The Adventure of Adventure: History of an Obsession in Western Culture

Dr. Laird Easton, 
History Professor, 
CSU, Chico 

Adventure has been a keyword in Western culture since the Middle Ages, according to Laird Easton, Professor in the Department of History at CSU, Chico.  In this History Public Lecture, Easton explores the cultural and biological roots of adventure, demonstrates the importance of adventure in the rise of Europe, and discusses its connections to both capitalism and to a modern sense of boredom. He concludes with an account of the tension between adventure and boredom in the twentieth century that he calls “The Three Empires.” 

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Recorded: February 7, 2013