Carthage Must Fall: How Weaponized Culture Wins Wars—And Why We Must Learn to Play (and Change) the Game

Greetings Fam,

I was riding home today, my mind turning over thoughts while listening to In Class with Carr, and something hit me hard. A spark of memory, an echo from one of the master teachers—Dr. John Henrik Clarke. Now whether I heard it in person or on one of his lectures, I can’t say for sure, but what I can say is this: it stuck with me. Deep.

Dr. Clarke was breaking down history, culture, and warfare—not just the kind with weapons, but the kind waged in the minds of people. The kind that encodes itself into the rhythm of a nation’s daily life. He mentioned something that sent me down a rabbit hole of research and reflection.

He spoke about the Roman Empire—specifically how they targeted Carthage, and how a single phrase became a cultural war cry:

“Carthago delenda est.”
Translation: “Carthage must be destroyed.”

Let that sink in.

This wasn’t just some wartime speech. This was a slogan, a ritual phrase repeated by Cato the Elder at the end of every single Senate speech, no matter the topic. Talking about agriculture? Ended with “Carthage must be destroyed.” Discussing taxes? “Carthage must be destroyed.” Over and over.

It became a greeting, a cultural code. A psychological seed planted daily across Rome.

It wasn’t just about war. It was about shaping consciousness. Rome knew that if you repeat a purpose often enough, embed it deep enough, people won’t just believe it—they’ll live it. Breathe it. Fund it. Die for it.

That’s how they crushed Carthage.

Now let’s fast forward.

What if we started understanding culture on that level? What if we got intentional—not just about resisting oppression—but about engineering the future we want? What if our everyday language carried our long-term mission? Not just for us, but for our children and theirs?

Let’s be clear—I’m not talking about obsessing over Trump. That’s a distraction. I’m talking about the ideology he and others like him represent. The one that hides behind slogans like “Make America Great Again.” That’s the cultural Carthage we need to name and dismantle.

MAGA must fall.

Not as a petty slogan. But as a statement of intent. A cultural operating system. A psychological strategy.

And let me say this:

Fam, it’s time we stop treating this like a casual game of checkers when what we really need is to embrace the strategy of Mancala—counting every move, thinking generations ahead. Not only must we take the game seriously, we need to change the game entirely.

Mancala ain’t just a game—it’s a lesson. It’s about legacy, patience, and positioning. And right now, while others are moving with precision and cultural clarity, too many of us are reacting, distracted, and unarmed in a psychological war.

Weaponized culture is real.

Rome did it. The United States does it. Corporations do it.

The question is: will we?

We don’t need to mimic their hate—but we do need to match (and surpass) their strategy. We need slogans that inspire our youth, embed purpose in our communities, and move us toward freedom. Daily.

It’s uncomfortable. But necessary.

I don’t just want to survive—I want to win. I want my children and yours sitting in the victor’s seat, not watching from the sidelines.

Let’s stop admiring the tactics of others and start crafting our own.

Our enemies must fall. MAGA must fall. Ignorance must fall. Disunity must fall.

And in their place—we build.

Powerfully,
Brother ha2tim