I would personally liken it to an individual awareness. It seems to bloom and become fully lucid for a short while until under the weight of time it looses itself.
All the civilizations, with the exception of the fabled Atlantis perhaps, became doomed when the collective that led it lost its interest in the idea that gave rise to it. Civilization, just like a person, needs some stimulus to grow. Otherwise, everything goes by inertia, with our personal or collective habits. Sadly inertia is subject to the whims of Fortune which has a cyclical nature. Obviously, cycles include growth and decay, so there is no hope for absolute immortality, nor even greater longeivity, within the framework of a cycle.
Thus whoever accepts the rule of Fortune's Wheel, relinquishes his own individual power. The same is true, for a person, as well as for a nation. At least that is my view, confusing as it may be. LOL.
