Let us consider the 250 year cycle all great civilisations in history have gone through but laid over the top of our own civilisation shall we?
THE AGE OF PIONEERS: 1750-1800 Pioneers are ready to improvise and experiment, Untrammelled by traditions, they will turn anything available to their purpose. If one method fails, they try something else. Uninhibited by textbooks or book learning, action is their solution to every problem. The second stage of expansion consists of more organised, disciplined and professional campaigns. Methods employed tend to be practical and experimental.
THE AGE OF CONQUEST: 1800-1850 The nation acquires the “sophisticated weapons of old empires” and a great period of expansion ensues. The principal objects of ambition are glory and honour for the nation. The conquests result in the “acquisition of vast territories under one government”, thereby birthing commercial prosperity.
THE AGE OF COMMERCE: 1850-1900 The main purpose of this era is to create more wealth. Courageous initiative is displayed in the quest for profitable enterprises all around the world. But the acquisition of wealth soon takes precedence over everything else. The previous objectives of “glory” and “honour” are but “empty words, which add nothing to the bank balance” for the people. This is the period of time when values start shifting from the self-sacrifice of the initial pioneers to self-interest.
THE AGE OF AFFLUENCE: 1900-1950 Money causes the people to gradually decline in terms of courage and enterprise. Wealth first hurts the nation morally, Money replaces honour and adventure as the objective of the best young men … the object of the young and ambitious is no longer fame, honour or service, but cash. The divide between the rich and the poor increases, and the wealth of the rich is flaunted for people to see. People enjoy high standards of living and consume in excess of what they need. While the immense wealth of the nation impresses other nations, this period reveals a change from service to selfishness and defensiveness. enough of the ancient virtues of courage, energy, and patriotism survive to enable the state successfully to defend its frontiers. But beneath the surface, greed for money is gradually replacing duty and public service. As for defensiveness, the rich nation is no longer interested in glory or duty, but is preoccupied with the conservation and maintenance of its wealth and luxury. Money replaces courage, and subsidies are used to “buy off” enemies.
AGE OF INTELLECT: 1950-2000 During this stage, wealth is no longer needed for necessities or luxuries, and there are also abundant funds for the pursuit of knowledge. Business people that made their wealth in the Age of Commerce seek fame and praise of others by endowing works of art, patronising music and literature, and founding or endowing institutions of higher education. It is ironic that while civilisations make advancements in science, philosophy, the arts and literature ... history shows us that every period of the decline is characterised by the expansion of intellectual activity. No Action, Talk Only. Intellectualism leads to discussion, debate and argument, which is often seen around the world today. But this “constant dedication to discussion seems to destroy the power of action”. The most dangerous by-product of this Age of Intellect is the birth and growth of the notion that human intellect can solve all the problems of the world, when in fact the survival of the nation really depends on its citizens.
THE AGE OF DECADENCE: 2000-20?? Decadence is a mental, moral and spiritual disease that disempowers its people to the extent that they do not make an effort to save themselves or their nations because they do not think that anything in life is worth saving. The Age of Decadence comes about because of the following factors: An extended period of wealth and power; selfishness; love of money and loss of a sense of duty. It is marked by defensiveness, pessimism, materialism, frivolity, an influx of foreigners, the welfare state and a weakening of religion. We are witnessing the end of our civilisation at the end of a 250 year cycle that every great empire before us has gone through. We do not learn from history because it is easier to ignore it, Those who sit in a place have power have done so for far too long a period and sadly we can only look back with hindsight and say "Oh yeah...Woops"
Some empires have lasted a lot longer than 250 years. This one might too. There has never been an empire this large and advanced before (that we're aware of). Civilization though is a dissipative structure (if necessary adjustments aren't made), and because things are as advanced as they are, and it requires a certain amount of resources to sustain, this civilization might not decline, it might just collapse. Who knows when though, if it's going to. Hopefully sooner rather than later. The collapse will be much more devastating if it happens later.
Jordan Ortiz
Every great empire has only lasted 250 years. Each one of them during a warm period, Romes warm period for an example, they were growing grapes in Scottland.
Nicholas Adams
The duration of the Aksumite Empire was 790 years, Byzantine 1123, and Assyria 1589. There are plenty of empires that lasted a lot longer than 250 years. This one could too. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_empires
Daniel Stewart
And how many of those empires truly expanded? They were all crushed by greater empires because they never went through an age of commerce leading to affluence and intellect.
Samuel Taylor
Aksum lasted from the birth of Alexander the Great until the first crusade. Abyssinia lasted shortly thereafter until 1974.
Wyatt Green
*emerged
Ethan Gutierrez
They key word here being "Great" Empires, Not just Empires. Hundreds of empires never went through an age of commerce and stagnated at the age of conquest.
Jackson Sanders
Adjustments can be made though, collapse can be averted, and the duration of this civilization could be extended.
Blake Reyes
Your hindsight is 20/20 user, It's too late.
Ethan Lewis
We dont shit about Aksum. Most of it is still to be excavated. Part of my lifes mission, as it's my heritage.
