08-25-2022, 07:57 AM
pbrower,
You description of the succession of Sartar's archetypes reminds me of Ibn Khaldun's description of the successive generations of a dynasty, which steadily lose the qualities that made the dynasty successful in its founding era. Khaldun was writing in the late middle ages (ca. 1400). I'll create a separate thread for his work on the Theories of History subforum, but for now here is a relevant quote from his book "The Muqqadimah"-
You description of the succession of Sartar's archetypes reminds me of Ibn Khaldun's description of the successive generations of a dynasty, which steadily lose the qualities that made the dynasty successful in its founding era. Khaldun was writing in the late middle ages (ca. 1400). I'll create a separate thread for his work on the Theories of History subforum, but for now here is a relevant quote from his book "The Muqqadimah"-
Quote:The builder of the family's glory knows what it cost him to do the work, and he keeps the qualities that created his glory and made it last. The son who comes after him had personal contact with his father and thus learned those things from him. However, his is inferior to him in this respect, inasmuch as a person who learns things through study is inferior to a person who knows them from practical application. The third generation must be content with imitation and, in particular, with reliance upon tradition. This member is inferior to him of the second generation, inasmuch as a person who relies upon tradition is inferior to a person who exercises independent judgment.
The fourth generation, then, is inferior to the preceding ones in every respect. Its member has lost the qualities that preserved the edifice of its glory. He despises (those qualities). [...long diatribe against the fourth generation excised...]
[...]The four generations can be defined as the builder, the one who has personal contact with the builder, the one who relies on tradition, and the destroyer.
Steve Barrera
[A]lthough one would like to change today's world back to the spirit of one hundred years or more ago, it cannot be done. Thus it is important to make the best out of every generation. - Hagakure
Saecular Pages
[A]lthough one would like to change today's world back to the spirit of one hundred years or more ago, it cannot be done. Thus it is important to make the best out of every generation. - Hagakure
Saecular Pages
