What is The Past That Wasn’t?

Here on Substack, I will be delving into some counterfactual histories to explore some of the wrong turns humanity has taken in its 200,000 year trudge to where we are now, and how our history could have so easily unfolded different. Join me as we traverse the precarious past, imagining it malleable, to search for opportunities where the smallest of changes could result in a world quite different from the one we’re all too familiar with. From antiquity to the data age, from the heart of Rome to the corridors of the White House, the past is littered with missed opportunities for a better today, and by exposing these opportunities and the characters who surrounded them, we emphasise the autonomous power of individuals. 

Why subscribe?

Subscribe for free to get access to the occasional alternative history and access to the newsletter and website. But to get access to ‘What if’ pieces I’ll be writing and regularly posting, you need to subscribe. Subscribers also get access to the entire archive of The Past That Wasn’t, as well as being able to comment on my posts. So do consider becoming a paid subscriber. To ensure that funds do not provide a significant obstacle for those interested in my work, the monthly subscription will be £3.50 per month (the lowest option on Substack), or only £20 for an entire year; a real bargain.

Stay up-to-date

You won’t have to worry about missing anything. Every new edition of the newsletter goes directly to your inbox.

Other Work

You can sign up to my free monthly newsletter that will detail all the other work I do by going to https://rupertread.net/.

Join the crew

Be part of a community of people who share your interests.

To find out more about the company that provides the tech for this newsletter, visit Substack.com.

Subscribe to The Past That Wasn't

Wrong Turns in Human History and How They Could Have Gone Right

People

I am the co-director of the Climate Majority Project, a former Professor of Philosophy at the University of East Anglia, and the author of several books including Do You Want to Know the Truth, This Civilisation Is Finished and Parents For A Future.