103: Beyond the River of Doubt: Into the Amazon Made You Think

“But at a purely personal level, Rondon embodied the best of both modern and old-fashioned virtues. He was intensely and genuinely patriotic, adhered to traditional codes of honor, bravery, and chivalry, and repeatedly demonstrated a moral rectitude that, enhanced a character both ascetic and abstemious, impressed those who regularly came into contact with him."
Welcome back to another episode of Made You Think! In this episode, we're picking up the conversation on our favorite Brazilian explorer, Cândido Rondon, with Into the Amazon. Rohter's book dives into the untold stories of Rondon and Roosevelt, shining a spotlight on the uncharted territories, unique challenges, and extraordinary legacies left behind in the heart of the Amazon.
We cover a wide range of topics including:
Rondon's unique approach to exploration Animal and plant life within the Amazon How Rondon navigated each obstacle from sickness to river crossings Technology's impact on different generations The relationship between tech and human intelligence And much more. Please enjoy, and make sure to follow Nat, Neil, and Adil on Twitter and share your thoughts on the episode.
Links from the Episode:
Mentioned in the Show:
Rondônia (2:10) Joe Rogan Experience #2013 – Paul Rosolie (4:55) Positivism (10:58) AI podcast episode - Joe Rogan and Steve Jobs (18:14) Meta's AI characters (22:46) Pavlok(24:19)  Idiocracy (1:07:42) Apple Vision Pro (1:25:35) Books Mentioned:
Homo Deus (0:13) (Book Episode) (Nat’s Book Notes) Infinite Jest (0:15) (Book Episode I) (Book Episode II) (Nat’s Book Notes) The River of Doubt (Book Episode) Mother of God (5:00) Seeing Like a State (45:02) (Book Episode) (Nat's Book Notes) What Your Food Ate (45:40) (Book Episode) Einstein’s Dreams (1:29:02) The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying (1:31:53) Surfaces and Essences (1:32:30) Metaphors We Live By (1:32:47) Novacene (1:33:45) Atlas Shrugged (1:35:10) (Book Episode) (Nat’s Book Notes) Israel: A History (1:37:10)  People Mentioned:
Cândido Rondon (1:55) Paul Rosolie (4:55) Show Topics:
(0:00) Today, we're venturing into the heart of the Amazon rainforest, as we discuss Into the Amazon by Larry Rohter. Though not a direct sequel, it spins off of a previous episode on The River of Doubt, and gives us more insight into the life of Cândido Rondon.
(1:57) In the era of great explorers, Rondon's discoveries were often overshadowed by the Europeans. Though he is very well-respected in Brazil, his accomplishments aren't as widely known in the US.
(6:18) We talk a bit about Paul Rosolie and his preservation efforts in the Amazon rainforest, as well as why the forest felt empty in terms of wildlife throughout their exploration. 
(8:41) Rondon's peaceful demeanor and rationalist approach. He had a high tolerance and respect for the native tribes that he came across, and in return, they embraced him and his crew.
(12:12) In addition to being an explorer, Rondon was a soldier. We also talk about Brazil's infrastructure advancements and how Rondon viewed the natives as Brazilian, whereas the Brazilian government hardly saw them as part of their people.
(15:48) The friendship between Cândido Rondon and Theodore Roosevelt, and Roosevelt's profound respect for Rondon. We witness how Roosevelt's initial perception of Rondon transformed during their shared journeys, shedding light on Roosevelt's character and open-mindedness.
(20:43) The rich history of Rondon's story is preserved through detailed diaries and journals kept by the explorers. The survival of these records is nothing short of miraculous when you consider the conditions they were in on their journey.
(22:21) Meta's new AI features where you can talk to different personalities, based on the topics that you're interested in.
(25:35) Rondon had opoprtunities to go down many paths in his life. He had developed several unique skills very early on in his childhood, yet exploring the Amazon