tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post3256826033414380998..comments2024-03-11T13:16:19.098-04:00Comments on Ad Orientem: Sleepwalking into the Imperial Dark; What It Feels Like When a Superpower Runs Off the TracksUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post-9697100367905637402011-04-27T12:43:46.996-04:002011-04-27T12:43:46.996-04:00Suffice to say, all empires eventually devolve int...Suffice to say, all empires eventually devolve into their constituent nations. I'm not hopeful the US will be the exception.The Anti-Gnostichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04386593803225823789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post-11711306732536948542011-04-27T10:53:30.078-04:002011-04-27T10:53:30.078-04:00DNY,
You might have to rethink your argument.
Ib...DNY,<br /><br />You might have to rethink your argument.<br /><br />Ibn-Khaldun was not describing the collapse of empires as much as the collapse of ruling dynasties. He has an interesting description of how "desert" forces take power from corrupt ineffectual dynasties ruling the cities.<br /><br />This was pretty much the pattern in the Byzantine empire, ( how many of the emperors were actually "Greek" and not, say, from border areas?).<br /><br />China also had dynasties whose origins were from "non-cultured" outlying areas. <br /><br />In any case, they pretty much followed the pattern described above.<br /><br />The only real exception was in Japan.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post-46713689375415437592011-04-27T00:39:16.411-04:002011-04-27T00:39:16.411-04:00Unfortunately for Ibn-Khaldun's analysis, we h...Unfortunately for Ibn-Khaldun's analysis, we have an example of an Empire that managed to last over 1400 years, albeit dwindled to a city-state in its last few centuries, to say nothing of one a bit further east which lasted about 2100 years, with some dynasties spanning three or four centuries.DNYhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04258266827678438757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post-41642877555786777352011-04-26T20:30:33.700-04:002011-04-26T20:30:33.700-04:00Has no one heard of Ibn-Khaldun, the Moslem histor...Has no one heard of Ibn-Khaldun, the Moslem historian, ( the first true historian in terms of theory)?<br /><br />The first generation of an empire are brilliant,the second generation not so much and the third and fourth generations are essentially wastrels, given to enjoying decadence.<br /><br />Why should the U.S. be exempt?<br /><br />Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon, Carter,Bush I, first generation.<br /><br />Bush II, Clinton, etc; second /third generation.<br /><br />Now we're in the fourth degenarate generation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post-13410140993138980502011-04-26T10:55:13.237-04:002011-04-26T10:55:13.237-04:00A very thought-provoking article, from a point of ...A very thought-provoking article, from a point of view with which I was not well acquainted. It seems to articulate things that I have "sensed" but not been able to spell out.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post-50963929954201014872011-04-25T20:05:19.433-04:002011-04-25T20:05:19.433-04:00Do you guys travel much? Bad as things may be, th...Do you guys travel much? Bad as things may be, there still ain't nuttin' better than da US of A.<br /><br />and, to top it off, the Phils have the best record in baseball, and the sixers and flers avoided elimination, all on an Easter weekend celebrated by both East and West. I mean, c'mon man, read the tea leaves!<br /><br />StephenAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post-76339823438491918812011-04-25T17:45:37.460-04:002011-04-25T17:45:37.460-04:00Decadence. I'd always imagined, at least from...Decadence. I'd always imagined, at least from the point of view of the old, fallen man, that decadence was fun. <br /><br />Not so.DNYhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04258266827678438757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post-32756447510467849622011-04-25T17:38:37.664-04:002011-04-25T17:38:37.664-04:00My last hope (politically, I mean) was Obama, who,...My last hope (politically, I mean) was Obama, who, you recall, preached hope. And change. Change we can belkieve in.<br /><br />That was so, so cruel.<br /><br />"Put not your trust in princes, in sons of men in whom there is no salvation."Anastasia Theodoridishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16092531121989260111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post-38318566056974721212011-04-25T17:15:34.952-04:002011-04-25T17:15:34.952-04:00Anastasia
I completely concur. This is one of the...Anastasia<br />I completely concur. This is one of the best articles I have read in a while.<br /><br />In ICXC<br />JohnJohn (Ad Orientem)https://www.blogger.com/profile/14329907942477160166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post-59071684161698806512011-04-25T16:45:14.625-04:002011-04-25T16:45:14.625-04:00An excellent article, and what a perfect title!
H...An excellent article, and what a perfect title!<br /><br />How does it feel? It feels like, "I give up. The forces at work here are much greater than I can possibly affect in any way." It feels like the whole thing is so corrupt and so insane that it needs to end. The whole thing is so violent, so brutal, that the world needs it to end.<br /><br />My country, my country, you were such a short-lived experiment! And all from having failed to learn even the most obvious lessons of history.<br /><br />What a sorrow.<br /><br />That's what it feels like.Anastasia Theodoridishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16092531121989260111noreply@blogger.com