Rome was like America is today, they have so much in common its scary. so how long till we fall? what do you guys think?
America deals with "barbarian tribes" in and outside its borders... Look around these tribes have just changed with the times and don't look like textbook "barbarians"... I've underlined come barbaric things that go on: terrorist attacks here which gave Bush support to start a war which didn't directly have anything to do with the attacks but instead will help secure our country's uncontrolled materialistic greed with interests in oil and provide millions to companies like Halliburton (I don't know if I spelled that right). This very war is forcing our men to kill and be killed in the name of peace... while at home we have other problems that are being ignored: our VIOLENT culture, crime on the rise across the board, forgotten children, insufficient affordable healthcare, unemployment, consumption at ridiculous levels... yadda yadda, I'm sure I've made my point... If things don't change, not only is America in trouble but the world as we know it is ... And please don't get me wrong this is not an anti american post I love this beautiful land but some things have got to change.
Well, if we're gonna "fall," so to speak, it will most likely happen during the next twenty years, when nuclear and nano-weapons are at their most prolific moments. If we can survive that, I think our species will finally begin to settle down and mature a little bit. I see America (and the rest of the world) simply evolving into something else, rather than "falling." We probably won't consider ourselves "Americans" in 100 years, but that isn't necessarily because of some historical calamity.
This is a poem I wrote a couple of months ago, on exactly that idea... Empyre Rome burns around him, A mis-spent youth bred Mal-formed egotism. Play those strings, play ever on, The sweetest melodies cannot shroud An empire crumbling. Nero plays his golden fiddle. And Rome burns. Tyrant, usurper, simpleton, What madness is this? Raze those cities with your hate. But as ye sow, so shall ye reap! The softest lies scarcely hide your intent, But no empire lasts for all time. Take your nine-iron, look away, Modern-day Neros play their game. And America burns!
empires rise and fall. what seems like a catastrophe today, may be forgotten forever and be buried the sands of time
I don't think it would be a catastrophe if the American Empire fell. It's way too powerful. No one nation state should weild that much power....
Vietnam can be considered stage one, an equivalent of the Germans pushing the Romans back across the Rhine, preventing an absolute hegemony, and laying the foundation for other "barbarian" victories against Rome. The next stage, if it were to occur, will be only as much of a historic event as the "fall" of the Soviet Union... America will still exist as a nation but will weild as much power as it did before the great wars However I do remain optimistic, and believe that the fall can be averted. All America needs is a better leader and not some emperor will a lot of hubris.
