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Ben Wilson | QCODE

Anyone who has achieved greatness has, in part, patterned themselves after those who came before. Napoleon learned from Charlemagne, Charlemagne learned from Caesar, and Caesar learned from Alexander the Great. This podcast analyzes the lives of some of the greatest men and women to ever live. By examining their strategies, tactics, mindset, and work habits, How to Take Over the World helps you understand the great ones, so that you can follow in their footsteps.

How to Take Over the World

The second half of Nietzsche's life, and his teachings about the superhuman (ubermensch) the last man, and the will to power.

00:00 Nietzsche's Radical Response to the Death of God02:20 Nietzsche's Life and Career06:00 Nietzsche's Views on Nationalism and Antisemitism17:00 Nietzsche's Personal Struggles and Relationships19:00 Nietzsche's Major Works and Philosophical Contributions33:00 Debating the Cause of Nietzsche's Death38:00 The Philosophy of the Superhuman51:00 The Aristocratic Society57:30 Will to Power: Nietzsche's Core Doctrine01:07:30 Nietzsche's Philosophy Summarized01:15:00 Nietzsche's Popularity and Misinterpretations

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Nietzsche and the Superhuman (Part 2)

This episode covers the first half of Friedrich Nietzsche's life, his concept "the death of God" and master vs slave morality.

00:00 - Nietzsche's Radical Philosophy

01:20- The Life of Friedrich Nietzsche: Early Years

04:00 - Nietzsche's Academic Journey

08:30 - The Influence of Schopenhauer and Wagner

18:30 - Nietzsche's First Major Work: The Birth of Tragedy

25:39 - The Controversy and Criticism

30:00 - Nietzsche's Non-Systematic Approach

32:10 - The Death of God

37:30 - The Origins of Morality

40:45 - Christianity and Slave Morality

47:45 - Nietzsche's Critique of Modern Europe

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Nietzsche and the Death of God (Part 1)

For centuries, Rome grew unchecked, until one man was able to reverse their fortunes, and free his country. On this episode, we take a look at the story of Arminius, and what it teaches us about how to overcome an unstoppable force.

00:00 Battle of the Teutoburg Forest

03:00 Introduction to Arminius

05:40 Understanding the Germanic Tribes

13:00 Arminius' Early Life and Roman Service

21:00 The Rebellion Begins

25:00 Varus's Leadership in Germany

27:23 The Battle of Teutoburg Forest Revisited

31:30 Aftermath and Roman Reaction

34:20 Arminius' Legacy and Influence

46:20 Lessons from Arminius' Life

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Arminius: The Man Who Defeated Rome

Is Roger Federer the greatest tennis player of all time? Despite not being the winningest player, many people make exactly that argument. What is it about Federer that inspires such admiration, and why can he rightly be called the greatest of all time?

00:00 Introduction: The Enigma of Roger Federer

01:00 Federer's Unique Playfulness

03:45 Early Life and Childhood

05:00 Adolescence and Early Tennis Career

07:30 Struggles and Triumphs in Junior Tennis

22:00 The Turning Point: Peter Carter's Influence

33:00 The Federer Era

40:00 The Rise of Rafael Nadal

50:00 Federer's Late Career Resurgence

56:00 The 2017 Australian Open Comeback

01:06:40 Federer's Final Years and Retirement

01:08:30 Reflections on Federer's Career and Legacy

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Roger Federer

This is an episode of Becoming the Main Character, which you can find wherever you get your podcasts.

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Lord of the Rings

Alex Petkas joins to discuss the great Roman general Scipio Africanus, his relationship with Hannibal, his strategic military victories, and his legacy. 

00:00 Introduction and Special Announcement

03:00 Scipio's Background

12:30 The Capture of New Carthage

19:30 Political Maneuvering and the Road to Consul

26:30 The North African Campaign

37:30 The Meeting of Hannibal and Scipio

43:00 Scipio's Political Career and Rivalry with Cato

50:00 Scipio's Legacy

56:50 Introduction to the Classical Society

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Scipio Africanus (with Alex Petkas)

How Joan of Arc went from a small peasant girl to determining the fate of nations, and what it tells us about the power of belief.

0:00 Was Joan a visionary of a schizophrenic?

03:00 Setting the Stage: France in Turmoil

07:00 The English Invasion and the Battle of Agincourt

21: The Siege of Orleans

28:16 Joan's Audacious Letter to the King of England

33:51 Joan's First Victory

40:00 The Turning Point

42:15 March to Reims and the Anointing of Charles

47:00 The Siege of Paris and Joan's Capture

53:20 Joan's Trial and Conviction

01:03:30 Joan's Legacy and Strategy

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Joan of Arc

Jefferson rebounds from his disastrous and governorship and personal loss to create a political legacy that would define a nation.

00:00 Introduction and Recap

02:30 Jefferson's Role as Ambassador to France

08:00 Jefferson's Return and Political Feuds

15:50 The Formation of Political Parties

23:55 Jefferson's Vice Presidency and Media Strategy

27:45 Jefferson's Election and Hamilton's Influence

30:00 The Evolution of the Democratic-Republican Party

32:30 Jefferson's Inauguration and Early Presidency

38:00 The Louisiana Purchase

42:00 Jefferson's Second Term Troubles

47:15 Post-Presidency and Founding the University of Virginia

50:00 Jefferson's Final Days

52:25 Legacy and Lessons from Jefferson's Life

Thomas Jefferson (Part 2)

How did Thomas Jefferson overcome failure after failure to become the most significant politician of the early American Republic? On this episode we examine his habits, tactics, approach, and life up until his service in the Washington administration.

00:00 The Misunderstood President: Thomas Jefferson's Early Failures

02:15 Introduction 

04:45 Jefferson's Early Life and Education

09:35 Jefferson's Personal Habits and Philosophies

12:30 Jefferson's Political Beginnings and the Fight Against Slavery

15:55 The Road to Independence: Jefferson's Writing and Influence

20:00 Jefferson's Rise in the Continental Congress

27:45 Drafting the Declaration of Independence

30:15 The Eloquence of Jefferson's Writing

37:00 The Final Edits and Adoption of the Declaration

42:00 Jefferson's Post-Declaration Achievements

47:20 Jefferson's Governorship and Personal Tragedy

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Thomas Jefferson (Part 1)

Hannibal Barca was Rome's greatest enemy. What was it about his strategies and leadership style that allowed him to haunt Romans' nightmares for centuries?

00:00 Introduction to Hannibal's Legendary Campaign
01:40 Sponsor Message: Gains in Bulk
02:20 Setting the Stage: Hannibal's Underdog Strategy
03:15 Hannibal's Arrival in Italy and Initial Tactics
09:30 The Trebia River Battle: A Crushing Roman Defeat
17:30 Hannibal's Second Great March
22:08 The Battle of Lake Trasimene: Hannibal's Perfect Ambush
30:50 Prelude to Cannae: Motivational Speeches and Strategies
39:30 Hannibal's Tactical Mastery at Cannae
41:00 The Aftermath and Roman Resilience
43:00 Hannibal's Missed Opportunity and Roman Defiance
46:00 Rome's Relentless Spirit and Selective Irrationality
48:30 Hannibal's Strategic Retreat and the Long War
56:30 The Final Confrontation: Battle of Zama
01:00:00 Hannibal's Legacy and Final Years
01:09:30 Main Takeaway: The Power of Relentlessness

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Rome's Revenge: Hannibal Part 2

Part 1 covers the the rise of the Wright Brothers, and how they went from frontier bicycle salesmen to aviation researchers. This episode covers some of their early insights into flight, and how their ability to frame the problem of flight differently led to their unparalleled success.

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Premium Feed - To hear every episode as it comes out, including endnotes, bonus episodes, and mini-episodes.

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Sources:

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

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Writing, production, and sound design by Ben Wilson.

Wright Brothers (Part 1)

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