[mojito]

An interesting historical essay that has some contemporary resonance.

[Siena Dreaming]

may yet escape the fate of Hapsburg Spain, but our cultural rot goes deeper; there will be no Velázquez capable of extracting the humanity from our ruin. Our end, should it come, will be accompanied not with a whimper nor a bang, but a tweet.

This last sentence is nonsense.

[livius]

Yes, very interesting. I’m not sure it’s entirely comparable to our situation.

[Sax]

And extra points for using the word "decrepitude"!