Will Durant said: If the process of civilization's spread is interrupted for more than a century, civilization will die, and we will revert to savagery. A thousand-mile dike collapses due to an ant's nest. History does not always progress; it often goes in reverse. The collapse of many civilizations in history was certainly not completed overnight; when a building is about to collapse, there will be various signs.
Sign One: Collective Arrogance and Fanaticism#
If God wants to destroy it, He must first make it mad. Too many historical cases prove this point. Whether it was Tsarist Russia before World War I or the Qing Dynasty that waged war against eleven countries, whether it was Hitler before World War II or Tojo Hideki during the war, arrogance and fanaticism were their common characteristics, and collapse and destruction were also their shared fate. This is why, among the "Seven Deadly Sins," pride is considered the most serious sin. Because pride is the beginning of human downfall. Therefore, Durant believes that human history is just a moment in the universe, and the first thing we must learn is humility.
Sign Two: The Gradual Disappearance of Competition and Choice#
Durant said, "Life is competition, life is choice." We are governed by the process of evolution and tested by the biological law of the survival of the fittest. Competition and choice, accompanying the entire process of human civilization development, are one of the major driving forces ensuring that civilization continues to innovate. However, in certain areas, people have replaced competition with institutional arrangements, stipulating that some people can go to school while others cannot, that some can do business while others are only fit to consume... This has deprived people of the freedom of choice and caused the entire society to lose vitality, leading civilization into stagnation or even regression.
Sign Three: Replacing Cooperation with Struggle and Isolation#
Durant said, "Civilization is the product of cooperation, and almost all nations contribute to it." The difference lies only in the extent of contribution. In some regions, society is always very open, and cooperation is always very common, leading to faster social progress and naturally more contributions to civilization. In contrast, some regions are very closed, lacking cooperation with each other, replaced by ubiquitous struggle and infighting, refusing to learn from the outside world and resisting all foreign things. In such places where "closed-door manufacturing" occurs, civilization is destined to be "incompatible with the local environment." If the "soil" itself does not change, substantial development is hard to achieve.
Sign Four: Collective Decline in Spiritual and Moral Levels#
One important reason why history can largely repeat itself is that human nature changes as slowly as geological changes; generation after generation passes, yet the character of the nation does not change much. Regardless of how many dynasties change, the human factors that led to the last social collapse often also lead to the next social collapse. Durant said, "The foundation of society lies not in human ideals but in human nature. The composition of human nature can rewrite the composition of the nation." If the overall spiritual and moral level of a nation's citizens continues to decline, then the level of civilization in that country will inevitably regress.
Sign Five: The Rise of Radicalism#
Durant said, "Social evolution is a process of interaction between habit and innovation. Conservatives who resist change and radicals who propose change have equal value—perhaps even more value, because deep roots are more important than lush branches." Unfortunately, human history has repeatedly fallen into the frenzy of radicalism. The "French Revolution" is the most vivid example. In pursuit of so-called "liberty, equality, and fraternity," the French destroyed all traditions, only to end up with long-term turmoil and unrest. This ideology has spread worldwide, leaving a toxic legacy to this day.
Sign Six: Using Violent Means to Equalize Wealth#
Durant said, "Wealth concentration is natural and inevitable, and can be periodically alleviated through violent or peaceful redistribution." However, we must realize that different methods of wealth redistribution can cause varying degrees of harm to civilization. Legal and peaceful methods of wealth redistribution have limited harm to civilization. However, violent actions to "kill the rich to help the poor" and "equalize wealth" are not uncommon in history and may be repeated in certain areas. When any pursuit of wealth becomes a crime, people will fall into the trap of collective poverty, achieving a form of enslaved equality.
Sign Seven: Forcibly Promoting Utopianism#
Utopianism often promises people the best future: an omnipotent government, ample welfare, an equal society... People in later generations often believe that utopianism is a product of a specific era, a "necessary result of the flaws of capitalism." However, Durant eloquently proves with historical facts that the impulse for utopia has always been deeply buried in human nature throughout history, and thus it will always accompany human society. Those who forcibly promote "utopia" in pursuit of the ideal of a "heaven on earth" merely treat everyone as "guinea pigs" for social experiments, bringing only scarcity, chaos, corruption, and massacres... If we lose civilization, we will inevitably return to savagery.