Qualities of a nation

If I had to look at a degrading rotting civillation what would I look for? What would

characterise the the deepest qualities of a civilastion which has run out of fuel? Its a

very tricky question and maybe I cant put it into a few paragraphs ..But yes one can touch

upon a few "lackings" that would somehow color a nation/civilisation on a downward spiral:-

1. Lack of acceptance of reality- No civilation is perfect. It evolves . It changes its

shape . The differing points between civilastions is the reason it evolves. A vibrant

civilisation is capable of separation of cash from trash. It somehow has the uncanny ability to filter out the rhetoric from logic and practically select the most viable alternative.The most viable alternative is not the most pretty nor is the most "logical"..Its simply the alternative that gets the work done in the most efficient manner. The nations/civilizations which dither at this point of choice miss the bus over and over again till they degrade to the level where their choices are externally imposed. The only cure that the rotting civilisation can administer is huge doses of delusion and denial .

2. Lack of a strong feminine/matriarchial culture- While I am no fan of women's lib movement(they tend to go overboard , as do women) , the lack of strong women reflects the weakness of a civilisation as no other social aspect. Women are better equipped, more intelligent , multifaceted and probably effect more people that men .But the paradoxical part of the story is that they are the most vulnerable also. They as a group are like a

inner radiating core who must be protected and placed in a postion where they can weild power. While a man can influence his peers and maybe immediate relatives, women's influence extends to generations . A nation which some how pulps its women into submission is in turn creating spineless mothers , mothers who somehow give rise to a generation of spineless creatures which turn on the most vulnerable section..women. Its a negative feedback loop that feeds itself till that nation reaches the nadir of exploitation and subjugation.

3. Lack of respect - Respect is a universal characteristic that somehow percolates down from the organisational to individual levels. A nation/civilisation which is on dying threos seems to suffer from the total lack of respect. Respect in all its forms, self-respect, respect for space, respect for views, respect for ability , respect for merit...! And somehow while this lack of respect is disguised in terms of "freindliness" or some other politically correct word...it eats into every individual till he just becomes a passive player . The down side of lack of respect is the death of the group which holds to respect..and rise of groups which just dont have it. Gradually the reins of the nation pass onto the latter due to either majority or just simply the lack of desire by the former.

4. Lack of moral high ground- Morality seems like a haloed shell which pops out only in literary writings. However the Morality I am refering to is simply the Zeitgiest of the society prevalant at any point of time. This morality is the morality that is practiced. While it may not be perfect , it is fashioned by the times and generally dictates the opinions and taboos of the society. Lack of a moral high ground by the society (the morality may be flawed..but it should exist) seems to be a critical factor in "good" and "bad" nations.

5. Lack of quality- Quality like respect is an omnipresent aspect which really cant be put down into a few words. And like respect , quality doesnt offer immediate gratification.However the lack of pursuit of quality defines the strategic rise and fall of nations and civilisations. A well made product is not well made only because of market considerations. ..Its well made because the person making it is in persuit of something beautiful. This pursuit is not practical..Its something that is inherent and nurtured by society. This lack of quality and its nurture by society effects not only material products but also thoughts and practices . Loss of quality actually breaks down the core of society ,ie family . And yes no amount of hugging, kissing and jewelery makes up for this lack of quality. A total lack about understanding quality and its desire seem to be the fulcrum of a rotting nation.

6. Kill the messenger - Last but (oh so cliched) least , the greatest and the most lamentable quality of such a nation is the zest to kill the messenger for the message. This singular folly cuts the very feedback required for constantly evolving and improvising a nation.

A nation/civilisation is decided by the will of its majority(even in an authoratrian setup). The majority decide its character and being. A few good men /women cant lift out the majority unless the majority is willing to be "lifted up". I guess this willingness and its presence will decide weather a nation thrives or continues its dismal presence.

PS: I have used the words "nation" and "civilizations " in the same breath but they are in fact totally differing concepts. However in the context of the article they are interchangeable .:)