Civilizations, and countries have had their downfall

[klusener]

Throughout history, all the great empires, civilizations, and countries have had their downfall..

In Rome, when they were successful, everyone thought that Rome would never fall down, then it went down. During the time of the Conquistadors, Spain was #1, then again their downfall, then came the golden age of England, again even they fell, now it is America.. How long before the fall comes or for people like russ, do you think it will come?

Throughout history, (most of the time) when the big countries mess with the little ones, they lose in the end, hitler invaded belgium, yes he did demolish them, but in the end it caused his downfall, when the rest of the world banded together.. Spain, a powerful navy and all, they send a giant armada against the small island called England, the English band together and defeat mighty Spain with little resources... THe British, so powerful, messed with the colonies, the farmers banded together and gave them a hit on the backside... What does this tell you?

 

[spender]

Spain, a powerful navy and all, they send a giant armada against the small island called England, the English band together and defeat mighty Spain with little resources

Brits were simply very lucky,due to the storm Spanish could not land on British soil, if they did British would be toast because they did not have any real army at that time.

 

[Smurf]

Could say similar things about all the rest too. I think that eventually a superpower will eventually just run out of luck and blah

 

[plover]

Could say similar things about all the rest too. I think that eventually a superpower will eventually just run out of luck and blah

It's terrible when you run out of both luck and blah...

 

[spender]

It is eve more terrible for the whole World, because this time American psychos have not only swords but nuclear weapons, and are willing to use them.

 

[PerennialII]

One could argue that every great civilization has come to a point after its peak, at which a "decay of morals" (or a sort of a feeling of pleasure) has made them subdue to lesser nations.

 

[selfAdjoint]

One could argue that every great civilization has come to a point after its peak, at which a "decay of morals" (or a sort of a feeling of pleasure) has made them subdue to lesser nations.

The cry of "Our nation is doomed due to moral decay" is ever present. I have seen a cartoon from the mid seventeenth century making exactly that point. And at that point the British Empire lay in the future! Rome, Athens, the B.E., Napoleon's Empire, all came to grief for other reasons than moral decay. Unwise or unfortunate wars was a big reason. Inability of elites to keep themselves apart from the people was another.

 

[PerennialII]

The cry of "Our nation is doomed due to moral decay" is ever present. I have seen a cartoon from the mid seventeenth century making exactly that point. And at that point the British Empire lay in the future! Rome, Athens, the B.E., Napoleon's Empire, all came to grief for other reasons than moral decay. Unwise or unfortunate wars was a big reason. Inability of elites to keep themselves apart from the people was another.

I'd say the definition of 'moral decay' in this instance is relevant ... the one I'm thinking is where someone hungrier comes along and swallows the ones who are at the peak of their society (assuming that the peak itself leads to a social decohesion, making the society vulnerable). So the less civilized swallow the civilized cultures in their path to their own civilization.

 

[Locrian]

So in otherwords, if "moral decay" is defined as being something that really has nothing to do with morals or their decay, then you can show every civilization has fallen due to moral decay.

I suppose we could redefine any number of things to show any number of other equally weird things.

 

[PerennialII]

assuming that the peak itself leads to a social decohesion, making the society vulnerable

Cool ... I'm referring myself. The concept I was thinking about was the inevitability of social decohesion as a function of development == moral decay of the community/society/civilization.

 

[jammieg]

The best indicator of the rise and fall of nations is the moral indicator, not how many churches they have, but basically do people seek to understand good and do good?
My guess is 2050 and everyone knows the glory days are long gone.

The reasons I think this are because when the majority of people are selfish and lying and taking to make their way it is a less effective way for society to function(they should probably be a minority), it leads to fewer and fewer of the opposite or war since it is more rewarding and easier to be a liar and selfish, it is less effective because the more one seeks only what is good for theirself the less likely they are to notice what is good for everyone, the more one is accustomed to lying to attain wealth the more likely they are not to discover the truth but to settle for lies, thus truth is swamped in lies, and the more giving people are the more things get utilized for the common good, instead of a few owning a pair of everything in the world that sits around collecting dust. Basically it's much easier to be a liar, and theif, to be selfish, to destroy than construct, and to fit into a social group of ones likeness than to think alone, but unfortunately the easy ways can also make one weak, so only the strong can afford to do so much good.