[Scukonah]

IMO, Arrogance explains much of it.

A society builds up a reputation on the backs of great men and women, and conveniently forgets that great men and women aren't dime a dozen.

Once they're gone, that society keeps on behaving as though it still has the benefits of said great individuals, only to get b*tch-slapped by the disasterous side effects of that illusion.

The USA is a case in point.

Dubya is attempting to cast himself as one of the all time greats...to hear him tell it, he's leading the charge...fighting the good fight against...what was it...Islamic Fascisim?

But it's a sham.

He lives in the shadow of great men, and is a wannabe of the worst sort. He's never done anything of substance, was responsible in no way at all for the great nation whose helm he inherited (some would say stole, or at the very least, bought), and ultimately, has led it into dangerous waters, purely on the basis of his (apparently boundless) arrogance.

In a similar vein, I do not think that the fall of the Roman Empire had anything to do with exceeding carrying capacity or a shortage of resources...if anything, they had the market more-or-less cornered where resources went. Plenty of arrogance though.

*shrug*

-=Vel=-