Many thanks, Dr. Rob Campbell, for this weekly update as well as for all the previous ones. I always look forward to every new article from you. Every update is a great summary of all the important events.
Thanks Rob. Your weekly updates have become even more relevant/necessary with the advent of the Israel/Occupied Palestine front.
Thanks also for the additional information, which facilitates a much wider understanding of the processes that seem to be manifesting in a slow but sure fashion internationally. I'm optimistic concerning the imperial elites unconscious impulse to self-destruction vis-a-vis 'empires commit suicide' even though they would never knowingly do so.
Sir John Glubb in 'The Fate of Empires and Search for Survival' suggested that empires have a ten generation shelf life. Roughly 250 years. The theory seems to revolve around the notion of diminishing expertise over generations as the social systems become increasingly closed to real upward mobility.
If one compares the 'West' to just Russia, China and Iran; the latter three's recent history suggests a degree of social/cultural vitality that is almost completely lacking in the West's creditocracy/neo-feudalism.
PS Richard provided at least three very good 'links' at various substack's this week, which were very useful. So, while I'm here, thanks Richard.
Just watched a documentary on Glubb and found it very interesting and prescient. I studied much in the History of Ideas at uni and since. It's a fascinating field of study. Thanks for the reference.
My pleasure. Ditto with the Peter Tuchin reference in your initial reply. Just bought a second hand copy on ebay - missed a hardback copy at half the price by three weeks. Just did a search on youtube and found some Glubb. Cheers.
Thanks for that Lantern Dude. There are some documentaries on Youtube about Glubb so I'll give one of them a look. I think Turchin gives empires a shorter shelf life - and he accounts for their decline in terms of a failure to provide the masses with upward mobility, which is similar to Glubb and a collapse of the solidarity achieved through the wars that were instrumental in the creation of the empire.
Oct 20, 2023·edited Oct 20, 2023Liked by Dr. Rob Campbell
Bernhard at Moon of Alabama says it all: "There are days where I feel paralyzed and overwhelmed by what is happening. Today is such a day."
" unless this is part of some devious hidden plan from which they will profit. "
Well, they obviously intend to profit. The question is whether they will. Scott Ritter makes it clear they won't:
Everyone needs to listen to Scott Ritter on Garland Nixon's Youtube channel two days ago. Scott lays it out - Israel and the US will lose this coming war. The entire Muslim world is about to come down on Israel.
WARRIOR UPDATE WITH SCOTT RITTER - MIDDLE EAST IN FLAME NEOCON UKRAINE PROJECT IN SHAMBLES
"an anticipated airborne landing of troops" at Odessa. I highly doubt that. Russia has done that only once in this war that I'm aware of - the attack on the airfield north of Kiev at the very start of the war. Russia is not in the business of trying to take cities with the handful of troops one can land from a bunch of helicopters. It's ludicrous.
"Hamas’s attacks could persuade the West that Israel cannot survive without a two state settlement in Palestine (that’s the optimistic view)."
Very optimistic. In other words, that ain't gonna happen. Until the Zionists are forced out of Israel - which, as Ritter says, may be close to happening - and the neocons are forced out of the US government, this situation will not improve.
Also, I'm not sure Nietzsche was lamenting the death of God. He was known to be opposed to Christian "morality" and the Christian attitude. I suspect he was more interested in his own value system replacing the despised Christian system. He didn't like anarchists for the same reason - they sounded like Christians to him (apparently he wasn't aware of individualist anarchists.)
Thanks Richard. I think Nietzsche lamented the passing of Christianity and was critical of Christian or 'slave morality' at the same time - and there is no contradiction there. You will have to forgive me my optimism Richard, I find it helpful at times like these. Yes of course the neo cons everywhere will have to go before we can get a settlement but that could happen.
His brief affair with Lou Salome definitely impacted on him personally but I am not sure it impacted on his philosophy which had already abandoned the nihilistic phase - and so the anti-metaphysician gave us more metaphysics - i.e. the eternal recurrence, love of fate, the overman and will to power. I sometimes wonder whether his lifestyle as well as a syphilitic infection contracted as a student gave rise to his madness. He is a sad figure indeed but there is much to admire in his work.
You stirred some memories of a distant past there Richard. Are you familiar with individualist anarchists such as Max Stirner and William Godwin? Thanks for the Ritter link btw.
Whilst hungry piggies suckle the sweet poison from Miss US Piggy, nowhere do we see how Miss Piggy gets fed.
Some cavalierly propose that Debt doesn't matter, that the U.S. will never have a failed auction when it is selling it's pots and pans (er... debt). But that is only true so long as the U.S. Federal Reserve abandons Inflation and goes back to Money Creation.
Either way there will be a National Default. If the Fed prints money to pay for U.S. Politicians' Crack Money Habit, then the U.S. Bond Market will fall further, faster.
Right now, the illusion of a bustling economy is front and center. The huge demand of the U.S. Government for dollars to spend, and high interest rates, relative to comparable countries, makes the sick pig of the U.S. dollar look attractive.
And the U.S. Fed no longer has the runway Volker had.
Many thanks, Dr. Rob Campbell, for this weekly update as well as for all the previous ones. I always look forward to every new article from you. Every update is a great summary of all the important events.
That's very kind - many thanks for your likes over the weeks.
Thanks Rob. Your weekly updates have become even more relevant/necessary with the advent of the Israel/Occupied Palestine front.
Thanks also for the additional information, which facilitates a much wider understanding of the processes that seem to be manifesting in a slow but sure fashion internationally. I'm optimistic concerning the imperial elites unconscious impulse to self-destruction vis-a-vis 'empires commit suicide' even though they would never knowingly do so.
Sir John Glubb in 'The Fate of Empires and Search for Survival' suggested that empires have a ten generation shelf life. Roughly 250 years. The theory seems to revolve around the notion of diminishing expertise over generations as the social systems become increasingly closed to real upward mobility.
If one compares the 'West' to just Russia, China and Iran; the latter three's recent history suggests a degree of social/cultural vitality that is almost completely lacking in the West's creditocracy/neo-feudalism.
PS Richard provided at least three very good 'links' at various substack's this week, which were very useful. So, while I'm here, thanks Richard.
Hey Lantern Dude,
Just watched a documentary on Glubb and found it very interesting and prescient. I studied much in the History of Ideas at uni and since. It's a fascinating field of study. Thanks for the reference.
My pleasure. Ditto with the Peter Tuchin reference in your initial reply. Just bought a second hand copy on ebay - missed a hardback copy at half the price by three weeks. Just did a search on youtube and found some Glubb. Cheers.
Thanks for that Lantern Dude. There are some documentaries on Youtube about Glubb so I'll give one of them a look. I think Turchin gives empires a shorter shelf life - and he accounts for their decline in terms of a failure to provide the masses with upward mobility, which is similar to Glubb and a collapse of the solidarity achieved through the wars that were instrumental in the creation of the empire.
Bernhard at Moon of Alabama says it all: "There are days where I feel paralyzed and overwhelmed by what is happening. Today is such a day."
" unless this is part of some devious hidden plan from which they will profit. "
Well, they obviously intend to profit. The question is whether they will. Scott Ritter makes it clear they won't:
Everyone needs to listen to Scott Ritter on Garland Nixon's Youtube channel two days ago. Scott lays it out - Israel and the US will lose this coming war. The entire Muslim world is about to come down on Israel.
WARRIOR UPDATE WITH SCOTT RITTER - MIDDLE EAST IN FLAME NEOCON UKRAINE PROJECT IN SHAMBLES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5sTipKm-54
"an anticipated airborne landing of troops" at Odessa. I highly doubt that. Russia has done that only once in this war that I'm aware of - the attack on the airfield north of Kiev at the very start of the war. Russia is not in the business of trying to take cities with the handful of troops one can land from a bunch of helicopters. It's ludicrous.
"Hamas’s attacks could persuade the West that Israel cannot survive without a two state settlement in Palestine (that’s the optimistic view)."
Very optimistic. In other words, that ain't gonna happen. Until the Zionists are forced out of Israel - which, as Ritter says, may be close to happening - and the neocons are forced out of the US government, this situation will not improve.
Also, I'm not sure Nietzsche was lamenting the death of God. He was known to be opposed to Christian "morality" and the Christian attitude. I suspect he was more interested in his own value system replacing the despised Christian system. He didn't like anarchists for the same reason - they sounded like Christians to him (apparently he wasn't aware of individualist anarchists.)
Thanks Richard. I think Nietzsche lamented the passing of Christianity and was critical of Christian or 'slave morality' at the same time - and there is no contradiction there. You will have to forgive me my optimism Richard, I find it helpful at times like these. Yes of course the neo cons everywhere will have to go before we can get a settlement but that could happen.
I've often thought the loss of the love of his life, brought Nietzsche to some very dark places.
His brief affair with Lou Salome definitely impacted on him personally but I am not sure it impacted on his philosophy which had already abandoned the nihilistic phase - and so the anti-metaphysician gave us more metaphysics - i.e. the eternal recurrence, love of fate, the overman and will to power. I sometimes wonder whether his lifestyle as well as a syphilitic infection contracted as a student gave rise to his madness. He is a sad figure indeed but there is much to admire in his work.
You stirred some memories of a distant past there Richard. Are you familiar with individualist anarchists such as Max Stirner and William Godwin? Thanks for the Ritter link btw.
Whilst hungry piggies suckle the sweet poison from Miss US Piggy, nowhere do we see how Miss Piggy gets fed.
Some cavalierly propose that Debt doesn't matter, that the U.S. will never have a failed auction when it is selling it's pots and pans (er... debt). But that is only true so long as the U.S. Federal Reserve abandons Inflation and goes back to Money Creation.
Either way there will be a National Default. If the Fed prints money to pay for U.S. Politicians' Crack Money Habit, then the U.S. Bond Market will fall further, faster.
Right now, the illusion of a bustling economy is front and center. The huge demand of the U.S. Government for dollars to spend, and high interest rates, relative to comparable countries, makes the sick pig of the U.S. dollar look attractive.
And the U.S. Fed no longer has the runway Volker had.