42. The Wild West
Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine the Wild West as both historical reality and cultural myth, exploring the violent expansion westward, the near-extermination of buffalo and Native Americans, and how the mythology of cowboys and gunslingers became central to American identity and global popular culture.
Summary
The hosts begin by discussing their personal connections to the American West - Holland's travels to Wyoming and Montana driven by his interest in paleontology, and both hosts' childhood exposure to Western mythology through 1970s British popular culture. They explore the religious dimensions of westward expansion, particularly the concept of Manifest Destiny and its roots in Puritan theology, though Holland argues the expansion was primarily driven by greed rather than religious conviction.
The discussion turns to the devastating environmental and human costs of westward expansion. They detail the near-complete destruction of the buffalo population (from 60 million to 541 between the late 18th century and 1889) and the dramatic decline of Native American populations (from 5-10 million to 250,000 by 1890). The hosts examine how the railroad facilitated this destruction and opened up the West to systematic exploitation.
They analyze key figures like George Custer, whom Holland describes as charismatic despite being terrible, noting how Custer cultivated his celebrity image through journalists and understood the emerging media landscape. The Civil War's aftermath created a power vacuum that allowed the West to become truly 'wild,' with federal authority unable to control vast territories.
The conversation explores Frederick Jackson Turner's frontier thesis and its influence on American identity, particularly concepts of self-reliance, democracy, and masculinity embodied by the cowboy figure. They discuss how the Wild West myth was constructed almost simultaneously with the actual events through Buffalo Bill's Wild West shows, dime novels, photography, and early cinema - even noting that the first Western film was made in Blackburn, England in 1903.
The hosts examine the international appeal of Western mythology, noting that European royalty, Hitler, and Stalin all consumed Western entertainment. They discuss how the myth serves different psychological needs, from escapism for urban populations to templates for masculine heroism, analyzing films like High Noon as mirrors of American culture and values.
Finally, they address the contested legacy of the West, particularly regarding the treatment of Native Americans. Holland argues that the destruction of the buffalo constituted cultural genocide, while acknowledging the complexity of the historical situation and the danger of viewing it through purely modern moral lenses.
Key Insights
- Holland argues that westward expansion was primarily driven by greed for land, fur, and resources rather than religious conviction, despite the presence of Manifest Destiny theology
- The hosts detail how buffalo populations collapsed from 60 million to 541 between the late 18th century and 1889, representing deliberate cultural genocide against Native Americans who depended on them
- Holland contends that figures like Custer and Sitting Bull have achieved mythic status comparable to Homeric heroes, existing 'beyond the dimension of history'
- The Wild West myth was constructed simultaneously with actual events through Buffalo Bill's shows, journalism, and early media, making it impossible to separate fact from fiction
- Sandbrook argues that the Wild West provided escapist fantasy for increasingly urban populations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
- Holland suggests that the American relationship with guns is only explicable through understanding the violence embedded in the frontier experience
- The hosts argue that the cowboy figure became central to American masculine identity, influencing everything from presidential politics to popular culture
- Holland characterizes the destruction of buffalo as deliberate cultural genocide, noting that General Sheridan consciously ordered their extermination to destroy Native American ways of life
Topics
Full transcript available for MurmurCast members
Sign Up to Access