This is how civilisations collapse
This is the process of what Greer terms “catabolic collapse” — “the stairstep sequence of decline” where decades of crisis are followed by decades of seeming improvement, though the underlying society is left weaker and less resilient before the next crisis hits: “rinse and repeat, and you’ve got the process that turned the Forum of imperial Rome into an early medieval sheep pasture.”
Highlights
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“economic complexity made mass-produced goods available, but it also made people dependent on specialists or semi-specialists — sometimes working hundreds of miles away — for many of their material needs.”
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Noting that now “we would be quite incapable of meeting our needs locally, even in an emergency”.
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As Tainter notes, “the whole concern with collapse and self-sufficiency may itself be a significant social indicator” of decline.
AI generated version
The article "This is How Civilizations Collapse" by Tom Chivers discusses the concept of catabolic collapse, a stairstep sequence of decline where decades of crisis are followed by periods of apparent improvement, but the underlying society becomes weaker and less resilient before the next crisis. This process eventually leads to the collapse of a civilization.
The article highlights how economic complexity has made people dependent on specialists for many of their material needs, sometimes hundreds of miles away. As a result, we would be unable to meet our needs locally, even in an emergency. This lack of self-sufficiency is a significant social indicator of decline, according to Tainter.To avoid collapse, it is critical to prioritize self-sufficiency and resilience at the local level. This means investing in local production and reducing dependence on distant suppliers. It also involves cultivating a culture of self-sufficiency and resilience, where communities work together to meet their needs and prepare for emergencies.The article's message is clear: to avoid catabolic collapse, we must prioritize self-sufficiency and resilience at the local level. By doing so, we can build stronger, more resilient communities that can weather crises and emerge stronger on the other side.