PragmaticStatistic

Its nearing December 21, 2012, and with all the gloom and doom predictions associated with the Mayan calender, it is time to consider all the ruins throughout time that appeared to have experienced a similar fate.

Turkey which, according Wikipedia, has 27 million international tourist arrivals in 2010 alone which makes it the 7th most traveled destination. It also, according to my map of ancient ruins of Asia, is a destination with a lot of ancient ruins associated with Alexander the Great.


Miletus in Google Map



Alexander the Great in Google Map

On the other hand there are lots of other ruins that reflect the gloom and doom of their time.


Kafir Kot in Google Map



The Great Zimbabwe in Google Map


Villa of the Quintilii in Google Map


São Miguel das Missões in Google Map

Tuthmosis III

Interesting topic. History has apparently "ended" many times in many places.

(Yes, another swing at Fukuyama...)

bunyip

Indeed,also aided and abetted by wars, and the odd few centuries of neglect and erosion.


The documentary "Life After People" show just how quickly our cities would literally fall apart without us to maintain them.

MinoanGoddess

Thera/Santorini Greece, Lost Atlantis






"Santorini has often been connected with Atlantis. Atlantis are the references to be found in Plato's dialogues 'Timaeus' (21E-25D) and 'Critias' (108E-121C).
The kingdom consisted of two islands, the 'larger' and the 'smaller', and there were ten cities. Of these only two were mentioned specifically, the 'Metropolis' and the 'Royal City'.
The people of Atlantis launched an attack on Athens 900 years before Solon had talked to the priest. But the Athenians defeated them and liberated all the lands that Atlantis had conquered.
Later Atlantis suffered a terrible earthquake and a flood, sinking in its entirety into the sea. Finds from the excavations at Akrotiri have led scholars to conclude that the lost Atlantis was none other than Santorini."

Santorini Atlantis Santorini Lost City of Atlantis Santorini Island Greece
Santorini and the legend of Atlantis

Crystal Rainbow

Nice pictures, I did go to the Greek Islands years ago and I loved it there.

MinoanGoddess

Greece is beautiful and romantic place, Santorini is known for it's awesome sunsets
Planning a trip to Greece next year

PragmaticStatistic

There is actually two sides to the discussion:

• Societies that have ended.

• The fact that despite the collapse of these societies, we are still here. We survived.

But, what if the next collapse is due to a world wide financial crisis? How would the world continue? Do we just forgive all the debt and continue on as we have?

PragmaticStatistic

Here is Thera, Santorini in Google Map

Brunel

They way things are going you'd soon be able to buy it.

wittgenstein

Yes, the whole crisis was designed for that, to turn a democracy into a plutocracy.
This is a spiritual crisis as well, " A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing."
FROM
Oscar Wilde - Wikiquote
First there was barter ( actual intrinsic value being exchanged) , then money ( a representation of value) , then checks ( a representation of money, an IOU, I owe you this amount of money), then Africa -- the next frontier for virtual currency? - latimes.com and then....?
"If not for the poor the rich would have to eat their money"
Old Russian proverb.
In other words the creation of value has been devalued and virtual wealth has overpowered it. There is no longer a connection between a things intrinsic value and its cost. The same goes with labor, it no longer has any intrinsic value.

Simulacra and Simulation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Simulacra_and_Simulation

Hyperreality - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hyperreality

OnPostmodernism - Dictionary of Postmodern Terms