Are we doomed?

Are we doomed?

From Landslide by NPR

April 28, 2026 · 38 min · Season 1 · Episode 17

About this episode

The episode explores the warning signs of societal collapse in the United States through historical perspectives and expert insights.

Historically, societies fall. Civilizations collapse. But is that what’s happening now in the United States? With the help of historians, a former CIA-funded researcher on political instability, and one grumbling dad, Ben Bradford looks at the warning signs that can precede collapse — from polarization and political division to outside shocks and cascading crises. How much of that is visible in America right now? What would collapse actually look like in modern life? And if the alarms are blinking, is there still time to turn back? Listen to more of the new series from the creator of Landslide !

People in this episode

Host: Ben Bradford

Topics covered

  • societal collapse
  • political instability
  • historical analysis
  • polarization
  • cascading crises

Keywords

  • collapse
  • civilizations
  • political division
  • historical societies
  • warning signs

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: CIA

Places: United States

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