Interesting article on the fate of empires

[OwlHoot]

Found quite an interesting article, which shows how history repeats itself over and over again

The Fate of Empires and Search for Survival, by Sir John Glubb (AKA "Glubb Pasha")

[DoctorStrangelove]

Very inneresting.

For some odd reason "this species has amused itself to death" sprang to mind.

Oh.

Sorry.

Confused this with the WWIII thread.

[OwlHoot]

Naturally a few of his attitudes seem slightly outdated, although I think he was genuinely trying to be impartial and dispassionate and describe things as he saw them rather than how he would want to see them.

One reason for the decline of prosperous societies that I dont think he touched on directly is that over time they tend to sink under the weight of their own ever increasing complexities and bureaucracy, and one can apply that to other social organisations and even constantly changing entities generally, including code bases!

[d000hg]

I'd never heard this quote before I coincidentally came across it twice in a few days recently. I assume it's well-known and it might be bunk but it's an interesting reasoning for circular history.

“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”

[tazdevil]

I'd never heard this quote before I coincidentally came across it twice in a few days recently. I assume it's well-known and it might be bunk but it's an interesting reasoning for circular history.

“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”

Not bunk and probably near to reality. We do need strong leaders but not megalomaniac ones and certainly not woke ones

[TwoWolves]

I'd never heard this quote before I coincidentally came across it twice in a few days recently. I assume it's well-known and it might be bunk but it's an interesting reasoning for circular history.

“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”

This seems a timeless observation of empirical truth.

My father fought the Nazis and used to talk about how he watched the conditions evolve that produced their rise to power; that's why he joined the forces before the war started - so that he would be ready. I'm seeing much of the same ingredients now but it appears to be an international problem this time around, we may have won the war but the ideological poison just went elsewhere to fester and take root.