Taki’s Magazine has the following fourteen words that sum up everything I’ve tried to say with thousands:
“The cause of civilizational decline is dirt-simple: lack of contact with objective reality.”
The text is spot on; if bit too “fight club” for me. I think you can get by with hard work and other challenges that aren’t the same as a punch to the face but accomplish the same thing. Regardless, the concept is sound.
Hat tip to The Fourth Checkraise.