The Fragility of Civilization: What Holds Us Together?
Civilization tends to be considered something strong — a solid construction, so to speak, of the effort that humanity has labored for. We turn around and observe the cities we have built, the intricate systems of governance we have established, and the extensive networks of trade, technology, and culture that bind us all together, and we believe we see progress. Still, beneath the surface of this assiduously elaborated world is concealed a profound vulnerability. Those very binding threads that hold our societies together — trust, cooperation, and shared values — are so much more fragile than we often realize. What happens when these threads begin to fray? What holds civilization together, and what forces threaten to tear it apart?
The Illusion of Permanence
We live our lives as if civilization, at least as we currently know it, is stable and enduring. History is a rather different teacher. Great civilizations of the past — the Roman Empire, the Maya, and the ancient Mesopotamians — all appeared invincible in their time yet collapsed under the burden of internal decay, external pressures, or both. Why should our own world be any exception?
But part of the problem is this illusion of permanence — that somehow our ascendancy in technology, in science, and in forms of governance has…
