Or how the mega-saeculum is subdivided.
Those of you who've been on this board and the old one know that I subscribe to a mega-saeculum theory. This theory is similar to but unique from other such theories. Firstly I not only have a mega-saeculum and the recognized saeculum, but also micro-turnings within each turning of the saeculum.
I've tried to explain this at various times in the past, not always with success. I also fully believe that there will be some degree of historical push back on my views (particularly those with clear ideological and cultural bias against my theory in particular). First we should examine each component part of the Mega-Saeculum, Saeculum and the micro-turnings. Next we will examine the two themes of sacula within a mega-saeculum. Some have likened the regular swing of these two themes as a driver of the mega-saeculum but rather I think they are counter-weights to keep things intact. Finally it should be firmly realized that while the symbology of a circle may in fact be used, the reality of history is that it more like a series of spirals. The old saying "you can't step into the same river twice" rings true.
THE MEGA-SAECULUM
Generally speaking a mega-saeculum is the expansion of the recognized saeculum system over the course of many saecula. This pattern in so far as we can tell always manifests itself in a series of four saecula, which in turn are composed of four turnings themselves composed of four micro-turnings.
Given there is some debate as to the length of a saeculum history seems to indicate that there are two recognized saeculum lengths. Approximately 100-120 years for a pre-industiralized society and around 80 years for an industrialized society. It remains to be seen if a post-industrial society can ever be formed as anything more than the smoking crater of where an industrialized society used to be.
As I won't discuss in detail the length of saecula here suffice it to say that this issue has been studied in depth by others and that I would agree that there is in fact a Saeculum A for pre-industiral societies and a Saeculum B for industrial societies. The times for both are approximate and a variation of less than a full generation (approximately 20 years based on human biology) is not considered substantial enough evidence to promote the idea that there may be a Saeculum C.
As such Mega-Saecula wherein all or most of the saecula contained within it are Saeculum A's such a mega-saeculum would be between 400 and 480 years in duration. Historians who proposed cyclical historical models prior to S&H seem to settle in the 500 years range.
As such one can propose a late middle ages mega-saeculum lasting from about 900 C.E. to approximately 1400 C.E. I would argue that the Late Middle ages really ended some time shortly after the Black Death years of the 1350s, in a Mega-Crisis that lasted until around 1400 C.E. with the break down of the feudal system in Western Europe. Since I wish to focus primarily on modern times we will not concern ourselves with saecula prior to 1400 C.E. Also almost two full mega-saecula on from that turning point the Late Medieval Mega-Saeculum is not terribly important for our work here.
A Mega-Saecula wherein all or most of the saecula contained within it are Saeculum B's would be between 280 and 320 years in duration.
Each Mega-Saeculum is composed of four distinct parts. These parts are of course saecula and they follow a distinct pattern.
A Mega-Resolution/Exposition (or a first turning--commonly called a High amongst students of S&H) [It closes out the previous Mega-Saeculum and sets up the following Mega-Saeculum]
A Mega-Awakening (or a second turning) [in a traditional plot timeline as you'd learn about in school this can be likened to rising action or rather the start of the rising action--the ideas of the mega-saeculum are usually birthed in this part]
A Mega-Unraveling (or third turning) [A stasis point among two or more main ideas that are relevant to the mega-saeculum for example parliamentarian-ism verses divine right of kings]
A Mega-Crisis (or fourth turning) [a period of rapidly rising action until a climax point is hit and then rapidly falling action to the next Mega-Resolution/Exposition]
The Mega-Saeculum constitutes the first wheel.
THE SAECULUM
By and large my theories about the saeculum itself are contained in the works of S&H except for two main points.
First that the first turning is not necessarily a "High". First turnings need not be triumphant, or even victorious. Some are, some are not. This is why I tend to use the terms Resolution-Exposition (R/E) or simply first turning, or even more simply 1T.
Second, is their apparent absence of a Civic Generation within the Civil War Saeculum. While it appears that they did not detect it, I would argue that there is one, however, it mostly died out on the fields in such places as Gettysburg, Chickamauga and Chancellorsville. It was noted in the Great Power Saeculum which followed it by many that some would use "the bloody shirt" so as to obtain power. That is to say that by virtue of being a veteran of the Civil War they expected deference. A clear civic trait in the following saeculum.
Just to reiterate the works each saeculum is composed of four turnings.
A Resolution-Exposition turning. Serves the same purpose as the pattern in the Mega-Saeculum.
An Awakening turning. Serves the same purpose as the pattern in the Mega-Saeculum
An Unraveling turning. Serves the same purpose as the pattern in the Mega-Saeculum
A Crisis Turning. Serves the same purpose as the pattern in the Mega-Saeculum.
The Saeculum composes the second wheel.
THE TWO-STROKE REGULATOR
Over the years much has been written about a pattern that appears within Mega-Saecula. It is assumed by some to be a driving force within the mega-saeculum. While that is possible, I do not think it to be probable. Rather I would take it to be a regulator so as to maintain equiliberium within the mega-saeculum.
Some use the terms Apollonian and Dionysian to describe the two strokes of the regulator. I prefer the terms Advancement (as it deals primarily with material advances) and Atonement (as it often deals with cultural including religious issues and movements).
Advancement Saeculum
Adaptive: Comes of age in an emerging cultural consensus, feels free to start questioning society's dominant ideologies.
Idealist: Rebels against the dominant ideological consensus of society laid down in the previous Advancement 4T.
Nomad: Is annoyed by the Prophets' ideological debates and focuses on culture.
Civic: Establishes a new ideological consensus.
Atonement Saeculum
Adaptive: Comes of age in an emerging ideological consensus, feels free to start questioning social norms and accepted spiritual truths.
Idealist: Rebels against the dominant cultural consensus of society laid down in the previous Atonement 4T.
Nomad: Is annoyed by the Prophets' cultural debates and focuses on ideological issues.
Civic: Establishes a new cultural consensus.
It should be noted that the regulator does not fit into the saeculums securely as it starts with Adaptive Generations rather than Idealist Generations. That is to say it is an adaption to the change of the Saeculum. It should also be noted that it appears that advancement saecula occur during the Mega-Awakening and the Mega-Crisis while atonement saecula occur during the Mega-R/E and Mega-Crisis.
Further the pattern established for the two-stroke regulator is not mine, the hypothesis as to why it exists however is.
The Two-Stroke regulator is the third wheel and like a gyroscope it is off-set so as to help balance the whole.
TURNINGS AND MICRO-TURNINGS
I won't deal with turnings much. S&H have done far more than is in my poor power. Rather, I will suffice it to say that each saeculum is composed of four turnings so there are a total of 16 turnings per Mega-Saeculum. Suffice it to say that each turning is itself composed of micro-turnings (generally of 4-7 years duration) that follow the established patterns for the Mega-Saeculum and the Saeculum.
Once one gets down to this level one really starts splitting hairs but one can see it as the progression of each turning.
Those of you who've been on this board and the old one know that I subscribe to a mega-saeculum theory. This theory is similar to but unique from other such theories. Firstly I not only have a mega-saeculum and the recognized saeculum, but also micro-turnings within each turning of the saeculum.
I've tried to explain this at various times in the past, not always with success. I also fully believe that there will be some degree of historical push back on my views (particularly those with clear ideological and cultural bias against my theory in particular). First we should examine each component part of the Mega-Saeculum, Saeculum and the micro-turnings. Next we will examine the two themes of sacula within a mega-saeculum. Some have likened the regular swing of these two themes as a driver of the mega-saeculum but rather I think they are counter-weights to keep things intact. Finally it should be firmly realized that while the symbology of a circle may in fact be used, the reality of history is that it more like a series of spirals. The old saying "you can't step into the same river twice" rings true.
THE MEGA-SAECULUM
Generally speaking a mega-saeculum is the expansion of the recognized saeculum system over the course of many saecula. This pattern in so far as we can tell always manifests itself in a series of four saecula, which in turn are composed of four turnings themselves composed of four micro-turnings.
Given there is some debate as to the length of a saeculum history seems to indicate that there are two recognized saeculum lengths. Approximately 100-120 years for a pre-industiralized society and around 80 years for an industrialized society. It remains to be seen if a post-industrial society can ever be formed as anything more than the smoking crater of where an industrialized society used to be.
As I won't discuss in detail the length of saecula here suffice it to say that this issue has been studied in depth by others and that I would agree that there is in fact a Saeculum A for pre-industiral societies and a Saeculum B for industrial societies. The times for both are approximate and a variation of less than a full generation (approximately 20 years based on human biology) is not considered substantial enough evidence to promote the idea that there may be a Saeculum C.
As such Mega-Saecula wherein all or most of the saecula contained within it are Saeculum A's such a mega-saeculum would be between 400 and 480 years in duration. Historians who proposed cyclical historical models prior to S&H seem to settle in the 500 years range.
As such one can propose a late middle ages mega-saeculum lasting from about 900 C.E. to approximately 1400 C.E. I would argue that the Late Middle ages really ended some time shortly after the Black Death years of the 1350s, in a Mega-Crisis that lasted until around 1400 C.E. with the break down of the feudal system in Western Europe. Since I wish to focus primarily on modern times we will not concern ourselves with saecula prior to 1400 C.E. Also almost two full mega-saecula on from that turning point the Late Medieval Mega-Saeculum is not terribly important for our work here.
A Mega-Saecula wherein all or most of the saecula contained within it are Saeculum B's would be between 280 and 320 years in duration.
Each Mega-Saeculum is composed of four distinct parts. These parts are of course saecula and they follow a distinct pattern.
A Mega-Resolution/Exposition (or a first turning--commonly called a High amongst students of S&H) [It closes out the previous Mega-Saeculum and sets up the following Mega-Saeculum]
A Mega-Awakening (or a second turning) [in a traditional plot timeline as you'd learn about in school this can be likened to rising action or rather the start of the rising action--the ideas of the mega-saeculum are usually birthed in this part]
A Mega-Unraveling (or third turning) [A stasis point among two or more main ideas that are relevant to the mega-saeculum for example parliamentarian-ism verses divine right of kings]
A Mega-Crisis (or fourth turning) [a period of rapidly rising action until a climax point is hit and then rapidly falling action to the next Mega-Resolution/Exposition]
The Mega-Saeculum constitutes the first wheel.
THE SAECULUM
By and large my theories about the saeculum itself are contained in the works of S&H except for two main points.
First that the first turning is not necessarily a "High". First turnings need not be triumphant, or even victorious. Some are, some are not. This is why I tend to use the terms Resolution-Exposition (R/E) or simply first turning, or even more simply 1T.
Second, is their apparent absence of a Civic Generation within the Civil War Saeculum. While it appears that they did not detect it, I would argue that there is one, however, it mostly died out on the fields in such places as Gettysburg, Chickamauga and Chancellorsville. It was noted in the Great Power Saeculum which followed it by many that some would use "the bloody shirt" so as to obtain power. That is to say that by virtue of being a veteran of the Civil War they expected deference. A clear civic trait in the following saeculum.
Just to reiterate the works each saeculum is composed of four turnings.
A Resolution-Exposition turning. Serves the same purpose as the pattern in the Mega-Saeculum.
An Awakening turning. Serves the same purpose as the pattern in the Mega-Saeculum
An Unraveling turning. Serves the same purpose as the pattern in the Mega-Saeculum
A Crisis Turning. Serves the same purpose as the pattern in the Mega-Saeculum.
The Saeculum composes the second wheel.
THE TWO-STROKE REGULATOR
Over the years much has been written about a pattern that appears within Mega-Saecula. It is assumed by some to be a driving force within the mega-saeculum. While that is possible, I do not think it to be probable. Rather I would take it to be a regulator so as to maintain equiliberium within the mega-saeculum.
Some use the terms Apollonian and Dionysian to describe the two strokes of the regulator. I prefer the terms Advancement (as it deals primarily with material advances) and Atonement (as it often deals with cultural including religious issues and movements).
Advancement Saeculum
Adaptive: Comes of age in an emerging cultural consensus, feels free to start questioning society's dominant ideologies.
Idealist: Rebels against the dominant ideological consensus of society laid down in the previous Advancement 4T.
Nomad: Is annoyed by the Prophets' ideological debates and focuses on culture.
Civic: Establishes a new ideological consensus.
Atonement Saeculum
Adaptive: Comes of age in an emerging ideological consensus, feels free to start questioning social norms and accepted spiritual truths.
Idealist: Rebels against the dominant cultural consensus of society laid down in the previous Atonement 4T.
Nomad: Is annoyed by the Prophets' cultural debates and focuses on ideological issues.
Civic: Establishes a new cultural consensus.
It should be noted that the regulator does not fit into the saeculums securely as it starts with Adaptive Generations rather than Idealist Generations. That is to say it is an adaption to the change of the Saeculum. It should also be noted that it appears that advancement saecula occur during the Mega-Awakening and the Mega-Crisis while atonement saecula occur during the Mega-R/E and Mega-Crisis.
Further the pattern established for the two-stroke regulator is not mine, the hypothesis as to why it exists however is.
The Two-Stroke regulator is the third wheel and like a gyroscope it is off-set so as to help balance the whole.
TURNINGS AND MICRO-TURNINGS
I won't deal with turnings much. S&H have done far more than is in my poor power. Rather, I will suffice it to say that each saeculum is composed of four turnings so there are a total of 16 turnings per Mega-Saeculum. Suffice it to say that each turning is itself composed of micro-turnings (generally of 4-7 years duration) that follow the established patterns for the Mega-Saeculum and the Saeculum.
Once one gets down to this level one really starts splitting hairs but one can see it as the progression of each turning.
It really is all mathematics.
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