Many years ago, I watched Kenneth Clark’s TV presentation called Civilisation. 1969 was the date it was first broadcast, but I’m not sure if that is when it reached North America. Never mind, but many years after, I watched it again on YouTube and purchased a used copy of the book based on the TV presentation. Tonight, I wanted to avoid the hard political poison making its sure way through the veins and arteries of present day civilization and see depictions of beauty encased in careful and lyrical prose. I started watching again and on YouTube again.
One of Kenneth Clark’s initial ruminations was that civilizational decline and fall is preceded by an exhaustion of society. I wonder if we are at that point now? We are in a state of collapse where no grand narrative is shared by most, or a sure ideal of what civilization should be. The rise of a clear dislike for our society has taken hold, at least among the vaguely defined group called the elites. I doubt the main part of society shares this, but perhaps the trickle down theory of economics does apply to a trickle down social attitude.
Thoughts to continue, but sporadically as I am entering my busiest time of the year while battling the impact of cataract surgery.