Heirs of a Glimmering World

Why We Should Build Secular Cathedrals That Inspire a Sense of Awe

According to the Tartaria conspiracy theory, many of the famous landmarks in the world were built by an ancient empire called Tartaria. Following the empire’s destruction caused by a gigantic flood, surviving civilizations intentionally erased any information about Tartaria from the history books.

In a recent episode of the Plain English podcast, Derek Thompson offered a twist to the story. In Thompson’s view, the Tartaria theory shouldn’t be read as a conspiracy, but as commentary on the types of structures we build today versus the types of structures we built in the past:

We dwell in the presence of awe-inspiring cathedrals, Art Deco skyscrapers, ancient pyramids, the Taj Mahal. But all of our buildings look like boring squares and rectangles. You should think of the Tartaria theory, therefore, as a kind of critique of the modern world.

It’s true. Despite our extraordinary wealth and technology, it’s hard to think of a single awe-inspiring structure that has been built recently in America—unless, perhaps, the Sphere in Vegas counts. Meanwhile, as Thompson notes, we all live and work in the most boring-looking structures imaginable.

Not everyone is convinced that we’ve given up on building marvels, however. Journalist Charles C. Mann recently published an article in The New Atlantis titled, “We Live Like Royalty and Don’t Know It.”

According to Mann:

The electric grid, the public-water supply, the food-distribution network, and the public-health system took the collective labor of thousands of people over many decades. They are the cathedrals of our secular era. They are high among the great accomplishments of our civilization. But they don’t inspire bestselling novels or blockbuster films. No poets celebrate the sewage treatment plants that prevent them from dying of dysentery.

In other words, the Tartaria critique of our society is misguided because we do, in fact, continue to build marvels—they are simply practical rather than aesthetic. Mann explains why these practical marvels are superior to the alternative:

Water, food, energy, public health — these embody a gloriously egalitarian and democratic vision of our society. Americans may fight over red and blue, but everyone benefits in the same way from the electric grid. Water troubles and food contamination are afflictions for rich and poor alike. These systems are powerful reminders of our common purpose as a society — a source of inspiration when one seems badly needed.

Stephen Pinker, the forever optimist, shared Mann’s article on X, apparently endorsing his perspective. Should we all join Pinker and celebrate the electric grid over gothic cathedrals? Should we applaud egalitarian progress over the lack of ornate structures that are primarily enjoyed by the elites?

All things considered, I’d take the modern water supply and energy grid over an ancient cathedral, no matter how beautiful it might be. But this misses the point. Public utilities vs. awe-inspiring architecture is a false dichotomy. There’s no reason why a society has to choose between one or the other. In fact, given that wealth and technological ingenuity are common factors to both, it makes sense for the rise of the one to spell the rise of the other.

It’s worth noting that awe-inspiring architecture also benefits the general public. Every Californian, rich and poor alike, enjoys the beauty of the Golden Gate Bridge, just as every New Yorker enjoys the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty. These structures are symbols of power and freedom. They give us a sense of being associated with something bigger than ourselves. They enliven our imaginations and make us feel like anything is possible.

There’s a lot of talk lately about achieving energy abundance. If AI is going to continue advancing, it needs gobs of energy. Additionally, as we decouple from global trade and as China and Germany begin terminal population decline, we need to double the size of our industrial plant in North America. If we’re going to meaningfully shift to green energy, we need to restructure and modernize our energy grid.

At a glance, this looks like we’re about to embark on the 2.0 version of building infrastructure and public utilities marvels. This makes it the perfect time to do the 2.0 version of building marvels that inspire awe.

Let’s host a modern World’s Fair. Let’s follow Tyler Cowan’s lead and develop grants for artists and architects to create an aesthetic for the 21st century. Let’s take Sam Altman’s advice and build monuments in the desert. Let’s take Zoltan Istvan up on his call to build seven new supercities in California.

I’m reminded of the lyric by The National, “We’re the heirs of the glimmering world.” It’s an exhilarating thought, that we’ve inherited so much beauty from the past. We owe it to ourselves to appreciate this fact to the fullest. We also have a responsibility to make sure future generations can sing along.