Full Circle

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In a profound and interesting way, it could be argued that Western society has now come full circle. As of today, we live amongst a plethora of worldviews, all whilst there is a focus on individual flourishing. The primary focus and purpose of our social apparatus is to live a life which is pleasing and pleasureful to us. Whilst opportunity abounds, on the flipside, such a society is plagued with relentless drives to obtain positions of maximum influence and pleasure, to the extent that we are willing to 'get one over' on our neighbour to get to where we think we need to be.

Political and social ‘backstabbing’ was certainly common, both literally and euphemistically, in the society into which I would suggest we have full circle returned to, that of the Roman Empire. As the first global or even regional superpower in Europe, Rome practiced and explored a way of living which emphasised human experience and pleasure. Such were the prominence of the philosophies and the social conventions of the Roman Empire, that we still see much of its influence today. Rome’s language, law, sewage and central heating system are all remnants of this superpower’s influence which are still apparent .

Curiously, it has been suggested that Rome’s collapse was partially due to its unhinged and hedonistic focus. The sense of urgency which typified earlier years had slowly begun to dwindle due to the sense of security provided by the apparatus of empire. As we look across the West today, we can see much of the same remnants, as people strive for four-day weeks and continue a pursuit of pleasure. This does mean that our society is due to collapse, at least almost certainly not in the same way as Rome’s did, but perhaps we may reach a point of no return. The difference, possibly, may be in the rise of AI and computing. As the collective effort and human enthral of the West fades, perhaps machines will replace it...