Signs of national decay

Empires, vast powerhouses of wealth, prosperity and privilege, rise and fall in history. In hindsight, historians often point to major battles, changes in rulers or other socioeconomic causes as being clear evidence that the empire in question as about to fall, change forever.

However, sometimes there are reasons that only come to light with new evidence, new science. And sometimes there were other signs that, when seen in context of events played out in the political and war arena, become obvious predictors as well.

Some say the Roman Empire fell in 472 with the arrival of the Goths in Rome. Others say it happened earlier in 330, when Constantine renamed Byzantium as New Rome and made it his capital of the eastern Roman Empire (Constantinople, now called Istanbul).

However, research carried out on the carefully dated skeletal remains of those centuries shows clear evidence that lead poisoning (which blocks neural pathways) became more and more rampant.

Why lead? As Rome became more affluent, wooden and pottery plates and bowls were replaced with shiny pewter made with lead. With every meal they were poisoning themselves and their children, creating an IQ drop of catastrophic proportions. The more affluent and influential the family, the better the dinner service, the more rampant the poisoning. And you just know that the up-and-coming families wanted to beat the Jones — and get that pewter dinner set.

Also, recent studies have been made of the cultural events of ancient Rome that clearly show a dumbing down trend as well: A change from theater (inherited from the Greeks) toward blood sports and later sporting events. Larger and larger arenas were built, tracks for racing, stadiums for wrestling and acrobatics. Entertainment for the masses was born in Rome, with sports increasingly taking the lead as the decline of the empire loomed.

Many shows and news items have featured the dietary problems in America and around the world (Britain is actually worse for children’s obesity than America). Doctors explain that obesity inhibits brain function to some degree.

What is more alarming is that the chemicals in manufactured food and drink do the same thing, only to a larger degree. Aluminum is known to block neural pathways as well (which is why you should not use anti-perspirant with aluminum — it has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease). Aluminum (pots, pans, ingredients, food packaging) and additive chemicals cooked into our food are perhaps our country’s pewter. They certainly do not help with general health.

And there is another sign of decay to our country’s greatness: On the 220-plus cable channels currently available in the United States, there are entertainment channels, news channels, factual/reality channels, kids channels, lifestyle channels, music channels and sports channels.

If you look at the programming on each channel and the audience figures for each show, 61 percent of all viewing (people/hours) is sports in America. Sports are now the single greatest form of entertainment in America on TV and in person.

In the 1950s these numbers were reversed, with only 40 percent of all entertainment being sports. But now … for example, every weekend, more people go to NASCAR races than go to football in season. But remember, more people now go to football games every weekend than see all plays in a year, total, nationwide.

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Want a perfect example of the country going to the dogs? Here’s just one small deal, only one state university, with one cable company: The University of Texas has signed a  $300 million deal with ESPN for broadcasting just Texas Longhorn sports events. George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN, called the deal “a testament to the school’s remarkable, tradition-rich success and widespread, devoted fan base.”

What George means is that EPSN can tap into those fans for advertising revenue because he knows they will be glued to the box. Oh, and they will be sure to advertise food and drink, loads of it, already prepared in boxes, all set to consume (never leaving the couch). And let’s not forget the anti-perspirant commercials they will feature while viewers watch sweaty combatants in the arenas.

Centuries from now, some historian will shake his head and wonder why such a smart society could have been so blind to events so obvious.

Peter Riva, formerly of Amenia Union, lives in New Mexico.