Take a deep breath – what you are experiencing now is nothing new.
There is nothing new under the sun – this isn’t the first collapse of civilization, and it won’t be the last. What makes you think you are so important?
Human civilization has had many golden ages and many dark ages, in various geographies at various times. The pyramid builders of ancient Egypt were more advanced than most people living before the Bronze Age, and the Bronze Age peoples more advanced than anyone until the Golden Age of Greece, and they in turn more advanced than any until Rome. In China, which entered the Bronze Age independently and did not experience a total collapse, each dynasty still had its own rise and fall, where in each fall a large fraction of the population died. South America has evidence of several civilizations completely lost to history but for their archeological remains. Thus we see throughout the history of the world there have been many instances of civilizations that have ended.
Aside: what is meant by “advanced”, or “decline”, and how do we judge whether a civilization is “better” than another? Whole books have been written on this subject, but for our purposes, let us define an “advanced civilization” as one having inter-connectivity and coordination resulting in a society with rules – e.g. institutions, law, religion, art, science, philosophy, and concepts of human worth, dignity, and rights – that result in lasting outward physical signs of these rules (cities, monuments, technology systems like irrigation or train tracks or power lines, books, art) that are not seen in civilizations in decline, whereas in a “dark age”, the people of a particular region do not continue to have these rules, and evidences by the lack of physical displays they had in the past. This is still a problematic definition admittedly, but the point of this essay isn’t to define decline, as to address what to do about it, or more importantly, how to rightly live in the midst of it.
By studying history we can see the cycles of history – the power vacuum left after an advanced civilization collapses, the death and destruction that follow (or caused it), and the rise of the next power that fills that vacuum. Why do some civilizations last longer than others? It may be the strength of their institutions, or control of a technology, but it may also be the absence of external disasters like earthquakes, meteors, famine, drought, climate change, or “barbaric invasions” from outside cultures experiencing these stressors. Ok, so what?
It is also important to note that one civilization’s decline may be another’s golden age. Ancient Israel arguably had their first golden age immediately following the Bronze Age Collapse, as they were free from the pressures of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, the Hittites, and other surrounding empires.
Why study the collapse of civilizations and the fall of empires? Several reasons. It is important to study history to have a sense of perspective – nothing that is happening now is new. Wars, plagues, civil unrest, natural disasters – all have happened before, in fact, many times. But some study history in hopes of preventing the decline of their culture. Is this possible? If we know of the moral failings of culture, or understand the weakness of their institutions, can we adjust our own in time to save it, or are we simply delaying the inevitable?
And I say “we”, because for the most part we address these problems collectively – we are all part of civilization after-all, and whatever solution is needed must be adopted by as many people as possible. However, at the collective level, there are only so many levers of action: laws and government policy, the appointment or removal of leaders (now generally through elections, but historically through coups, assassinations, marriage-alliances, etc.), or collective religious movements to convince a population to change their ways. But what can one individual do? What ought I to do?
It is worth observing that many of the greatest works in religion, applied-philosophy, and wisdom literature were created (discovered?) during these periods of chaos and decline. Confucius developed his philosophy by observing the chaos of the Warring States period and sought a way to bring order to society through right living. The foundations of Taoism developed around the same time. Perhaps even Christianity could be said to have formed during a dark age, for while that time period was the golden age of Rome, it arguably was a dark time for everyone else in that region under their rule. And so forth – many of the great works of thought in the 20th century came from attempts to explain the horrors of WWII and the Holocaust, or the millions of people who died under oppressive communist regimes.
Humans want to make sense of the world, to understand their suffering, either to avoid it or accept it.
In my own time, I sense the eventual collapse of my civilization, although perhaps not in the imminent, apocalyptic way many frame it politically. It could take generations for the decline to fully happen – maybe several world wars, or series of flu plagues, or a disaster like solar flares knocking out our satellites or series of earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. However, there are signs that correspond to past historic civilization ends – interconnectivity to the extent that systems become fragile houses-of-cards, reliance of systems upon systems, and yes, the declining morals of the people, not only in terms of immoral activities (which ones are debatable of course), but the declining resilience of citizens to threats and change. When a civilization is rising, they are willing to fight (physically and ideologically), but now there is so much chaos rising that many have lost their ideology, beliefs, and faith, having nothing for which they would fight, and therefore have no will or appetite to combat chaos.
What do I do about this, as an individual?
I feel compelled to “do something”, to fight in some way, or educate, or write. But let’s face it, I’m also lazy, and cowardly, and afraid. Or worse, I’m overwhelmed by the problems around me and feel impotent and depressed about them. I do not believe much in the power of protest – there are really no beliefs for which I’d “march”, even though there are beliefs I would die for (in theory). In times of chaos, participating in these activities seems to add to the chaos, not quench it.
The United States in 2020 feels much closer in spirit to times such as the Chinese Cultural Revolution, the Spanish Civil War, or the French Revolution than it does 1930s Germany (which is a favorite analogy for all political parties). WWII is typically portrayed as a very black-and-white, clear good-vs-evil conflict, with Hitler essentially being Satan. In these other examples, however, it is not as clear who the good side or bad side was, in fact sometimes there were many sides, and as one group would perish another would take its place. Or I may look at the sides and think I would have probably been more aligned with one side ideologically, but unfortunately that side had the most atrocities, or didn’t win.
Is the alternative then to leave? If one recognizes the decline of their civilization but can escape to at least a peaceful place, should one do so? While sounding a bit cowardly, I have to admit this makes the most sense for some situations. I doubt I would have hung around in France, Spain, or China in those time periods if I had the resources and ability to exit. Unfortunately not all have these resources. Or refugees are not welcome in other countries. And some feel compelled to stay – to defend their homes, their way of life, and to help their side in the struggle.
But maybe the point isn’t to help one’s civilization or to preserve one’s own family and wealth. Maybe there IS no point. I don’t mean that in a nihilistic way, but in the sense of the Book of Ecclesiastes – there is no purpose to most things in life, but God is in control, and as Shakespeare eloquently noted, we are actors on a stage. The metaphor I found for my own life a few years ago was that I was riding on a roller-coaster, or maybe more accurately the “driver” on a car in Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride at Disneyland. The thrill ride has no steering wheel, or even when it does it isn’t attached to anything! We have 2 choices: we can live in fear and trepidation of the next big drop, or we can live in joy and accept the twists and turns as the come, reveling in the journey.
Perhaps we have more than those choices though: occasionally we do have the option of getting off the ride (I don’t mean suicide, I mean not taking risks). That is, there are 2 aspects to living rightly: our attitude (how we accept things) and our ability to willing choose to risk (faith).
And THAT is where our culture is failing, on both points. We are a faithless people, having nothing we desire or believe in driving us to make taking risks worth the negative consequences, and our attitudes (about anything) frankly suck. We are a generation seeking safety, assurance, and positive self-esteem at all costs, yet are depressed, joyless, and alone.
How did the Bronze Age fall? Or the Persians, Greeks, Romans, or Monarchal Europe, or the British Empire, or Confucian China? Other than the stressors that affected the whole, how did individuals handle faith/risk-taking and their attitudes towards outcomes? What consequences did the fall of these great empires have on the survivors?
吳安仁
Glenn Strycker's Blog 