We are surrounded by enormous tension in the West: wars on multiple fronts, mass migrations and diasporas in the millions, and worldwide technological innovation at a speed unseen in history. Posterity can only imagine the pressure our world is experiencing right now.

In Edeneum's 4th salon, we spent some time with Thucydides and his History of the Peloponnesian War to understand how power, fear, and ambition—all ingredients for pressure—can shed light on today's struggles.

We were fortunate to bring together founders, scholars, enthusiasts, and startup society builders for a lively discussion. About 10 participants gathered—some virtually, others in person from Network School @ns.com—including newcomers and veterans, to bridge classical wisdom with the network state vision inspired by Balaji Srinivasan.

We kicked off with quick introductions, highlighting the diverse backgrounds in our group. It was inspiring to see how Network School and pop-up cities like Zuzalu are drawing us together—proving the Network State spirit is real!

If you're reading this, you're likely interested in building or joining a network state. To begin building our bridge, we asked ourselves:

We wanted to discover the real cause of the Peloponnesian War: the fear sparked by Athens' rising power alarming Sparta. This sparked lively debates on structural fear versus stated reasons for conflict.

We came to understand that fear of relative power shift was the main catalyst that drove and sustained the conflict. It didn't matter how many alliances or treaties a government had—if fear is present, conflict will arise.

The Athens versus Sparta archetypes run deep—they reveal how much of our world is still shaped by these types today. Athens embodied innovation and speed—restless in spirit, drawn to literature and ideas ("move fast and break things while enjoying the ride"). Sparta represented stability and consolidation—staying true to their roots ("slow and steady"). Can you identify either of these types within yourself? What other types do you think existed in antiquity or modern times? After all, Thucydides did say that his work was "for all time."

The fact is that both systems were valid on their own terms, but they cannot thrive together—restless powers seem aggressive; stable ones appear weak. These perceptions are relative. Athens seemed aggressive only because of Sparta's slowness. That doesn't mean "slow and steady" is bad. Likewise, just because Athens saw stability as weakness doesn't mean restlessness is good.

The group drew parallels between the ancient conflict and modern U.S.–China relations:

This tension mirrors Athens and Sparta—innovation versus preservation—suggesting a new kind of Thucydidean trap in the age of globalized interdependence. But here's the trick: who is Sparta and who is Athens? You could argue that China is Athens—expanding real estate and commercial activity worldwide while exporting most of the world's manufactured goods. Or you could argue that the U.S. is Athens—building the power of the mind through rapid technological breakthroughs in LLMs and robotics. Then again, you could just as easily argue that China is Sparta… or that the U.S. is Sparta. This is a genuinely difficult Thucydides Trap.

One thing is certain: there is another player—waves of people uninterested in US-China rivalry, focused instead on choosing their own path. These individuals are the Moses of the Exodus, the Puritans of the Mayflower—builders of a network state.

We're grateful for this growing community—your presence makes these salons feel like home.

Join us for the next salon this Sunday—RSVP on Luma! Subscribe to our Beehiiv for more updates: edeneum.beehiiv.com. Questions? Reply to this email—we'd love to hear from you! Looking forward to seeing you Sunday! Let's keep bridging philosophy and network states.

Best,

The Edeneum Team

P.S. Special thanks to all participants for the vibrant discussion.

If you attended and want a POAP, reach out!

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