She doesn't have a Twitter account. She doesn't have a podcast. But she is about to become the most important voice on your feed.
Inspiration: My track record of spotting figures like Prof G, Alex Hormozi, and Palmer Luckey before they hit the mainstream.
I have a knack for spotting “intellectual influencers” right before they tip.
It’s always the same pattern.
They have deep, undeniable expertise (not just opinions).
They have a unique, sticky framework for the world.
They start appearing on high-signal podcasts (Dwarkesh Patel, Lex Fridman) and the comments section goes wild.
The next one is Sarah C.M. Paine (or “Sally” to her friends). She is a Professor of History and Strategy at the Naval War College.
And she is a storytelling genius.
Who is Sarah Paine?
She isn’t a YouTuber. She’s a serious academic. Harvard, Columbia, Middlebury. She teaches officers how to think about war.
She looks like your favorite high school librarian, but she talks about “continental vs. maritime powers” with the gripping intensity of a thriller novelist.
Her superpower? She makes history hilarious and terrifying at the same time. She doesn’t just recite dates; she explains the human folly behind the fall of empires.
The “Viral” Theories
Her ideas are meme-ready. They stick in your brain.
1. The “Continental vs. Maritime” Framework
Continental Powers (Russia/China): They are obsessed with land. They treat wealth as a zero-sum game (if I take your land, I get richer). This leads to poverty and war.
Maritime Powers (US/UK): They are obsessed with trade. They treat wealth as a positive-sum game (if we trade, we both get richer). This leads to prosperity and alliances.
It perfectly explains Putin and Xi. They are playing a 19th-century land game in a 21st-century trade world.
2. The “China Sabotage” Theory This is the big one. She argues that China likely encouraged Russia to invade Ukraine.
The Logic: China wants to break the US-led order. But they don’t want to fight the US alone. By pushing Russia into the fire, they force the West to re-arm (nuclear proliferation).
The Goal: It creates a chaotic, multi-polar world where the US is distracted, and nuclear weapons are everywhere—making the “Global Policeman” role impossible. It’s a terrifyingly cynical masterstroke.
The “No-Platform” Star
Here is the anomaly: She has no platform. No Twitter/X, no Substack, no YouTube channel.
This scarcity makes her more valuable. When she appears on a podcast (like Dwarkesh Patel or the Hoover Institution), the views explode.
Go look at the YouTube comments on her interviews. It’s not the usual toxic sludge. It’s pure awe. “I listened to this three times.” “She explains in 1 hour what I couldn’t learn in 4 years of college.”
Why Now?
The world is on fire. Russia-Ukraine, China-Taiwan, Israel-Gaza.
People are desperate for context. They don’t want “hot takes” from 20-year-old TikTokers. They want deep, historical wisdom that explains why this is happening.
The US military is rapidly pivoting to face China. Paine has been studying the “Wars for Asia” for decades. Her expertise is suddenly the most valuable IP in Washington.
Conclusion: The Historian We Need
Most historians are boring. Sarah Paine is electric.
As geopolitical tensions escalate, she will become the de-facto narrator of our times. Watch for her book sales to skyrocket and her clips to dominate your feed.
Go listen to her now so you can say you knew her before she was cool.