Haley Kynefin – Medium

Haley Kynefin
in
Power Lines

Civilization on Steroids: Inside the Mind-Logic of the Devouring Empire

The beast of empire is the “city-state” turned cancerous. Its hunger for growth is eternal, and its logic has changed the world forever.

13 min readFeb 29, 2020

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Civilization on Steroids: Inside the Mind-Logic of the Devouring Empire

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Haley Kynefin
in
Power Lines

A Beginner’s Geography Lesson

Maps are more than simply mirrors reflecting the world as it is. They are also stories about power. Learn to see the world through new…

19 min readOct 17, 2019

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A Beginner’s Geography Lesson

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Haley Kynefin
in
Power Lines

Border Walls, Alliances and Blurry Identities: Nomadic Peoples and the Early Empire

The first border walls were built to draw a line between nomads and the newly-”civilized”. But were they really such polarized identities?

20 min readSep 26, 2019

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Border Walls, Alliances and Blurry Identities: Nomadic Peoples and the Early Empire

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Haley Kynefin
in
The Startup

An Introduction to Indie Social Media, Part One: The diaspora* Overview

Social media behemoths have conquered our data and our the landscapes of our attention. How can we start to diversify our digital networks?

10 min readAug 22, 2019

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An Introduction to Indie Social Media, Part One: The diaspora* Overview

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Haley Kynefin

Vagrant Hearts: The Illegal History of the Nomadic Life

Since the dawn of civilization, nations have tried to contain and strangle the free heart of the wanderer.

20 min readJul 11, 2019

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Vagrant Hearts: The Illegal History of the Nomadic Life

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Haley Kynefin
in
Power Lines

Fuel of the First Kingdoms: The Grain and Manpower Module

Every system needs “food” — or energy — to function. On what did the first state institutions feed?

16 min readJun 19, 2019

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Fuel of the First Kingdoms: The Grain and Manpower Module

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Haley Kynefin
in
Power Lines

Power in Hand: How Trade, the Temple, and War Gave the First States Control

How did the first states gain control over their people? I discuss it in three stages based on Michael Mann’s sociology.

16 min readMay 23, 2019

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Power in Hand: How Trade, the Temple, and War Gave the First States Control

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Haley Kynefin
in
Power Lines

Myth vs. Fact in the State of Nature: Hunter-Gatherers and Life Before the State

What was life like before government? We examine whether the Hobbesian “state of nature” is fact or fiction. What does the evidence say?

20 min readApr 26, 2019

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Myth vs. Fact in the State of Nature: Hunter-Gatherers and Life Before the State

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Haley Kynefin
in
Power Lines

A Perfect Recipe for a State: How Rivers and Cages Birthed Civilization

Sociologist Michael Mann upends traditional narratives on civilization’s origins, arguing the state was the rare result of unique…

14 min readMar 27, 2019

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A Perfect Recipe for a State: How Rivers and Cages Birthed Civilization

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Haley Kynefin
in
Power Lines

What Forms Does Government Take? Merchant, Soldier, Sage

Last time we examined common oppositions to the idea of direct democracy, and where those oppositions come from. Later on, we’ll ask…

9 min readMar 1, 2019

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What Forms Does Government Take? Merchant, Soldier, Sage

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Haley Kynefin

Haley Kynefin

I study myth, power and social structures. Particularly: How do states gain power through narrative? How do individuals & groups dare to resist that power?

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