The Rabbi Sacks Legacy Why Civilisations Fail (Eikev, Covenant & Conversation)
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Aug 21, 2024 Explore the intriguing idea that wealth can challenge societies more than poverty. Delve into Moshe Rabbeinu's warnings about the importance of social cohesion and justice. Discover how recognizing higher ideals is crucial to preventing a decline in civilization. This thought-provoking commentary intertwines wisdom from the Torah with contemporary issues, making it a compelling listen.
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Affluence Is The Great Test
- Moshe warns that affluence, not poverty, is the real spiritual trial for a free society.
- Comfort and success breed pride and forgetting origins, which undermines communal purpose.
Asabiyah: Cohesion Loses To Comfort
- Ibn Khaldun argued civilizations decline after victory as social cohesion (asabiyah) erodes with wealth.
- Loss of concern for others weakens societies so they fall to less affluent but more driven groups.
Pleasure To Perdition Sequence
- Vico traced a sequence from necessity to luxury, ending in dissipation and ruin.
- Civilizations can self-sabotage by prioritizing pleasures and debts over sustainability.
