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“I Was Wrong”: Why the Civil War Is Running Late - Rudyard Lynch (WhatIfAltHist) 2026 Update
Dad Saves AmericaI sat down with Rudyard Lynch, creator of "WhatIfAltHist" and "History102," to revisit his civil war prediction. He argues that the current psychological crisis is delaying an inevitable political crisis, drawing on the Mouse Utopia experiment, screen addiction, and the decay of internet discourse. Rudyard reflects on what he got right, what he got wrong, and why embracing honor culture might be our path back to sanity. We also get into the relationship between Christianity and socialism, the role of masculinity in leadership, and why “reasonable liberals” fail to confront the Marxist threat. Subscribe and ring the notification bell so you don’t miss a single video! Follow Rudyard on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/whatifalthist Check out WhatIfAltHist: https://www.youtube.com/Whatifalthist Check out History102: https://www.youtube.com/@History102-qg5oj _____________________________________ Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/ Another great way to support our work is by visiting our curated Amazon shop featuring our guests’ books and dad stuff I actually use. This channel earns a commission on qualifying purchases. Please visit & bookmark: https://www.amazon.com/shop/dadsavesamerica Visit Dad Saves America on Substack: https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/ Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website? _____________________________________ Outline: [0:00] Updated civil war predictions [4:32] Antisemitism and Israel discourse [14:02] Psychological and political crises [25:18] Socialism, Nietzsche, and nihilism [33:28] The Age of the Last Men [39:03] Woodrow Wilson and the rise of progressivism [46:30] “The system,” society, and bureaucracy [57:01] Why decency dies on the internet [1:02:46] Is good leadership fundamentally “masculine”? [1:06:29] Sex differences vs. sexism [1:12:35] Why faith in honor culture matters [1:20:42] Did Christianity give birth to socialism? [1:30:34] Stephen Pinker and the “reasonable liberal” problem [1:39:22] “Progress” is just spiritual sterilization [1:43:50] “Rationalists” are just conformists [1:49:53] Classical liberals overplayed the equality card [1:53:47] Are libertarian values still valid in our culture? [2:01:14] Victim culture on the right [2:05:29] The neo-middle ages [2:10:56] Is broad social trust still feasible? [2:17:41] Why you should unplug from the internet Dad Saves America explores the philosophies and practical steps we need to raise capable, curious, independent adults ready to thrive in a virtuous free society... and want to keep it that way. We’ve had all sorts of experts in the studio, including Jonathan Haidt, Dr. Drew, Michael Shellenberger, Bret Weinstein, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Adam Carolla. #civilwar #nihilism #nietzsche8.9K views 14 comments