Posted on 08/01/2007 12:17:29 PM PDT by Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus
Are we Rome?
That is, are we Americans, citizens of the mightiest empire the world has known since the days of the Caesars, living in the last days of our civilization? Is the United States, like the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century, doomed to collapse from its own decadence? Or can we avoid Rome's fate?
As historian Arnold J. Toynbee famously observed, "Civilizations die from suicide, not by murder." While any number of Rome's particular poisons could have been most responsible for its demise, the generally accepted view is that wealth and power corrupted its character, eroding the virtues that made Rome great and leading to its ultimate dissolution.
In his fascinating new book "Are We Rome?" journalist Cullen Murphy argues that yes, contemporary America is unnervingly like the Late Roman Empire. But it also has saving graces and resources that the doomed Romans lacked.
(Excerpt) Read more at jewishworldreview.com ...
Must be a Communist.
/libertarian
not this stuff again
Ping for later reading
Rome started to give away all its treasure, gave wheat away to it poor only to get more poor. In this sense, with foreign aid and all the give-away programs we are like Rome.
the generally accepted view is that wealth and power corrupted its character, eroding the virtues that made Rome great and leading to its ultimate dissolution.
***Sounds familiar.
Just more jargon, more crap : )
Focusing on “contemporary America” is putting the cart before the horse. We may save the restof the world while it sinks into barbarism of MUslim Hegemony.
The hand writing has been on the wall for quite some time now. We might be able to slow the slide a bit, but the dye has been cast and we are spiraling down the same type of sink hole the Romans found themselves in.
History does indeed repeat itself, especially when it comes to the attitudes and actions of mankind.
Something else to consider was that the Romans continually drained their specie eastward, buying all kinds of goods from India and points east, while having no goods to trade in return that anybody wanted. Gold flowed out of the empire, even while goods flowed in.
America’s military is still the finest in the world, probably in the history of the world. No one can match it. America is still safe...for a while.
If we just clean house in D C we will be okay.
Too many politicians have been bought off, and others clearly don’t care about our sovereignty.
It's more like a mini-state next door to Rome that came in and replaced the regime.
Rome itself continued on another century (East and West), and after the big comet that destroyed everything, another 9 centuries (East).
Two things the Fall warns us about are: (1) Canada, and (2) Real big comets.
You are absolutely correct in your statement. Thank you very much!! Liberals and RINO’s are doing more to destroy this country than any enemy. Combine that with Americans that don’t want to face that reality and we’re SOL.
Not to mention the hoards of illegals taking but, not giving.....wanting to reclaim their ancient lands and send us packing.
America isn't.
Perhaps Mr. Dreher, Ms. Murphy, et al. should just shoot themselves and get it over with.
WELL, THERE THEY GO AGAIN. RONALD REAGAN, PRESIDENT MAXIMUS
First, if you have to ask the question you’re not plugged in to what is going on (the answer is yes).
Second nobody in power will do what is required to restore the country. They would not be able to handle the media and liberal backlash.
As for Murphy: the general moral decay present in American society can be traced back to the continued attacks on the family and on the Church, although I don't think that that the spirit of individualism is to blame. Perhaps what Murphy meant to talk about was the excessive focus on consumption, the "me me me" attitude that pervades certain segments of our society.
The way things are progressing, we may see the fragile United States break apart into a motley of squabbling individual States. Perhaps the illegals will rebel and create Aztlan. It's hard to tell.
The Republic will endure, but not everywhere...until another rises to take its place, or until a One World Government ushers in the End Times.
Our problem is D C, not Americans, who are still the hardest working, God fearing people on earth.
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