dagblog - Comments for "When Empires fall...."

I understand the concept. It

stillidealistic — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 21:30:41 +0000

I understand the concept. It is hard to keep trying to sound the alarm, when no one who can do anything about the problem will listen.

I'd take a few moments to

SleepinJeezus — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 21:10:25 +0000

In reply to A person can still make a

I'd take a few moments to respond here, broom, but I'm too bushed. Sorry!

A person can still make a

LarryH — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 20:13:08 +0000

In reply to When Empires fall....

A person can still make a pretty good living writing books that claim to explain, finally, the fall of the Roman empire. Then again it is not altogether clear that the Roman empire did fall. Consider the legal systems of most continental European nations, or the architecture of most of our federal buildings. The Roman Catholic religion might be said to be the vestigial Roman empire. Even American Catholics still live in “diocese,” an old Roman political unit.

I suspect that five hundred years from now there will be vestigial elements of what you and I know as the American empire that still flow in the daily commerce of whatever societies exist then. For example, the word “bush” will have two definitions, one commonplace and one obscure but both in regular usage. The commonplace – “any small, tree-like vegetation. The obscure – “The worst leader you can imagine.”

I very much like your suggestion of “malicious obedience.” It has occurred to me that a great way to suppress propaganda is to spread the rumor that it contains material from WikiLeaks. “Don’t watch FOX news. They have been commenting on material from WikiLeaks. And for god sake don’t talk about FOX in emails or other writings. It will damage your career.” You get my drift.

There was an interview

Orion — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 19:52:36 +0000

In reply to When Empires fall....

There was an interview between Christopher Hitchens and David Frum regarding the former's experience growing up in Great Britain after World War II. In Hitchens' own words, there was an air that "there wasn't enough to go around." Both the Soviet Union and British Empire comparisons are apt for different reasons, but the British one is most apt in that the economic and power decline of the United States has led to a stronger class consciousness.

I believe it goes "There's

cmaukonen — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 19:44:21 +0000

In reply to There is many a slip between

I believe it goes "There's many a slip twixt cup and lip" an old English proverb.

There is many a slip between

David Seaton — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 19:37:20 +0000

In reply to When Empires fall....

There is many a slip between cup and the lip.