Historian, author, and storyteller Daniele Bolelli (@DBolelli) joins Daniel for a wide-ranging conversation about living through a moment of extraordinary change. Together, they explore the forces reshaping human life — from technology and environmental disruption to changing food systems, cultural upheaval, and the possibility of societal collapse.
They look to history, Taoism, animism, and ancient religion for clues about how humans have navigated uncertainty before, while asking what spiritual practice, community, purpose, and personal agency can offer us now. Daniele also opens up about grief, fatherhood, resilience, and finding meaning in the midst of chaos.
Rather than trying to predict where civilization is headed, this conversation asks a more personal question: How do we remain grounded, connected, and fully alive when the world around us is changing faster than ever?
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Daniele Bolleli
Daniele Bolelli is an Italian writer, university lecturer, martial artist, and podcaster based in Southern California. He is the author of several books on philosophy, and martial arts, including On the Warrior's Path. Known for his writing since the 1990s in Italy and the early 2000s in the United States, Bolelli rose to greater public prominence in the 2010s, beginning with his appearances on popular podcasts such as The Joe Rogan Experience. He went on to create his own podcasts, and has hosted The Drunken Taoist since 2012 and History on Fire since 2015.
Bolelli holds M.As in American Indian Studies and history from UCLA and California State University, Long Beach, and did postdoctoral research in history at Cardiff University. As a professor, he has taught a wide variety of courses in the arts, humanities, and social sciences on topics including Native American history and culture, Taoist philosophy, and Ancient Rome. He teaches at CSULB and Santa Monica College.