There were well over 100 civilizations that came into being, flourished, and then fizzled out in the last 5,000 years or so. The question always arises: "Why?". This presentation offers some of the answer.

1. Laertis

2.  “The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has
been 200 years.These nations have progressed through this
sequence:
▪ from bondage to spiritual faith;
▪ from spiritual faith to great courage;
▪ from courage to liberty;
▪ from liberty to abundance;
▪ from abundance to selfishness;
▪ from selfishness to complacency;
▪ from complacency to apathy;
▪ from apathy to dependence;
▪ from dependency back to into bondage”
Laertis 2
Initiation
Stagnation

3.  As you shall see in this presentation, some
civilizations last well over 200 years, but this
is due to pure luck and extraneous
circumstances of prolonging the inevitable,
not due to successful leadership or effective
solutions that breathed new life into dying
civilizations and societies.

4.  The English historian Edward Gibbon
published his first volume ofThe History of
the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire in
1776. His thesis was that the barbarians
ultimately overran the Roman Empire largely
because Roman citizens themselves had lost
their civic virtues. In particular, they had lost
sight of the discipline, industry and
toughness that once made them great.

5.  This argument had special resonance in
Towne’s time. After a relatively prosperous
first half of the century, the 1760s had
brought economic crisis and civil unrest.
Social divides were intensifying. Some felt
that the new King, George III, who ruled from
1760 until 1801, was riding roughshod over
the civil liberties that had been re-established
by William III in 1688.

6.  For critics, the nexus of all of this was
London: home of the monarchy and
Parliament, aristocratic excess and
commercial greed. And with overcrowding
issues – the city’s population nearly doubled
throughout the 1700s – those who wanted to
would, indeed, have seen plenty of signs of
social and civil breakdown.

7.  Crime was so rampant that one gang even
tried to rob the Prince ofWales in St. James
Palace itself.Travelers to London remarked
that there were more prostitutes than in any
other European city. Sewage ran in the
Thames.

8.  Frustrations sometimes spilled over into
violence: in the infamous Gordon Riots of
1780, rioters attacked members of the House
of Lords, sacked their homes, freed prisoners
and set buildings on fire – an event that
destroyed 10 times more property than was
lost in Paris during the entire French
Revolution. Let this be a warning to our
modern leaders!

15. There were other Persian Empires prior and after this (main) one ➔
all perished

17. There were several other Indian Empires prior and after the Mauryan
Empire ➔ all perished

24. There were several other Caliphates prior and after this Caliphate ➔
all perished

27. There were several other Chinese Empires prior and after the Ming
Dynasty ➔ all perished

30. There were several other Ottoman Empires prior and after this one ➔
all perished

40.  Civilizations like the Roman and Byzantine
Empires they were dead long before they
officially were declared dead.
Official Date Unofficial Date
Roman Empire 476 AD 192 AD
Byzantine Empire 1453 AD 1055 AD

41.  Some civilizations left an impact well beyond
their demise, like the Athenian, Roman,
Chinese, Indian and Byzantine Empires. Their
remnants, cultures, inventions, thoughts,
philosophies … and artifacts stayed around
for decades and centuries after they were
declared officially dead and gone. They are
still influencing many modern civilizations
today

42.  Some civilizations were good and beneficial,
while others were evil and detrimental to the
world. However, even the good ones had
their ups and downs and their dark side.
 It is true that:

43.  It is also true that the world needs the evil
empires (dynasties, caliphates, kingdoms …)
in order to cleanse itself of the “scum”
created by others --- and all empires create
scum (similar to the slime left behind by
snails). It is an inevitable fact that not
everyone in the empire can stay in lockstep
mode and move with the same speed as the
majority. Eventually, the slime overwhelms
the entire empire and civilization

44.  Criminals
 Oddballs and demented people
 Mentally ill people that cannot cope with
progress, changes and transformation
 Misfits and cast-offs that refuse to conform
 Radicals and reactionaries that believe that
have better answers
 Conservatives that hate progress
 Negative people that have to say “No” to
everything

51.  Civilizations fall apart mostly on their own
 Civilizations grow to a level that they cannot
sustain themselves; they rise to their level of
incompetence --- just like enterprises
 Civilizations collapse under their own weight;
people do not know how to manage large
scale civilizations (or enterprises) --- at least
not yet
 People are too arrogant to realize their
limitations and learn from history

52. WHY?
Because we think that we
are smarter now than ever
before!
Because we don’t want to
deal with negative
thoughts!
We would rather forget!

53. Most political leaders are nothing more than loud mouthed idiots!
In this case, they’d convinced people to cut down all their trees, not
realizing that they were destroying their ecosystem and their society
… similar to what is happening today in many parts of the world!!!

54. 1. Decline in morals and values
2. Decline in discipline, self-discipline, self-restraint,
respect, self-respect, and admiration
3. Loss of a unified culture (see next page)
4. Loss of interest (blame “been there, done that”
attitude)
5. Devaluation of heroes, role models and true leaders
6. Decline in thought leadership
7. Loss of enthusiasm and energy (tired of achieving
and conquering)
8. Increase of socialist mentality and entitlement
programs

55.  YES, if it is aimed at denigrating, demeaning
and vilifying the accomplishments of great
civilizations and emphasizing or highlighting the
endeavors of lesser or even bizarre civilizations
and cultures. Some civilizations are going as far
as to invent accomplishments in order to elevate
their status in modern societies and their
importance in history. It is important for them
to feel important, but the truth is …

56. And a reminder!
Multiculturalism does not imply keeping your mouth shut
and accepting whatever the &%^#$@ they say or do!

57.  Communist Russia was comprised of Russians who just wanted to
live in peace, yet the Russian Communists were responsible for the
murder of about 20 million people
 The peaceful majority were irrelevant. China's huge population
was peaceful as well, but Chinese Communists managed to kill a
staggering 70 million people
 The average Japanese individual prior toWorld War II was not a
warmongering sadist.Yet, Japan murdered and slaughtered its
way across S.E.Asia in an orgy of killing that included the
systematic murder of 12 million Chinese civilians
 And who can forget the Germans, Rwandans, Serbs, Afghans,
Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis, Nigerians, Algerians, and so many
others who have died because the peaceful majority did not
speak up or do anything until it was too late

58.  Myth 1: All civilizations and people are
created equal
▪ Truth: Everything in life is a pyramid scheme with
the elite taking the top spots, while the rancid and
shoddy take the bottom spots
 Myth 2: Being judgmental is wrong
▪ Truth: Being non-judgmental with trivial matters
is OK, but with major things (such as murder) it is
inhuman and impossible to be non-judgmental

59.  Myth 3: Unconditional love is the right thing to
do and practice. It heels everyone
▪ Truth: Unconditional love for the right people makes
sense, but it is not the right thing for everyone. Many
psychopaths, sociopaths and other mentally ill people
have comprehension of love. They don’t get it
 Myth 4: Multiculturalism is good for our co-
existence
▪ Truth: It is good only to a certain degree and extent.
Our planet needs one overarching culture that
supersedes all sub-cultures --- we don’t have one yet!

60.  When you see real evil getting ready to attack
or is attacking, take decisive and drastic
action.

61.  When one does not confront evil head on, it
becomes brasher and stronger! If you don’t
believe this statement then visit all the graves
of all the dead people that died in evil’s hands
and by evil-doers, lunatics and fanatics.
 Caution: Even if you had 100 lifetimes you
will not be able to visit all their graves!

62.  Most evil comes from within, not from
without!WHY?
Most people and civilizations cannot stand
prosperity. They have to destroy what they
have created!We don’t know why!
Could it be that envy, sloth, greed and the rest
of the 7 Cardinal Sins play a role?

63. 10. Dramatic increase in political corruption and
dramatic distrust re: politicians
11. Increase in deception and misinformation
12. Dramatic increase in apathy re: political affairs
13. Dramatic increase in cockiness and arrogance
14. Over-exploitation of resources
15. Infighting --- too many hidden agendas (everyone
wants to lead and get the glory)
16. Excessive unemployment
17. Excessive inflation; bad economic policies and
decisions
18. Excessive spending and out-of-control debt
19. Increase in urban decay

64. 20. Decline in overall health; increase of new diseases
and spread of epidemics
21. Substantial increases in taxes
22. Drastic cuts in infrastructure projects, military
spending, education, and science programs
23. Low morale
24. Inability to solve problems and reach consensus as to
what needs to be done next; focusing energies and
moneys on the wrong things (the smoke and mirrors
approach becomes prevalent); bureaucracy prevails
25. Political paralysis; coupled with finger-pointing
exercises and backstabbing

65.  Most of them have self-
destructed. By the time their
enemies (and barbarians)
showed up at the gate, they all
were ready to collapse under
their own weight … and sins
… and stupid decisions
… and reckless actions!

67.  Taxes are increasing and squeezing the people
 Unemployment is high --- only manipulation of
numbers make it appear low
 Poverty is increasing at an alarming rate
 Education is deteriorating with every passing year
 Overall health is deteriorating --- people depend
heavily on meds and med devices
 Infrastructure is hurting, and not enough money is
allocated to fix it or expand it (incl. power plants,
electric grid, highways, gas pipes)

68.  The space program was drastically reduced. Many
science projects/programs are not properly funded
(incl. NASA)
 Military spending has been reduced
 Americans are currently enamored with the
abnormal, bizarre, odd, outcast, misfit and trailer
park trash behavior and lifestyles; admiring
oversexed and over-the-top people that misbehave
and insult all aspects of common sense, decency
and decorousness; watching the trashiestTV shows
in history

69. TV companies and Movie Studios have no conscience. They
will show anything that will make money for them. Don’t
expect them to support a good, decent and virtuous culture!

70.  Precious resources are dwindling --- especially water
 Land is overworked and poisoned with chemicals
 America’s power and prestige is in rapid decline
around the world; morale is low
 America’s enemies are getting cockier and more
daring
 The threat of nuclear terrorism is now very real
 America’s currency and economic system are very
weak and can crash … causing a global economic
collapse

71.  Many crises (e.g.: energy, food and health) are
looming over the horizon making people more
apathetic and hopeless instead of feeling engaged
and willing to take action. Activism is disappearing
 National and personal debt are out of control
 Socialist programs are on the rise
 America’s thought leaders have disappeared or
affronted (making them irrelevant)
 Political corruption is increasing
 Politicians are totally disrespected and mistrusted
 …And so much more. The decline of America is
now a reality. The signs of decline are everywhere!

78. Only kidding!
Everyone knows the answer!

79.  “A generation which ignores history has no
past and no future” --- Robert A. Heinlein
 “Memory is the mother of all wisdom. ”
--- Aeschylus

80. Start solving our problems the right way.
Not, the political way!

81.  America leverages and advances technology
 America still attracts the best and brightest
from around the world (it has sustained a
brain drain for over 100 years)
 America has more resources available than
previous civilizations
 America has the culture that it allows it to
analyze and expose its mistakes --- giving it
the opportunity to take action
 America has the best can-do attitude