Posted by
CKHustler on Sunday, June 12, 2011 1:46:47 AM
Ayn Rand wrote a book called Anthem in 1938 which falls during a time when total equality has already fallen over all humanity. The main character has a name of Equality-72521 rather than a normal name. I won't describe it much more as it is a very short read for anyone looking to read it. The point is, it got me thinking about the cycles of humanity.
The world has only been fully populated for the last 100-200 years. Before that humanity had been constantly exploring the frontiers of their lands. Now we have space before us now, but I believe we are far from actual colonization of any planet which renders that frontier moot at the current moment. While humanity was exploring in the past it seems we follow a cycle of prosperity and decay. Each prosperous time is greater than the previous as we learn as we move forward, but each decay is a result of the previous prosperous time. The Romans had a prosperous period of about 700 years as a Republic, but once they became an empire they started their decay which took another 700 years(arguably for obvious reasons). Eventually they were nearly paralyzed with debt and social programs. They couldn't keep their army up to snuff and paid mercenaries to keep them safe, and soon defaulted on those loans as well. The German "barbarians" finally came down and ended the Western Roman empire which opened up freedom for Europe. It was a broken, tribal land for years as the decay continued until they finally started to unite under the banners they more closely resemble now. The Renaissance brought about a renewal and prosperity took its turn in the cycle. It was a long prosperous time(compared to the rest of the world) which arguably hasn't ended, though it hasn't increased as other parts of the world have. Using western Europe as the example, people starting feeling oppressed and left for the new world for freedom and a new life. The New World then took itself into its own independence and freedom from the grip of Europe. As Europe started stagnating(decay?) the freedom of the New World created its time of prosperity and it soon passed Europe in most everything from production to living standards. Now we are on our stagnating path as oppression is increasing from our government over its citizens.
The point I see here is that whenever oppression has taken hold people were able to move in the past. Even under Roman rule, the decay they brought upon themselves nearly freed Europe without much of a fight. Rome itself needed defeating, but it wasn't necessary for Rome to be sacked for Europe to break free. Previous to Rome was the Greeks and so on from one civilization to another to the beginning of time. Now, as all land it settled, where is there to run? In our current situation the metaphorical "Rome" will need to be sacked, but the problem is the power of "Rome" is much greater than any period in history. It doesn't lie in a place, but in the idea. The powerful players covering the entire western world would need to be relieved of duty. Instead of a physical relocation a worldwide revival would need to take place. The entire western world is beholden to socialist tendencies which paralyze economic conditions, rendering prosperity impossible. Africa is as non-plussed as ever. Even China, I forsee, will have major problems with freedom as the information age continues and its people start becoming evermore informed about our lifestyles and their own freedom. Any other places not listed are in the same position nonetheless and there is no free place to run to on the entire planet. It is as if Equality-72521 has no uncharted woods to run off into because he simply run into the next town only to be shoved into the same daily routine.
A Chinese proverb exists saying "May we live in interesting times"...I believe we are definitely going to see some interesting events happen in our lifetimes.
"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing" Edmund Burke