Sir Arthur Toynbee’s ‘schism of the soul’: the underlying reasons for cultural suicide, based on a study of 26 failed civilisations. 

 

Causes

Explanation

Abandon

Society stops believing in morality and yields to impulses,  leading to ‘guilt’ - a self loathing that comes from moral abandon

 

Truancy

People avoid facing social and civilizational risks (e.g. the West’s underclass problem, or the reach of centralised government) because their experience tells them things have already gone too far.  They neglect the responsibilities of citizenship. 

 

Drift

People yield control over their lives to whatever happens (Karma) “Whatever will be will be” 

 

Promiscuity

Passivity. The indiscriminate, unthinking and uncritical acceptance of just about anything.  Surrendering to what is, no matter what ‘it’ is.  No sense of social unity and purpose. The arts, social decorum and the language are all profaned.

Essential Reading

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