The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 made the world all too familiar with catastrophe, and the fall of Afghanistan in 2021 seems to be continuing that trend. So how do we make sense of all this chaos and disaster? Glenn has a conversation with historian and professor Niall Ferguson, whose latest book, “DOOM: The Politics of Catastrophe,” argues that there’s a human element to every catastrophe, from an earthquake to an economic collapse. Niall and Glenn break down some of today’s biggest disasters: why COVID-19 is our “domestic Vietnam,” why we’re already in a cold war with China, the internet and cryptocurrency’s effects on society, and why a massive course correction could soon come in the form of Donald Trump’s return. And Niall gives a historian’s prediction on how future generations will look back on this divisive era.

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