The Meaning of the Titanic

The Titanic disaster of 1912 has been endlessly rehashed and scrutinized in books, films, videos, TV shows and every other kind of media. But few of these presentations try to pin down what the disaster really means, and what its place is in history. In this video, I will take a comprehensive look at the meaning of the Titanic disaster, which involves the coming of World War I, gender, ethnicity, colonialism, technology, philosophy and even music. This video goes in a lot of different directions--use the chapters to navigate!

Some selected sources mentioned in the video:

(Note, my Substack and Patreon are no longer active).

Chapters:
00:00-06:44: Intro & Road Map
06:44-10:52: Most Historians Don't Think It Means Anything
10:52-23:46: Titanic as Industrial Technology
23:46-33:23: The Titanic & Ireland
33:23-40:40: Women (And Men) on the Titanic
40:40-52:11: Race, Ethnicity & Colonialism
52:11-57:51: Labor & the Titanic
57:51-58:58: How to Support My Work
58:58-1:06:20: The Proud Tower
1:06:20-1:15:13: Quiver Theory
1:15:13-1:22:46: The Other Quivers
1:22:46-1:29:19: The Psychological Quivers - Jung & Meidner
1:29:19-1:33:49: Quivers of a Future Catastrophe?
1:33:49-1:37:40: The Cult of Technology
1:37:40-1:40:37: Summing Up
1:40:37-1:44:02: Conclusion - 5 Days After

[RatOnDaKeys]

Youtube needs more longform educational content from academics. This video is a prime example. A higher standard of content vs shortform clickbaity History content. Keep up the great work.

[Corey-jg]

Videos about the Titanic are a dime a dozen, but I love how you approached this as a lens to explore so much else. It's the long, complicated part of history-- but also what I love about it.

[sarahbrown]

Just wanna say that I’m so glad you decided to continue the long form content here. I found your channel through the Iran contra video and I think I’ve watched basically everything you’ve posted now lmao. I studied history in college and I really missed having access to people with your level of expertise who communicate without the youtube clickbait history stuff. You’re a great teacher and I look forwards to whatever you choose to talk about next :)

[reygordo]

Stick to the long form please. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.

[DataLal]

At the start of every single long-form video of yours (that I've seen, anyway), you say you don't expect people to watch straight through from start to finish, and to use the chapters to nagivate the video instead. I don't think I'm an outlier when I say that I LOVE watching these videos from beginning to end in one sitting. It's like a fascinating University lecture with fun "slides" and book props to boot, or a great book I have to keep reading into the night because I can't put it down. Although considering the office setting, it also resembles the best Office Hours with a prof EVER.

Still, I appreciate that you DO make the effort to put in chapters with titles for these videos - it gives my ADHD brain guideposts to latch onto so I'm less likely to veer off into the comment section [while the video is still playing], or go off on an internal tangent - which means less having to repeat sections of the video [3-5 times until my brain finally pays attention] or just give up trying, thereby missing valuable information that I could have otherwise gleaned. The best teachers also divide their lectures into chapters, or sections, to keep interest going. So, all this is to say: you're an excellent, engaging teacher, and please keep the long-form videos coming!

[profmcthicccums]

Even having watched several of your longform videos, I didn't expect this to be so riveting. Thank you for doing this and making it available for free!

[MrNb]

I've been a history fan for a long time. Most youtube history content isn't brand new information to me. This channel is different. I'm constantly learning new things here. Thanks!

[cathe]

Dude! So good. I like your "quiver" theory and think it's got merit. I like long lectures and your style and concise-ness (probably not a word) keep me very engaged.

[StopLookingAtMyAmygdala]

Best channel on YouTube right now. Criminally underrated.

[rainingfallout]

Such a shame such quality content doesn't get the veiws it deserves

[tonymontana]

You're a great historian. I think that historians more than anybody else need to approach historical events through various lenses and that is exactly what you do with every video. Very educational and informative, thank you!

[Tiglath-PileserXIX]

Sean, that was AMAZING. I am not an expert in history. History was an idle interest of mine. My profession has nothing to do with history. Barbara Tuchman was my original inspiration. The early 20th century is my favourite topic. Thank you for putting all these issues together in one compact story.

[SaintRanbow]

This was one of the most well said and thought provoking videos I think I’ve watched on YouTube in some time. In particular I feel humbled by your theory that we are currently feeling the quivers of another great catastrophe due to our belief in the cult of technology and I cannot stress enough how profound you putting it that way in relation to one of history’s great tragedies the titanic is, and that much like that poor woman clutching a St. Bernard in the frozen Atlantic we may all be bodies grimly disposed of by value too if we do not start making more thoughtful and future positive decisions as a society. This video truly felt like being shaken to my senses almost and again I can’t thank you enough for making it. I’d really love to see your channel get more views because this was truly a masterful video.

[TheGangsterousG]

This is probably one of the best videos I've seen on YouTube. What a wonderful angle on the Titanic disaster.

[jaded_burgher]

Just found your channel yesterday through your epic of debunking JFK conspiracies, I love your form of organization in your essays, it makes it very accessible and shows how passionate you truly are about reclaiming history especially with all the slop these days. Anyways, keep it up man, subscriber for life! ❤️👍

[stevef]

Just found your content. Loved the Amway video. Been a Titanic “fan” for 45 years and this is a great video. Love how you tied social trends and connected other historical events. So many study and write on the Titanic in a singular manner. Great stuff.😊

[rycolligan]

Your point about the oblivious hubris preceding WWI being recapitulated in our present epoch is something I have been telling my friends ad nauseum for nearly ten years. I greatly appreciate the effort you put into elucidating the threads tied to this event.

[rootstockdesigninc.]

Outstanding video - these long form videos of yours are brilliant and utterly engrossing - you are the least pretentious, and most well written historian I’ve encountered in a very long while - the scope of detail explored enriches the history you’re constructing and narrating - truly a thing of beauty - thank you

[radkobachvaroff]

You knocked it out of the park with this Sean. I really enjoy the idea of a quiver

[sharonshea]

Your intelligent, long videos are the best thing on youtube. This one, plus the one on Manson and the one about Watergate, are amazing. The one on Watergate was so amazing I watched it a second time on the same day. It's such a relief from all the short, meaningless fluff. Bravo to you, Sean.