The Decline and Fall of a Civilization

Lew Rockwell ^ | 12-10-01 | Butler Shaffer

[serinde]

As this war continues, those of us who persist in conducting our lives outside institutional walls, or who continue to use the Internet as though it were a tool by which free minds communicate with one another, or who insist upon the privacy of our lives and business transactions, will discover ourselves thrown into the new suspect class of "terrorists."

Considering the source, and based on posts the last few weeks, this article will likely get slapped down hard. However, the quote above sums up my conclusions and concerns of our current situation quite nicely. Thanks for posting it.

[Boonie Rat]

It's ok if the Constition is trashed, as long as it's conservatives that are doing it.

Boonie Rat

MACV SOCOM, PhuBai/Hue '65-'66

[Joe Bonforte]

"When a civilization reaches the point at which only coercive force is capable of holding it together, it is finished as a viable system."

An apt message to the drug warriors, national ID supporters, and the rest of the "just do what you are told - we know what's best for you" crowd. Too many such are on this forum.

[Uncle Sham]

Good article. Thanks for posting.

[Dick Bachert]

As the author points out -- and I have attempted to do on numerous occasions -- few members of a culture in decline ever grasp the true import -- or the terminal nature -- of the process in which they find themselves.

Thus it will be with America -- IF those with the insight and gumption to avert it permit themselves to be intimidated into silence.

As Edmund Burke warned, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

It will revive again as it did after the period of turmoil and chaos following the fall of ancient Rome. But...it may take a while. Eventually enough people will be sickened by the depths of depravity, degeneration, vulgarity, bad taste, and collective stupidity. As we have somewhat after Clinton. Let's thank God Gore was denied power.

[dirtboy]

What defines a great civilization, and what conditions are necessary to its existence?

First and foremost is the ability to defend itself. All other conditions are wholly dependent upon that capability...

[Aurelius]

I am a great fan of Butler Schaffer, ever since reading his book "Calculated Chaos" years ago. Glad you posted this.

[Zeroisanumber]

THE SKY IS FALLING!!!! THE SKY IS FALLING!!!!

[Boonie Rat]

Thanks so much for your brilliant and insightful rebuttal of the points of the article.

Zero is also an I.Q.

Boonie Rat

MACV SOCOM, PhuBai/Hue '65-'66

[sinkspur]

As the author points out -- and I have attempted to do on numerous occasions -- few members of a culture in decline ever grasp the true import -- or the terminal nature -- of the process in which they find themselves.

The author--and you--are both arrogant and wrong.

I notice this thread has dragged in the "glass-is-half-empty" crowd, with more, no doubt, to follow.

I actually believe some of you goofballs would love to see the United States fall to a bunch of barbarians, if for no other reason than you would be proved right.

Like everything that has come out of LewserRockewell.com since 9/11, this article is dreck.

[Don Myers]

bttt

[MHGinTN]

Good read, Boonie. The following thought string caught my eye from the standpoint of my hot button, abortion:

Life is a continuing process of making adjustments and creative responses in a world too complex to be predictable. But institutions insist not only upon their illusions of predictability, but their systems of control by which they imagine they can direct the world to their ends. This is why institutions have always aligned themselves with the forces of power, in order to compel the rest of nature – particularly mankind – to conform to their interests. Solve societal and personal difficulties via serial killing of the little buggers, eh?

We'veThe SCOTUS has institutionalized serial killing of the preborn and are moving to the same for the other end of the lifetime spectrum. Can the culture endure much more of that?!

[BTW, I live in Boone's Creek!]

[Doctor Doom]

It's ok if the Constition is trashed, as long as it's conservatives that are doing it.

You say so much so well and with such brevity. That's exactly their attitude.

Great post.

[denydenydeny]

I made it as far as

Almost like a pair of Jungian archetypes, the WTC buildings stood, at the base of Wall Street, as towering symbols of a vertically structured, institutionalized world....

Libertarianism is one thing, but this kind of crap is right out of Bakunin. Or Ted Kaczynski.

[TightSqueeze]

I actually believe some of you goofballs would love to see the United States fall to a bunch of barbarians, if for no other reason than you would be proved right.

Must it be an either-or situation, with the alternative being a totalitarian tyranny? Someone must stand guard against those who would use at some future date use these new powers against American civilians.

[Twodees]

How do you know it's dreck, spinkie? You didn't read it. I would suggest that you read it, but I realize that your intellect is rather limited.

[sinkspur]

You didn't read it. I would suggest that you read it, but I realize that your intellect is rather limited.

I read it.

You're nothing but a walking insult, Twodees.

More so than you know.

[Tauzero]

good piece