
Episode 114 - Interview with Shaun Chamberlin
Shaun Chamberlin is an author and activist who has been exploring collapse and possible responses for over twenty years. He is the editor of 'Surviving the Future: Culture, Carnival and Capital in the Aftermath of the Market Economy' and his late mentor David Fleming’s 'Lean Logic: A Dictionary for the Future and How to Survive It', as well as executive producer of 2020 film 'The Sequel: What Will Follow Our Troubled Civilisation?' He puts the theory into practice as one of the custodians of Ireland’s legendary free pub ‘The Happy Pig’ and was involved with the Transition Towns movement since its inception, co-founding Transition Town Kingston and authoring the movement’s second book, 'The Transition Timeline', back in 2009. He was also one of the first Extinction Rebellion arrestees, in 2018, and now leads Sterling College’s online program ‘Surviving the Future: Conversations for Our Time’. Shaun’s website: http://darkoptimism.org ‘Surviving the Future: Conversations for Our Times’ courses/community: http://ce.sterlingcollege.edu/surviving-the-future… David Fleming’s books: http://flemingpolicycentre.org.uk/books/ Free access to David Fleming’s Dictionary for the Future and How to Survive It: http://leanlogic.online Support the show Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.