Decadence: Myth and Reality

The concept of decadence continues being used in political discourse, especially by some on the Right. It is time that there be an intelligent refutation to these claims.

The word "decadence" is referred most commonly to the Roman Empire in its last stages. "Decadence" - meaning especially "loose" sexual behavior - is blamed for the collapse of the Roman Empire. This blame is wrongly placed. The Roman Empire became majority Christian under Constantine, in early 4th century AD, and became officially Christian under Theodosius three decades later, only to be conquered in 5th century AD. Which means that in Roman Empire's last century the "decadent" practices were no longer taking place. Instead, Roman Empire was conquered after it had become Christian; and during the period of 1st century and 2nd century AD, in which the practices deemed decadent were most common, Roman Empire was at its peak.

There does appear however to be a real reason for Roman Empire's failure, and it has nothing to do with anyone's private behavior. It is brainless economic and political practices and failure to embrace technological progress. In 20AD, a Roman inventor named Hero of Alexandria invented the steam engine. The Romans believed that his invention was uneconomical as slave labor was cheap and abundant enough for them. Instead of embracing technological innovation and its fruits - industrialization, prosperity, and military machines that would have made mincemeat of any invading army - the Roman Empire stuck to the ugly, short-sighted and wrong institution of slavery. This institution not only made life hell for three quarters of the population of Roman Empire but was an ongoing righteous source of hate and resentment against Roman Empire and against "the world."

America is not at risk of failure as a result of anyone's private behavior. Thomas Jefferson, who had children by a slavegirl, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John Kennedy and Bill Clinton, who had affairs while in office, were all brilliant presidents, and America thrived under all of them. Rather the risk comes from those in America who deny scientific reality and want to do away with technological progress, particularly progress in the energy sector. There is any number of technologies that can fulfil people's energy needs at present and greater level with vastly less burden on the environment. The real threat to America does not come from people who have affairs, whether they be Democrats such as Bill Clinton or Republicans such as Newt Gingrich. It comes from entities such as the Texas Oil, that has for decades lied to the people and lobbied the government to deny reality and to sabotage technological progress.

It is of course people allied with these entities that blow the "decadence" horn the most; and what we are seeing here is the behavior of a criminal hiding his tracks. Precisely the wrong people get blamed for the problems being presently experienced, while the people who actually are responsible for these problems are not only not taking responsibility for them but are blaming them on the people who have nothing to do with them - indeed on the people who take oppositional stance to the people who are responsible for these problems. America is not at risk of failure as a result of some Americans not practicing social conservatism. America - and the rest of the world - is at risk as a result of some Americans engaging in brainless, destructive, short-sighted economic practices while attacking technological progress.

Many of these people are also hoping for an Armageddon in our lifetime. And now is the time to say no to that. If someone wants an Armageddon before the children being born now have grown up, then not only does he have no business claiming to have "family values" but he has less than nothing to offer for America's future. America, and the rest of the world, including the children now growing up, deserve a better future than that. And America needs leaders and people involved at all levels who have a better vision of the future in mind than a violent destruction in our lifetime of everyone and everything that lives.

If some Americans do not want to live the lifestyle pushed by the likes of Pat Robertson, then it is their right. This has nothing to do with the real problems that America - and the rest of the world - experiences presently. There is a real solution to problems presently taking place, and that solution is technological progress, especially in the energy sector. Fortunately there are enough people who understand this and are willing to make this happen, the Texas Oil and its machinations be damned.