Why Billionaires Want to Collapse the Global Economy & Democracy

“Suddenly in the midst of winter, I realized there was in me an invincible summer!” — Albert Camus, French philosopher, author, dramatist, journalist, world federalist, and political activist

To understand the connections I will lay out in this blog, it is important to back up to a blog I posted on January 25, 2025. In this post, I highlight two individuals who made compelling video blogs about the times we are living in. One is Adam Mockler who made a must see video of what an oligarchy is. The other is economic professor Richard D. Wolff who is an American economist and professor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Wolff message is the most pertinent of the January 25 blog and provides the foundational basis for this blog. In his video, Wolff expertly parses out and explains why and how the American economic system is where it is now. Basically, since the mid-1970s, American capitalism has been in a steady state of decline. Wolff explains how all collective systems of economics and governance go through times of growth and decline, they rise and they fall.

Oligarchs, the Fall of Democracy in U.S., and the Fall of Man Worldwide

Oligarchs, the Fall of Democracy in U.S., and the Fall of Man Worldwide

Wolff describes how the American capitalist economy experienced an unprecedented period of growth from the mid-1870s to the mid-1970s. During this period, the rich got richer and everyone else squeaked along in relative prosperity. Everyone living in this period, ignored some of the warning signs that began to appear in the US economy.

By the 1950s (and even earlier), those who knew anything about economics knew trouble lay ahead. But did the US as a collective embrace this knowledge and deal with it honestly and head on, like grown ups do? Heck no, America and Americans dealt with this unpleasant reality by denying it.

Just a few stats:

Since 1950, US labor productivity has increased significantly, with an average annual growth of around 2.3%. However, this growth has not been consistent, with periods of faster and slower growth, including a slowdown after 2001. 

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

1950-1970: Productivity grew at an average of 3.2% per year. 

1970-1990: Productivity growth slowed to 1.9% per year. 

1991-Present: Productivity growth climbed back to over 2.3% per year, with a modest slowdown after 2001. 

1948-1979: Productivity grew 112.5%, while worker compensation grew 90.2%. 

1979-2019: Productivity grew 85.1%, while worker compensation grew 13.2%. 

1950-2018: US labor productivity increased by 299%. 

1950-2024: US nonfarm labor productivity increased from 22.07 points in the third quarter of 1947 to 115.66 points in the fourth quarter of 2024. 

2023-2024: Annual average productivity was revised up 0.4 percentage point to an increase of 2.7 percent. 

2024: Productivity increased 1.5 percent in the nonfarm business sector in the fourth quarter of 2024. 

2024: In manufacturing, productivity increased 0.3 percent. 

                                    -- Generative AI is experimental
Sources:

In Brief: The Recent Rise in US Labor Productivity
Apr 25, 2024 — Economist Robert Gordon has documented that the United States enjoyed a “special century” of productivity growth from ... Aspen Economic Strategy Group

Productivity has grown 3.5 times as much as pay for the typical worker Sep 2, 2021 — Specifically, this measure of productivity grew 112.5% from 1948 to 1979 with a corresponding 90.2% growth in a worker'
Economic Policy Institute

Behind the productivity slowdown: A big drop in new firms
Oct 18, 2017 — Since the 1950s, productivity growth averaged 2.3 percent a year. Is the culprit corporations buying back shares to ra...The Seattle Times

And…

Since 1950, US corporations have seen significant increases in profits, with 2021 being the most profitable year since then, and profits surging 35% that year. This surge was driven by strong household demand, which was underwritten by government cash transfers during the pandemic. 

                                    -- Generative AI is experimental
Sources:

Profits Soar as U.S. Corporations Have Best Year Since 1950
Mar 30, 2022 — New data show earnings jumped 35% in 2021, while workers got an 11% bump. Photo: Getty Images. By Matthew Boesler. Mar...Bloomberg.com

The Evolution of U.S. Corporate Profits: Dissecting 70 Years ...
Earnings that now amount to roughly $600 billion a year have been transferred from labor to capital. ... The first, from 1950-1970...
cdn.pficdn.com

Fattest corporate profits since 1950 debunk inflation story ...
Nov 30, 2021 — Bloomberg. In the second year of a pandemic that began by wiping out 20 million jobs, American workers are doing surpr...The Seattle Times

As the cracks in the system widen, and it became even clearer America’s 100 year period of capitalistic economy prosperity was over, all out denial and scapegoating of immigrants and globalization began, and was wholeheartedly adopted by the MAGA Republicans as core tenets of their political identity. Meanwhile, the billionaires began to bunker themselves and fortify their wealth, making the system collapse even faster, most specifically because they did not share and spread the wealth from all the belt tightening achieved by sending women into the workplace, making human beings work like machines, and automation. Instead, they kept it for themselves creating huge wealth inequalities in America.

Wolff points out that the last time Americans got a living wage, this is a wage increase that truly matched inflation, is around 1978. Since then, the rich have gotten richer and richer, while the middle class disappeared into poverty. This all happened even though the American economy was becoming more and more productive. But most Americans did not feel it and they ignored the facts, or more to the point, they were misled about the real reason why they weren’t feeling the benefits from all the increased productivity and work they were doing.

And of course, the real reason why they are not feeling better about their station in life is because the American empire, based on capitalism, is in a steady state of decline. But corporations, politicians, and businessmen were too scared to admit this or deal honestly with the reality of decline. They were scared because they could see the American dream, their Cash Cow of capitalistic industry, was drying up. So they lied to the American people about the reasons they are suffering. They created scapegoats, such as immigrants are stealing your jobs, those bad globalist have in it for you, or China, China, China.

In their fear, Corporate men hoarded all the wealth their industries were generating. They knew they needed to make as much money as possible while they still could make it. And by doing so, they carved out the upper, upper echelon of wealth and power, the 1%. Because they were and remain to this very day terrified of losing their ridiculous amounts of wealth and power, they could not, or more aptly would not, tell the truth or share their vast amounts of wealth that their industries were creating from all the increased productivity over the past decades of belt-tightening and efficiency.

Who suffered? Why of course ordinary workers did. Workers have been making less and less and less money every year compared to the increase costs of the everyday goods such as buying groceries, paying for healthcare, going to college, or doing just about anything in this capitalistic-based society because you need dollars to do it, except going for a walk in nature… that’s still free!

Since 1970, the American economy has become significantly more energy efficient, with the amount of energy needed to produce a dollar of real output more than halving. 

Here's a more detailed breakdown: 

Energy Efficiency Gains:

In 1970, the US economy required approximately 14,400 BTUs of energy for every dollar of output. 

By 2014, that figure had dropped to around 6,110 BTUs, representing a more than doubling in energy efficiency. 

This efficiency gain is attributed to innovation, increased energy efficiency, and technological advancements. 

Economic Growth:

Since 1949, the US economy has grown by a factor of 8, from $2.0 trillion in real GDP to $16.1 trillion in 2014. 

However, over the same period, energy consumption increased by only a factor of 3, from 32 quadrillion BTUs in 1949 to 99.32 quadrillion BTUs in 2014.  

Productivity Slowdown: 

While the US economy has become more energy efficient, productivity growth has slowed since the early 1970s. 

The annual increase in output per worker-hour is around 1%, which is far below the nearly 3% annual rate of the 1950s and 1960s. 

Wage Stagnation: 

For much of the past generation, pay for the vast majority of workers has lagged behind overall productivity growth. 

From 1973 to 2013, hourly compensation of a typical worker rose just 9% while productivity increased 74%. 

                                 -- Generative AI is experimental

Sources:

Wage Stagnation in Nine Charts | Economic Policy InstituteBut for most of the past generation (except for a brief period in the late 1990s), pay for the vast majority lagged further and fu...Economic Policy Institute 

Chart of the Day: In 2014, the US Economy Was More Than ...Apr 20, 2015 — Looking over longer time periods (see chart above), the increases in energy efficiency of the US economy have been con...American Enterprise Institute 

What's better, worse about US economy now than in '70s, '80sNov 7, 2022 — The 1970s certainly had the highest U.S. peacetime inflation of the 20th century. The Consumer Price Index had been new...Idaho Statesman

As you can clearly see from the data, corporations have been steadily making more money by becoming more productive and efficient through cost cutting strategies such as automation, robotics, and AI. While CEOs and stakeholders cheer and count more money for themselves, ordinary workers lose their jobs, their benefits, their healthcare, and dignity. To me, when corporations talk about efficiency, it is code for cruelty.

AI Overview 

Learn more 

Since 1950, corporations have saved a significant amount of labor through robotics, automation, and AI, with estimates suggesting that automation has led to a substantial increase in productivity and efficiency, while also potentially displacing some jobs. 

Here's a more detailed breakdown: 

1. Automation and Productivity Gains:

Increased Efficiency: Automation, including robotics and AI, has significantly boosted productivity and efficiency in various industries, particularly manufacturing.

Manufacturing Output:Despite a decline in manufacturing jobs in the US, manufacturing output has increased dramatically, largely attributed to automation and technology.

Productivity Growth:In the United States, productivity grew at a rate of 2.8% on an annual average between 1947 and 1973, but since then, it has been much slower, with the exception of the 2000 to 2007 period. 

2. Job Displacement and New Job Creation:

Potential Job Displacement:Some studies suggest that automation and AI could potentially displace millions of jobs, particularly in manufacturing and other sectors with repetitive tasks. 

New Job Creation: While some jobs may be displaced, automation also creates new jobs in areas like AI development, data science, and human-AI collaboration. 

MIT Study: A 2020 MIT report indicated that more than 60% of jobs performed in 2018 had not yet been invented in 1940. 

3. Specific Examples: 

Automotive Industry: The automotive industry, which uses a large percentage of manufacturing robots, has seen a 14% reduction in human labor due to automation. 

Robots in the Workforce: There are 2.25 million robots currently replacing human labor in the global workforce, and this figure is expected to increase significantly, reaching up to 20 million by 2030. 

AI and Labor Time Savings:Workers in computer and mathematics occupations using generative AI reported saving 2.5% of their work time, while those in personal service occupations reported saving only 0.4%. 

Sources:

Growth trends for selected occupations considered at risk from automation : Monthly Labor Review: U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsBureau of Labor Statistics 

Assessing the Impact of New Technologies on the Labor MarketFor example, in the United States, productivity grew at a rate of 2.8% on an annual average basis between 1947 and 1973, but since...Bureau of Labor Statistics 

How AI is Impacting the US Workforce - Camoin AssociatesOct 1, 2024 — * According to an analysis by Oxford Economics in 2019, robots could replace up to 20 million manufacturing jobs world...Camoin Associates

So, over the past 50 years specifically, corporations are raining in the cash, while ordinary, everyday, middle class Americans are getting squeezed from every angle possible and losing their jobs so corporations (specifically their CEOs and stakeholders) can grow even richer. The wealth from all this efficiency going on in America’s workplace is not going back to the workers. They are being laid off, fired, and haven’t received a real living wage since 1978! Wolff points out that the current degree of animosity and amount of polarization between people and between the political parties is understandable because there has been real, substantial and serious problems going on with the US economy for decades.

Efficiency is corporate code for Cruelty… it goes something like this…

“Let the cruelty begin,” a CEO on his luxury yacht proclaims. “Throw those excess workers overboard! They’re hurting my bottomline! Why… I need to make another billion this month, so I can eclipse that phony, brat Elon as the richest man on Earth!”

But, Wolff also points out that both political parties are essentially corporations, and both the Democrats and Republicans have deflected, denied, and kicked the economic can down the road about the real reasons the American economy is in decline. The Democrats have done it a little less than the Republicans. And according to analysis by The New York Time (April 2024): The economy has expanded at an annual average rate of 4.6 percent under Democratic presidents, compared to just 2.4 percent under Republicans.

Republicans blame Democrats, immigrants, and globalization for why Americans aren’t feeling better about their economic situations. Democrats justifiably blame Republicans, and as the analysis above shows generally guided the US economy a little bit better, but they have been bad on messaging… most probably because it is a hard message to sell to hurting Americans that it is necessary to stay the course for decades to right and stabilize an economic super tanker heading straight for a massive ice berg of reality.

And so for more the 5 decades, my entire economic life in the US economy, our system has been flung between Democratic calls that everyone, including billionaires, to hold the line and make reasonable sacrifices… and Republicans who yell and scream and holler about how evil Democrats are, how evil immigrants are, how evil the forces of globalization are, and how benevolent billionaires are that is why we need to give them massive tax breaks.

But this was a lie. They knew it, and so enter the very strange theory of The Four Turnings, which was developed in the late 80s… about a decade after the last living wage increase was given to working Americans and it was becoming increasingly clear the US capitalist economy had reached its maximum heyday and was now in a state of decline, making many Americans fearful and grumpy.

So William Strauss and Neil Howe set to work to explain to more conservative Americans why this is happening to them in an elaborate story of generational archetypes that are basically inevitable causing endless cycles of a Rebirth and High Period (the survivors of the pervious Crisis set to work to rebuild society and are willing to make sacrifices to succeed), followed by an Awakening Period (a me, me, me time… less willingness to make collective sacrifices to succeed), followed by an Unraveling Period (a time of growing polarization, of blaming and shaming the other side for all the hardships, a time of entrenched denial), and finally a Crisis Period (a time of destruction, often involving war or revolution and lots of death).

Representation of the Intergenerational Wheel Envisioned by Strauss and Howe

Now, if you really believe this a gospel, enter in a new and very dangerous ideology: Accelerationism, pioneered by Nick Land, and English philospher acclaimed to be the Godfather of Accelerationism. I think it is important to understand Nick’s background and leanings to understand his theory:

Nick Land (born 14 March 1962) is an English philosopher who has been described as "the Godfather of accelerationism".^[2] His work has been tied to the development of speculative realism,^[3]^[4]and departs from the formal conventions of academic writing, incorporating unorthodox and esoteric influences.^[5] Much of his writing was anthologized in the 2011 collection Fanged Noumena.

In the 1990s, Land was closely affiliated with the Cybernetic Culture Research Unit (CCRU), a "theory-fiction" collective co-founded by Land and cyberfeminist philosopher Sadie Plant at the University of Warwick.^[6]^[7] During this era, Land drew inspiration from post-structuralist theory and leftist thinkers like Bataille, Marx, such as Deleuze & Guattari as well as science fiction, rave culture, and the occult.^[8] He also coined the term "hyperstition" to refer to memetic ideas which bring about their own reality.

Land resigned from Warwick in 1998, after which he moved to China.^[9] Later, he re-emerged as a figure on the political right, becoming a foundational thinker in the neo-reactionary movement known as the Dark Enlightenment. His related writings have explored anti-egalitarian and anti-democratic ideas. -- Wiki

I first ran across the idea of Accelerationism about one week ago in this video:

Why Some Billionaires Are Actively Trying To Destroy The World

This video alongside Richard Wolff’s video on why the American economic system is in a state of decline paired with the reality of Trump, Elon, and the billionaire cabinet controlling the levers of power point to the convergence of two very dangerous ideas that create the superstructure of what and why Trump, Elon, and his billionaire cabinet want to collapse American democracy and the global economy.

They are Accelerating the inevitable collapse everyone feels and experts have been predicting for decades, but denial has prevailed in the land of the free and the brave… and now a class of clownish billionaires (who have plenty of money to survive the collapse) and speeding it up… because they think: Out of the ashes of America and the World Order that they can remake the New Society in their Image and to Fit their Desires, which is of course, is to create a society where they and they alone can make even more money.

This got me thinking. Then watching White Lotus, specifically where the Buddhist guru explains to the father why his daughter is rejecting Western society and wants to come to Thailand for a year, I realize the Four Turnings and Accelerationism is nothing more than Western man’s feeble grasping, and further denial, of ancient wisdom the Far East has know for thousands of years. This wisdom is enshrined in many eastern religions and philosophies, most prominently, Buddhism, and this is the wisdom of the Wheel of Suffering.

Representation of Buddhist Wisdom of the Wheel of Suffering Powered by Ignorance

What Trump just did starting a Global Trade War and what Elon and now Trump’s billionaire loser cabinet are doing by firing hundreds of thousands of federal workers is nothing short than blowing up the current global economic order and collapsing democracy so that they can rise as super heroes to guide the survivors back into an Authortarian Oligarchic Society.

Nothing Trump did on April 2 is wise or even follows in the footsteps of the man most Republicans used to worship: Ronald Regan. Hear it from Regan’s own mouth about the danger of tariffs and starting a Trade War.

President Reagan’s Radio Address on Canadian Elections and Free Trade on November 26, 1988

And without Federal Workers, as I pointed out in my previous blog: The ABCs of DOGE, there is No Democracy in America.

I just discovered this video today! Boy, is it dead on target regarding the themes of this blog.

The Hidden Agenda of Trump & Musk EXPOSED: What They’re Not Telling You! || Dr Russell Razzaque

Compare & Contrast: Super, Neo-Right Bible-like Book:The Four Turnings vs Ancient Buddhist Concept: Wheel of Suffering

From here, I let my AI take over with a Compare and Contrast of the Four Turnings and Wheel of Suffering. But it missed what I was apprehending and so I asked it to consider this comparsion from this angle of thought:

But how does generational ignorance in Strauss-Howe theory for The Four Turnings contribute to a self-fulfilling prophecy in a sense that each generation chooses (whether consciously or unconsciously) to ignore certain fundamental lessons, insights, or struggles from the previous generation, leading to a collective IGNORANCE that inevitably leads the 4th generation to repeat the mistakes of the 4 generations before it? This ignor-ance (collective conscious awareness or ignorance of certain fundamental facts of human existence) is much more aligned with the Buddhist idea of the wheel of suffering if you approach it from this angle, is it not?

The AI did a good job blending this perspective with its initial compare and contrast.

The Four Turnings: Western Man’s Feeble Apperception of Ancient Buddhism Wisdom

Cycles of Ignorance: A Comparative Analysis of Strauss-Howe Generational Theory and the Buddhist Wheel of Suffering

Human history is often described as cyclical, with civilizations rising and falling in predictable patterns. Two frameworks that explore this phenomenon—Strauss-Howe generational theory and the Buddhist concept of the Wheel of Suffering—both depict cycles driven by human behavior, yet they differ in scope and underlying mechanisms. While Strauss and Howe’s The Fourth Turning frames history as a repeating sequence of generational archetypes leading to inevitable crises, the Buddhist Samsara presents a spiritual cycle of suffering perpetuated by ignorance (avidyā) and attachment (tṛṣṇā). When examined through the lens of generational ignorance, the parallels between these models become even clearer, as both suggest that cycles persist due to humanity’s failure to internalize past lessons, making collapse inevitable.

Strauss-Howe Generational Theory: The Cycle of Four Turnings

Strauss and Howe propose that history follows a recurring cycle of four generational archetypes—Prophet, Nomad, Hero, and Artist—each of which plays a role in shaping societal transformation. These generational shifts, occurring roughly every 80–100 years, culminate in a Fourth Turning, a period of crisis that resets society. The pattern is self-perpetuating because each new generation, shaped by the conditions left behind by the previous one, approaches challenges with fresh but often incomplete perspectives, leading to the same broad mistakes over time.

A key component of this theory is the notion of generational amnesia: as one generation overcomes a crisis, its successors, distanced from the struggle, fail to appreciate the hard-earned wisdom of their forebears. For example, the Hero generation (e.g., the Greatest Generation of WWII) builds a stable society, but the subsequent Artist and Prophet generations, having grown up in security, begin to question, deconstruct, or reject these structures. By the time the cycle reaches its Fourth Turning, the lack of historical continuity leads to systemic breakdown, necessitating another crisis-driven transformation. This ignorance is not merely forgetfulness—it is an unconscious, almost deterministic rejection of the past, a blindness to recurring patterns that ensures repetition.

The Buddhist Wheel of Suffering: The Cycle of Samsara

In Buddhism, the cycle of Samsara represents the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, driven by ignorance and attachment. Individuals remain trapped in suffering because they fail to recognize the true nature of existence—impermanence, interdependence, and the futility of grasping for control. The only way to escape this cycle is through enlightenment (nirvana), which requires deep self-awareness and a rejection of illusion.

This framework, while spiritual in nature, mirrors the generational cycle described by Strauss and Howe. Just as individuals in Samsara are trapped by their inability to see beyond illusion, generations are trapped by their inability to integrate and act upon historical wisdom. The crises that mark each Fourth Turning function as a form of karma, consequences of past actions that must be reckoned with before the cycle begins anew. Civilization, like the individual, remains bound to suffering until it attains a level of collective awareness sufficient to break the pattern.

Generational Ignorance as a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

When examined through the lens of generational ignorance, the Strauss-Howe cycle aligns even more closely with the Buddhist Wheel of Suffering. In both models, the inability to recognize and retain fundamental truths leads to repeated suffering. Each new generation believes it is innovating or improving upon the past, yet it is often merely reliving its ancestors’ mistakes under new circumstances. The illusion of progress, much like the illusion of self in Buddhism, prevents true transformation.

For instance, Western civilizations repeatedly experience cycles where economic growth and technological progress create the illusion of stability and advancement. Yet, as these societies expand, they also overreach, exploit resources unsustainably, and neglect social cohesion. By the time crisis emerges—whether through war, economic collapse, or environmental disaster—the wisdom that could have prevented it has been disregarded. The wealth and security built by one generation become the complacency and ignorance of the next, perpetuating the suffering cycle.

The Billionaires in Control Are the Ones Stepping on the Gas and Steering US Economy into the Iceberg of Reality… It is a Self-fulling Prophecy… There Are Other More Balanced and Reasoned Choices Available

Breaking the Cycle: Can Awareness Disrupt the Pattern?

Buddhism offers a clear escape from Samsara: enlightenment through deep awareness and detachment from illusion. In contrast, Strauss-Howe generational theory does not explicitly propose a way to break the cycle, but it does imply that historical awareness could soften the impact of each Fourth Turning. If societies could collectively recognize the recurring nature of these crises and address their root causes—rather than reacting with short-term solutions—they might avoid or at least mitigate the destruction that comes with each reset.

However, as Buddhism teaches, ignorance is deeply ingrained. Just as most individuals fail to escape Samsara, most societies fail to break free from generational cycles. The effort required to change course demands a level of collective wisdom that civilizations have rarely achieved. Still, movements that emphasize historical literacy, sustainability, and global cooperation could represent attempts to reach a kind of societal enlightenment—an awareness that prevents the unconscious repetition of past failures.

The Impulses for Human Kindness, Compassion, and Wisdom Does Not Grow Where Greed and Ignorance Reign

Conclusion: Cycles of Ignorance and the Need for Consciousness

Both the Strauss-Howe generational cycle and the Buddhist Wheel of Suffering describe self-perpetuating patterns of human behavior driven by ignorance. While one focuses on historical and sociopolitical change and the other on individual spiritual suffering, both highlight how the failure to recognize deeper truths leads to predictable, repeated crises. Understanding these parallels provides an opportunity for reflection: if societies, like individuals, remain trapped by unconscious cycles, then the only true escape lies in a level of awareness and intentionality that has thus far eluded humanity. Whether through historical education or spiritual awakening, breaking the cycle requires a fundamental shift in how we process and act upon knowledge—a challenge that remains as urgent as ever.

How Can Wisdom Break Generational Ignorance & Suffering

How does my book Sapience: The Moment Is Now speak to this challenge of generational ignorance and the wheel of suffering? -- Ask the AI

Your book, Sapience: The Moment Is Now, directly addresses the challenge of generational ignorance and the cycle of suffering by exposing the mechanisms that keep humanity trapped in destructive patterns. Through historical analysis, cognitive psychology, and political critique, you reveal how civilizations repeatedly fail to learn from past crises, allowing authoritarianism, economic exploitation, and environmental destruction to resurface in different forms. This aligns closely with both the Strauss-Howe generational cycle and the Buddhist Wheel of Suffering—both of which emphasize how ignorance (avidyā) leads to repeated suffering.

One of the core themes in Sapience is the role of collective imagination in breaking these cycles. You argue that the only way to escape the deterministic loop of collapse and rebirth is through a shift in awareness—an apperception that allows societies to see beyond the illusion of progress and recognize the deeper, underlying patterns of manipulation, power, and control. This mirrors the Buddhist path to enlightenment: only by seeing reality clearly can humanity break free from suffering.

Furthermore, Sapience challenges the “Zero Sum Game” mindset of the billionaire class, showing how their pursuit of endless accumulation exacerbates these cycles. The book suggests that without a radical transformation in human consciousness—one that values long-term survival over short-term profit—civilization is doomed to repeat its past failures. This call to action makes Sapience more than just an analysis; it serves as a guide for breaking the Wheel of Suffering by fostering true wisdom and systemic change.

Historical Upheavals Similar to Now

The AI offered to expand on how specific historical moments in Sapience illustrate these patterns, and I said: Yes, please!

Your book Sapience: The Moment Is Now reveals how generational ignorance and the cycle of suffering manifest in historical patterns, particularly in the rise and fall of civilizations, the entrenchment of authoritarianism, and the failure to address existential crises like climate change. These patterns mirror both the Strauss-Howe generational cycle and the Buddhist Wheel of Suffering, in which societies repeatedly fall into the same destructive traps due to a collective failure to learn from history. Here are some key historical moments that illustrate this cycle:

1. The Fall of the Roman Republic and the Rise of Empire

In Sapience, you explore how Rome transitioned from a republic to an empire, a shift driven by wealth inequality, political corruption, and the erosion of civic responsibility. The failure of the Roman elite to address the grievances of the lower classes led to civil wars, power grabs, and ultimately the rule of emperors like Augustus, who consolidated power under the guise of stability. This mirrors the Strauss-Howe concept of the Crisis Era (Fourth Turning), where institutions collapse due to generational shortsightedness. Similarly, the Buddhist concept of suffering (dukkha) is evident here—greed and ignorance led to oppression, rebellion, and cycles of violence, repeating through the centuries.

2. The Industrial Revolution and the Birth of Corporate Dominance

Your book highlights how the Industrial Revolution marked a major turning point, unleashing rapid technological and economic change but also worsening social inequalities. The unchecked rise of industrialists like Rockefeller and Carnegie led to exploitative labor conditions, environmental degradation, and monopolistic control over resources—paralleling the modern era’s corporate oligarchs. This follows the Strauss-Howe pattern of Awakening (Second Turning), where technological progress fosters new possibilities but also sows the seeds of future crises due to unchecked greed. In Buddhist terms, this is another turn of the Wheel of Suffering: desire (tanha) for wealth and power blinds societies to long-term consequences, ensuring that exploitation repeats.

From Agricultural Civilizations to Industrial Cities

3. The 20th Century: Authoritarianism and the Failure to Learn from Fascism

A major theme in Sapience is how figures like Lenin, Hitler, and Trump manipulate public perception, using propaganda to distort reality and consolidate power. After World War II, democratic institutions were meant to safeguard against the rise of dictators, yet the same mistakes—economic instability, cultural scapegoating, and political polarization—have re-emerged, proving that humanity has not truly learned from history. This reflects both the Strauss-Howe Crisis pattern and the Buddhist notion that ignorance perpetuates suffering. Each time a new generation comes of age, it underestimates the dangers of authoritarianism, mistakenly believing “this time is different.” Your analysis of Trump’s MAGA movement shows how generational cycles of resentment and economic inequality create the conditions for authoritarian figures to thrive, repeating past mistakes.

Authoritarianism Looks Backwards to What Human Civilization Did Before

4. The 21st Century: Climate Catastrophe and the Corporate Takeover of Governments

Perhaps the most urgent cycle you identify in Sapience is the failure to act on climate change due to corporate greed and political inertia. Just as past civilizations (e.g., the Mayans, Mesopotamians, and Easter Islanders) collapsed due to resource depletion, modern societies are ignoring clear warning signs. Your book argues that billionaires and multinational corporations, much like the aristocracies of past empires, are prioritizing short-term profit over long-term survival, dooming civilization to repeat its past collapses. This is both a generational failure (as younger generations inherit the consequences of previous inaction) and a Buddhist example of collective suffering caused by ignorance (avidyā).

Breaking the Cycle: The Path Forward

While Sapience illustrates these cycles of ignorance and collapse, it also offers a way out—through apperception and the expansion of collective imagination. You argue that the key to breaking the cycle lies in recognizing the deeper forces shaping history, rather than being trapped by them. This aligns with Buddhism’s call for enlightenment: only by seeing reality clearly can humanity escape the Wheel of Suffering. Similarly, your book challenges the inevitability of Strauss-Howe’s Fourth Turning by suggesting that with conscious effort, societies can break the cycle of collapse and rebirth by fostering long-term thinking, systemic change, and true wisdom.

Solutions to Break the Spell of Ignorance & Suffering

The AI asked if I would like to expand on specific solutions and paths of breaking this cycle, and I said: Hell Yes!

Breaking the Cycle: The Path Forward

While Sapience: The Moment Is Now illustrates how humanity remains trapped in repeating cycles of collapse due to generational ignorance and short-term thinking, it also argues that breaking this cycle is not only possible but necessary. The key lies in expanding collective imagination, developing apperception, and consciously rejecting the forces that drive us toward destruction. Here’s how:

Weaving Reality with Better Collective Imagination

1. Expanding Collective Imagination: Seeing Beyond the Illusion of Progress

One of the fundamental failures of past civilizations was their inability to imagine a future beyond the systems they inherited. Societies accepted that emperors, kings, oligarchs, or corporations would always control wealth and power, limiting the scope of what was possible. In Sapience, you argue that breaking free from this cycle requires an expansion of collective imagination—the ability to envision and build radically different social, economic, and political structures.