The American Southwest

The American Southwest

Author: Myth of the 20th Century - "Only the truth is banned." May 25, 2026 Duration: 2:20:55

From the towering red cliffs to the scorching deserts of the American Southwest, people have always lived by the natural beauty of the landscape - and died by the scarcity of resources and the violence incumbent on the populations that have passed through. After the Pleistocene glaciation carved much of the dramatic rock faces and left verdant streams, agricultural civilizations rose and gave way to more nomadic and violent ones as the waters receded and the deserts we know today took hold. Only until recently, however, has the Sunbelt as its economic promoters like to call it seen significant population growth, enabled by vast public waterworks and electrification have allowed desert oases like Phoenix to arise with their year round golf courses and clubhouse air conditioning. Historically, very few people were able to call the desert home, which became infamous for attracting those looking to start over, or just simply disappear. Today we are joined by Thomas Wayne Riley, resident and host of ‘The American Southwest’ podcast to talk about the region’s history and what the future may bring.

-- Brought to you by --

Very special guest Thomas Wayne Riley

@ThomasWayneRil1

https://www.theamericansouthwest.com/

with Adam Smith

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-- References --

- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Leone (1966)

- The Mission, Joffe (1986)

- Cadillac Desert, Reisner (1986)

- Casino, Scorsese (1995)

- Man Corn - Cannibalism and Violence in the Prehistoric American Southwest, Turner (1999)

- Apocalypto, Gibson (2006)

- Breaking Bad, Gilligan (2008)

- Cadillac Desert - The American West and Its Disappearing Water, Myth of the 20th Century (2022) - https://myth20c.wordpress.com/2022/08/30/cadillac-desert-the-american-west-and-its-disappearing-water/



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Myth of the 20th Century is a show that digs into the stories we think we know and examines the forces that shaped them. Guided by the principle "Only the truth is banned," this podcast peels back the layers of official narratives, exploring the intersections of history, current events, and power. Each episode is a deep dive into the foundational myths-political, social, and cultural-that define our modern world, particularly those emanating from and surrounding the American experience. The analysis is grounded in a belief that what is often presented as settled history is anything but, and that contemporary headlines cannot be fully understood without this crucial context. You'll hear detailed explorations of pivotal events, ideological movements, and the figures who championed or challenged them, all framed by a critical perspective that questions mainstream consensus. This isn't a recitation of dates and names, but a connective investigation into how the past actively informs the present. For those who find standard historical accounts lacking or suspect that news cycles are missing crucial depth, this podcast offers a different lens. It’s for listeners who want their history and politics presented without the usual filters, where the focus is on the underlying patterns and enduring consequences of twentieth-century dogma and ambition. Tune in for a challenging and consistently detailed audit of the century that made us, asking persistently whether the sun truly never sets on the American empire or if that itself is the most potent myth of all.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Myth of the 20th Century
Podcast Episodes
Shadow Banking - with Stormy Waters - After Dark (Myth20c - 287) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:03:55
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Fires, Floods, and FEMA - After Dark (Myth20c - Ep286) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Alexander the Great - with James LaFond (Myth20c - Ep285) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:58:50
Born into royalty in 356BC and tutored by none other than Aristotle himself, Alexander the Great was born into power and privilege. While lesser men would have opted for a life of ease and erudition - Alexander set out o…
2024 - Year in Review (Myth20c - Ep284) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:58:10
Plutarch, who lived in a Greek province during the height of the Roman Empire, is widely regarded for his biographies of great leaders in the ancient world. In his work on Tiberius Gracchus, a Roman politician killed for…
The Cultured Thug Handbook (Myth20c - Ep283) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:32
In the history of Western civilization, there have been periods of relative peace, followed by stagnation, war and rebirth. This cycle has repeated multiple times, and is seemingly brought about by inexorable cultural pr…
Charles Haywood - The Worthy House (Myth20c - Ep282) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:51
In the arena of competing ideas of the political right, some have argued for allowing the rot in the system to fall away and collapse, while others have advocated for taking a chainsaw to the problems. Our guest, Mr. Cha…
Elon Musk (Myth20c - Ep281) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:59:34
Legend has it that before setting out for the Trans-Antarctic Expedition in 1914, Ernest Shackleton posted an ad in a London newspaper proclaiming, "Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of…
Return of the Champion - James LaFond - After Dark (Myth20c - 280) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:31:01
America has a relatively short modern history, often glossed over by historians more interested in the old and ancient world. To author and independent historian James LaFond, however, this has created an opportunity to…
Masters of Doom - After Dark (Myth20c - Ep279) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:04:55
On December 10th, 1993, Id Software released the video game Doom, unleashing a wave of digital monsters on millions of plasma rifle wielding gamers eagerly awaiting this genre-piercing work of action horror. Considered t…