Rise and Fall of Nations

Today I was out shopping for a household item and I walked past the magazine rack to see if anything was worth buying. I decided to pick up up "Time" magazines January issue, it has Vladimir Putin on the cover who they nominated as 'man of the year'. I have only paged flipped through the magazine reading articles her and there but based on the articles I got to thinking about the Roman Empire. Why did this once mighty Empire and Crown Jewel of the Europe fall?

Reading one writer's opinion he lists the following: 1) Decline in Moral and Values. 2) Public Health Decline. 3) Political Corruption. 4) Unemployment. 5) Inflation. 6) Urban Decay. 7) Inferior Technology (they couldn't keep up with growth) 8) Military Spending.

I do believe the United States will eventually fail as a culture, though this past year, much of the population spoke out against the powers that be thanks to the Internet. The Internet has provided a way where the people's voice cannot be controlled and hand picked by the media and turned into a way to mind control the massed through media. The public has also, thankfully, in several cases decided to take on the power houses and just not watch their shows, buy their products or confront their words.

So perhaps there is hope for America yet, but I still see the those in or with power and money still controlling the impulses of nation and foregoing morals and reason to try and get people to throw dollars their way ~ even our spiritual leaders.

But there is some good that comes form all the corruption. Eventually people do seem to get sick of it and wise to their ways and just won't follow them any more.

I's a crazy World, it always has been. I was reading about the assassination of Benazir Bhutto the other day. A woman who came from a rather well to do family and her own father was hanged based on accusations of crime. She would go on to educate herself but in ways that were controversial to some of her cultures beliefs. She would rise in popularity to be elected leader and forced out of leadership twice. Go into exile but yet return to a troubled Nation which yearns for improvement. Opposing powers and ideals would clash as they always do with fabricated stories on both sides spinning the truth in order to win the competition for money, power and control. As in the past, one side decides not to leave the situation up to debate and fate but to kill the opposition and take control and enforce rule.

Now this brings me back to the United States, Russian and China. Not the only countries ( not forgetting Iraq and Iran) to be talked about in 2007 but had a lot going on with trying to restore greatness to their lands. 2007 years have past since the decision of historic writers and chroniclers switched from B.C. to A.D. notation. How long has man been on this Earth? No one really knows. Much has become debated between God and Science the past few years. Still the heated debate and killing of other religions and religious zealots continues. Still countries still fight for resources, wealth and power. Still governments and establishments try to find ways to control humans for their weak habits and nature that does little to benefit society.

I lived in America for 40 years. I find myself wanting to live elsewhere most of the time. Oh I started out a patriot and I was conditioned into believing that certain behavior, needs and obtainment defined success and the measure of a man, but I have come to see most of that which is presented is an illusion. People pretend its about community and helping each other but for the most part, it is just people trying to accumulate materials, money, sex and power. It is about the individual and how that individual gets to that life of quality doesn't matter, even it it means leaving others to die or take away from them.

Watching the World these past years, I understand why at times during a cultures climactic turn, a group of people would slaughter all the opposition, including the women and children, in order to erase one way of thinking and establish a new. So there would be no more going around in circles with only the powers benefiting from taxes, laws and rules and the people still left in despair. I understand the age of enlightenment where grow tired of the killing and torment and want stability and control and to just live in peace an harmony.

Here I am, still alive and part of this World. Still unsure of what part I play in it as it continues on like it pretty much always has. The only thing is in the last 100 years, mankind has advanced so far in mechanics and technology, it has not stopped to think about what it all means, can do, or the fatal errors it can make.

Last night when I left work and started to walk home I looked up at the stars. Once again pondering what is out there. Will mankind one day eventually make it to another solar system? Or are we destined to die here through war or by raping the Earth for its resources for a mere fews wealth and power?