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People talk about when Rome fell, but it started long before the germanic tribes finished it. Other cultures have simply ended with no outside help. We are going one of these directions. But when the offical clock hits zero we won't know since we'll have long forgotten about the beginning by then.
Everything you said in your post was true. But it could also be a simple factor that has been repeated throughout history: no power maintains itself indefinitely. Rome, which ruled most of the known world, fell. Great Britain, which was certainly the epicenter of the greatest modern empire, is now "great" only in name. The United States, much as I'd like to tell myself I'm wrong, is on a time-line as well. The main difference between us and Rome (or us and Great Britain) is that our era of dominance probably isn't going to last as long. And in the end, it will have come down to apathy and indifference on the part of the people--demonstrated publicly every time we hold an election (local or national) and you see the percentages of people who don't vote at all.
I think 9/11 was the end of the US as we knew it. That day was tragic in so many more ways then the initial horror that it was. In fact I think the world as a whole is headed for not so positive changes in the near future. Its almost as if we are all melting together and not for the better. In Europe where people were once laid back have been picking up on the fast paced, self centered, American way of life. Not being in touch with who they are and not paying attention to freedoms being flushed down the toilet. I have friends in France and Italy who told me that "Americanism" is taking over.
I'll say one thing, you know those annoying banners that scroll on the bottom of your screen no matter what channel you're on? And you know how every channel now has nice big pop-ups & constantly have their station logo in the corner? THAT started when all the news channels started doing it during their coverage of 9/11.
I think 9/11 was the end of the US as we knew it. That day was tragic in so many more ways then the initial horror that it was. In fact I think the world as a whole is headed for not so positive changes in the near future. Its almost as if we are all melting together and not for the better. In Europe where people were once laid back have been picking up on the fast paced, self centered, American way of life. Not being in touch with who they are and not paying attention to freedoms being flushed down the toilet. I have friends in France and Italy who told me that "Americanism" is taking over.
If "americanism" is truly taking over in Europe like you say it has, that seriously depresses me. Where is the incentive to travel if the country you travel to in order to experience a different way of life is exactly like the one you left?
Everything you said in your post was true. But it could also be a simple factor that has been repeated throughout history: no power maintains itself indefinitely. Rome, which ruled most of the known world, fell. Great Britain, which was certainly the epicenter of the greatest modern empire, is now "great" only in name. The United States, much as I'd like to tell myself I'm wrong, is on a time-line as well. The main difference between us and Rome (or us and Great Britain) is that our era of dominance probably isn't going to last as long. And in the end, it will have come down to apathy and indifference on the part of the people--demonstrated publicly every time we hold an election (local or national) and you see the percentages of people who don't vote at all.
Cultures/nations have different models to build on that in many ways determine how long they last. Egypt grew to a huge empire, though it wasn't called on as it was so gradual. It lasted for multiple thousands of years. But there was very little change. Life went on so much the same that for the average person the life of their great grandfather would have been very familiar. And it was very homogenus. There was very little as a part of the society to pull it apart.
Rome lasted a long time, but was extremely dynamic. Its empire was taken methodioly and held with careful balance. And even while it was in its long decline it had little chage in how life was lived and how things worked. Its diversity and its timing, when the invaders were there and being pushed to invade, broke it internally but while it offically "fell" in the west due to invasion it had been falling for a long time.
And then Greece... It was a collection of city states with their own cultures and often own languages. What we call Greece did not really exist. They fought each other and only in the end united to try to save all of them. But what we honor and hold as the beginnings of what we are, the Athenian state, reached its peak and fall within a century. It grew and changed and broke in a terribly short life. Athens continued, but it was no longer the brilliant star.
We aren't Egypt and never have been. We were closer to Rome in the last century. But even then *change* was slow. Technology proceeded at a crawl until it exploded about a century ago. In that time, change has speeded to a race and I think like the Athenians, it is part of what is tearing us apart.
Maybe like Athens we will lose that place in the sun and go on, but something far less and with a much harder way of life. And in time what was will be gone. Maybe because that is the way of life and civilizations we are wired to adapt and your great great grandchildren will live life as they know and not mourn all that has gone.
This country is more racist, xenophobic, sensationalist, suckered into fear mongering, a police state, and divided than ever before. I hope we will find our roots soon.
The war lasted only an hour. Al Qaeda won, soundly and decisively defeating the most powerful nation in history, with only 19 casualties. That war was over by noon on 9/11. We are now at war with the Zombies, and the Zombies are brain-dead Americans following a flow-chart. There is no place to hide except in the Super WalMart.
Get real, 88. The Super Wal-Mart is Zombie HQ.
People panic like this every time we get in a war. The papers always shut down the flow of information to some extent at times like these. It does not mean we are no longer Americans. It's war-related info-paranoia. It may or may not really help national security. Americans still retain their right to complain. The Patriot Act is the only part that scares me.
Here is a good thread from Mercola.com. It raises the question is America the same country post 9/11. To me its not and I see us losing freedoms by the day it seems. What was once considered the greatest country in the world is now taking major steps backwards. Very sad if you ask me. 9/11 was the beginning of the end for America as we once knew it.
The outcry by some for us to adopt the extremist outlook of our enemies is the thing that worries me the most. This is not a respectable viewpoint in a civilized country, and may be the deciding factor in our decline to second class status in the community of nations.
If "americanism" is truly taking over in Europe like you say it has, that seriously depresses me. Where is the incentive to travel if the country you travel to in order to experience a different way of life is exactly like the one you left?
It is sad. I will go to Europe to see the old stuctures buildings, but the ppl now are just like us, or I should say are becoming just like us.
The outcry by some for us to adopt the extremist outlook of our enemies is the thing that worries me the most. This is not a respectable viewpoint in a civilized country, and may be the deciding factor in our decline to second class status in the community of nations.
We have been on our way to second class for a while though now as China and to a much lesser extent Russia are making a big push to be the next world powers. I can live w/out being a super power but I don't want to live in a place of declining freedom and declining quality of life. PPL just assume "we are American, we will always be free". I took for granted this country pre 9/11 assuming the same silly thing. Now I understand how truly precious freedom is and how easily it can be lost.
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