Suggest edit — 20-07-01 Symptoms and Drivers of Civilizational Decline

Title

Name

Note

---
title: "20-07-01 Symptoms and Drivers of Civilizational Decline"
visibility: public
---

# 20-07-01 Symptoms and Drivers of Civilizational Decline

Category: [[idea-lists-upon-request|Idea Lists (Upon Request)]]

[Read the original document](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1THDn2f9-oRZeO_4hVZplq9pNWfLZSzz-lQr3JESVF5U/edit?usp=drivesdk&sa=D&ust=1596495076755000&usg=AOvVaw3hRKTJxeqUhtnUxfC1xDx1)

---

I notice in creating this list that people living out value systems that are not in decline will come off as insane. Definite optimism would come off as crazy.

1. Lost belief in objectivity
2. Lost sense of collective ambition / destiny
3. Indefinite pessimism rather than definite optimism
4. Lost social cohesion and cooperation
   1. Weakening of religion / shared moral content
5. Loss of collective narratives
6. Hard times -> strong men -> good times -> weak men -> hard times
7. Decentralization of power
8. Lack of trust in authority
9. Passivity & Acceptance
10. Transition from external to internal sources of meaning
11. Value Drift
12. The end of creativity - focus on repetition, 
13. The end of vision - clinging to what was, focus on return
14. Complacency and entitlement in success

There are lots of calls to ‘tear down the system’ but what would it look like to enliven the system, to humanize the system, to enrich the system, to make the system efficient and effective?
The vote for Trump is a vote to tear down the system.
Both sides, desperately trying to tear down the system first.

---

*Source: [Original Google Doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1THDn2f9-oRZeO_4hVZplq9pNWfLZSzz-lQr3JESVF5U/edit?usp=drivesdk&sa=D&ust=1596495076755000&usg=AOvVaw3hRKTJxeqUhtnUxfC1xDx1)*