The decay of the truth, cited by a major research institute, delineates the troubling societal blurring of facts with fiction. Likewise, in "Gonzo Theory", the question is asked: what is the truth and who do you trust? The answer is: nothing and no one. Seemingly so, this is the essence of social regression in two-dimensional thinking that evades, facts, figures, and data relative to evidentiary substantiation. from the specter of classical criminology, or rational theory, the perspective here is that all is a matter of freely chosen actions, based on individualized intentional purposes. And, bluntly claimed also, is that this perspective is not concerned with whether others agree or disagree. In the long run, not much changes. That aside, in another historic study concerning the "fall of empires", over time, unless corrections are made, societies collapse. With the fall of one empire, and the onset of general downfall, a declining time sets in and the expanse of intellectual capacity and creativity, as culture regresses to primal existence.

     The trendy fashion of 'selfie' promotion, willfully advertises the smug piety of greedy self-validation. Not in every instance, as exceptions always apply, but most often in each aspect of human activity. And yet, not much is new, as technology makes life more comfortable. However, this very comfort can lead to complacency and a lack of critical thinking. In such historicity, flashbacks over several millennia, examples abound as to the deserted enclaves of failed transformative human ascendancy. Ignorance profanes the very repugnant presence of well-differentiated mature individuality. Censorship attacks the uniqueness of exceptional performance that does not fit a selfish contrived consensus. Herded mentality of the fleeced flock coalesces in collusive complicity to stifle reasonable acts of progressive transformation. Cause and effect find little comfort as purpose and intent hide in the shadows, subverted by narcissistic infantilism.

     It's certain that empires rise and fall over time due to a people’s choice to destroy themselves. Some intentions are covert, while others lurk in the shadows. Many deceptive acts seep into the mainstream due to a loss of nerve to prevail despite obstacles. Weakness rots foundational structures from within, as stupidity becomes the hallmark of success. Various visually artistic genres now expound in entertaining venues the dystopic calamity of fallen worlds. From the storytelling industry, zombies, viruses, and aliens overwhelm the planet. These reflect, of course, a mirror of humanity bent on determined extinction. One contemporary American philosopher wrote with keen edification, civilizations are destroyed from the inside.

     They are not conquered from external forces. On the contrary, gutless behaviors selfishly hasten the demise. As one think tank put it, 'truth decay' is now the standard for social interactivity. This 'truth decay' refers to the erosion of trust in institutions and the blurring of fact and fiction, leading to a society where truth is subjective and often manipulated for personal gain. Likewise, a renowned historian of the 20^th century offered an insight. That is, researching humanity over the past 4,000 years suggests the persistence of the usual suspects. These 'usual suspects' are patterns of premeditated behaviors that emerge and seemingly suggest a series of phases. From early great adventure in excited explorations, the climax comes later in the failure to maintain the fervor of progress to higher realms of maturation. In the age of pioneers, there are those who emerge as creators of different innovative possibilities, who are warriors and explorers. Some express great courage and profound initiative in creativity. Most do not and remain shallow.

     Meanwhile, pseudoscience abounds. From academia to mainstream culture. There is no derision or debasement suggested by this discourse regarding pseudoscience. Yet, there is a serious distinction between pseudoscience and real science. Mainstream immaturity considers otherwise, as nearly 70% of the population, or more, believe in the supernatural, the paranormal and the extraterrestrial. This includes just about every politician, pundit, and proselytes of one bias or another argue all too frequently from foolish self-interests. Pseudoscience spans the intellectual matrix of human interactivity that intersects with the intricacy of evidentiary substantiation. For this conversation, the distinction is that pseudoscience covers many schools of thought. From the paranormal and the supernatural, the various fields of academia in the so-called liberal arts are influence by pseudoscientific theories. Some like to call this realm the “social studies arena”. Specially, four metaphysical adventures in pseudoscience include the philosophies of criminology, psychology, sociology, and theology to name a few of the usual suspects.

     Often is the case that within the hallowed confines of ivory towers, adherents in the “social studies arena” will menacingly deride various endeavors in pursuit of mystical phenomenon. Pretentiously, many in the realms of “social studies arena” claim kinship with the real sciences. Some in fact claim to be “scientists”. Meanwhile, across the campus commons, the hard-core scientists chuckle at such arrogance. There spheres of inquiry include astronomy, biology, chemistry, and physics, as well as others. The distinction is crucial. Disinformation, false theories, and unsubstantiated conclusions from the realms of pseudoscience can be perilous. The transition from primal existence to higher ascendancy is a critical aspect.

     From the 'decay of truth' to the reaches of anti-intellectual transgressions, including maladaptive strategies that stifle free expression, societies regress and empires collapse. As history is relegated to the dust bins of neglect in modern educational systems, ignorance welcomes the stupidity of bad choices. An historical view demonstrates how ancient states rose and fell by way of their own incompetence. Externalities of perceived attack pale in comparison to the internal intentions that take on demonic forms. It's not what goes into a person, but instead, what purposefully comes out that truly matters. Of Edenic gardens where dominions rule and entice the wickedness to drool, a trilogy unfolds that beckons that which remains known but untold. And yet, cryptids suffice for the those who satiate in other places the longing for blissful vice. And upon that conjecture, others step forward with an easier solution, for the otherworldly as a convenient conclusion.

     For the smugly pious, adorned in the regalia of academic confines, are readily seeking recognition for who’ll listen to their endless opines. One theory after another. As one old investigator lamented, once again the point is made, what is the truth and who do you trust? The echoing answers are, mirrored repeatedly, nothing and no one. For some observers, collapse is inevitable given the resistance humans have to understanding historical lessons, enhancing intellectual enlightenment, and fostering mature innovations. From a failure to self-evolve, and become well-differentiated, non-anxious, transforming personalities, juvenile narcissism is preferred. For that, darkness descends easily when cowardice becomes more commonplace than heroism. Where fiction replaces facts, and emotional reactivity overwhelms rational stability in logical analysis, critical thinking devolves. Stupidity is more exciting.

     From one research source, loss of character, conviction, decreasing essence of courage, profound failure to liberate creativity and individuality, and  rise of incompetent capacities, societal fall is hastened. While a common view takes a perspective that relishes in the exhaustive scapegoating of externalities, condescending discourse, and simplistic excuses, another point of view looks closely at the individual. On an individual level, with potential for wider influence, analysis of the internal person takes precedence. Cowardly behaviors come from within and delineate to broader actions of debasing infliction. As one researcher asserts, the laws of human nature include the manifestations of stupidity by choice. Immediately, the more sensitive among recoil to their infantile easily offended personal debasement. To hear the word stupidity becomes uncomfortable and self-victimhood rises.  then one is free to replace that word with idiocy, absurdity, and so forth. And, to that add selfishness, or stupidly selfish.

     While some have referred to contemporary times as the “new dark ages”, other say the mainstream is rife with an “age of stupidity”. Ancient states died horrible endings because of the profane arrogance of people. By willful internal efforts, not the externalities of alleged cause-effect mitigations. Intentional, premeditated, and malevolent purposes serve the amative needs of everyone. Of wraths long forgotten as lessons to the near future, pride, envy, anger, dejection, avarice, gluttony, and larcenous egotism vie for popular deceptions. Cloaked behind the daggers of social invective, from academia to mainstream bohemia, the turmoil of contrived idiocy invades every nexus of interactivity. Ignorance abounds and evidenced by the promotion of psycho-physical-spiritual incompetence over the tenacity of strength, resilience, and boldness in creativity. Where toughness and dangerous self-reliance are threatened by weak submissiveness, and gutless subservience, cowardly treachery hastens eventual demise. Criminality has many faces in its assemblage of ignoble personalities. True heroic leaders understand this devolution.

      As to the “external cause theory”, adequate understanding of social downfall generally ignores the deeper and darker intricacies of human nature. Historians have been quick to point to an outwardness of “cause and effect” bringing about cultural demise. Plagues, famines, invading forces, and other external encroachments typically oversimplify the result. From a macrocosmic perspective, the global and nation state level, calamities loom in monolithic capacity. On a lower level, at a micro view, individual conception looks at smaller excuses for the satiation of causal relationship. But, what about the willful nature of private intentions? This of course extends form a communal context to global interactivity. For instance, in an era of limited leadership capabilities, as for most politicians, bureaucrats, educators and corporatists, incompetence spans a psyche spectrum of self-serving idiocy. Foolishness or silliness here expresses overall refusal to self-evolve. Rather than focus too much on external “causes” what about internal?

      Viewing this as such, U.S. American history is a story of dealing with one catastrophe after another and prevailing. From revolution to world war, to economic collapse, the U.S. remains persistent to overcome a multitude of endangerments. Nearly 250 years ago, an empire was defeated. Countless natural disasters, social upheaval, a civil war, etc., and viability is still possible to ascend to higher levels of transformation. Yet, something seems wrong? According to one study, losing the will to adapt, improvise, and resilience to invoke positive corrective measures, lends to the cowardice of overcoming eventual downfall.  A renowned historian and philosopher of contemporary American culture commented that a great nation is not conquered externally.

     On the contrary, it is destroyed from within first. Lazily indolent in accountability and responsibility, communal constructs promote a top-down expanse of incompetence. Easily, all manner of external forces enjoys the convenient scapegoating of “self-victimization”. Often heard, fault is the liability upon something else, as the default of the person is “guiltless”. From demonic possession to haunting specters, not to forget fear of bigfoot, cowardly escapism knows no boundaries. For some observers the “fate of empires” seems to express this mitigation to ignore the serious necessity of personal responsibility and wise corrective measures. Societies, according to another historical researcher, reflect the efforts of the inhabitants. People make organizational structures and live within them. By their hands they develop, decay, and eventually die just like the human who create such environments. Studies for the past four thousand years offer insight into the redundant processes by which nothing is new.

     For the comfort and ease of little or no effort, purposeful sloth of complacency embellishes regression by way of unethical behaviors at the expense of others. Reinvention of the same old worn out “peer reviewed” citations of pretentious “learning”, continues to be marketed as something “new and different”. But the con job remains consistent. Early on, the historically ageless vigor of pioneering energies is all too quickly forgotten. Daringly bold creativity and courageous exceptionality falls to the defect of selfish child-like subservience. Warriors and adventurers become reviled, as narcissistic infantilism embraces profane cowardice for the passivity of slothful indulgences. Where divergence of being reveled in the excitation of creative adventures, instigated inspiringly artistic variations, and claimed the courage of associated convictions, whing malcontents snivel and degrade the daring deviance. And thereby advocates the complacency of contrived consensus for dull imaginative progressions.

     Illicit self-righteous arrogance, stemming from false notions of entitled privilege, salaciously relishes primordial degeneration to varying levels of stupidity. Vanity prefers the greed of self-validation at any price, in place of well-earned and merited experience in mature transformational ascendancy. Duty, discipline, devotion, along with sacrificial sanctity of labored investment no longer appear relevant to many. Why make “your bones” or “earn your keep”? What value is hard work, life experiences, learning, educational enrichment, or any other attributes relative to wiser maturation?  Where grey wisdom greets unshaven fuzz, an elder perspective smiles at childish arrogance that assumes an osmosis of “insightful brilliance”.  Fascinating is the observance of youthful idiocy wearing a mask of ostentatious “wisdom”.

     To the tongue and cheek rhetoric of one comedian, the modern era is a great time to be stupid. For many, it is as though that is loudly laudable and noteworthy. Seemingly there is a badge of “honor” to act like imbecilic at any given moment. Immaturity for adults is trendy. One writer notes in the aftermath of a school shooting, American culture reflects a diverse history of violence. Why the surprise? Retrace historical reference points. Demonstrations are violent. A revolution is violent. World wars are violent. Which proposes a kind of interesting sidenote. Most people appear to enjoy a vicarious experience with violent behaviors which includes “warfare”. Someone else, like the voluntary U.S. military, becomes a paid mercenary to fight for them. Over 90% of the American population do not serve their country, nor do they serve in any public safety capacity, like law enforcement. Not to overlook of course, the public enjoys the salaciousness of violent storytelling in just about any form imaginable, from games to television.

     For the reference previously cited, the writer discusses a fifty year history of the mainstream media’s flirtation with violence. By various “windows in time”, there is a view into the realms of assorted forms of anti-social violence. People will always be violent. For each period, regurgitation portrays the trendy themes of a particular point in time in acting out violence. Not much is new, except the players in the spectacle that unfolds. Same story different actors. Yet, in terms of data analysis, the crime rate is relatively low and in many parts of the country actually decreasing. By contrast, in heavily over-developed metropolitan areas, the data is different. Where there are more people there is more crime, as targets of opportunity are more plentiful. That should be a hint to community planners, but unfortunately, no one listens. History gets tiringly repetitive and the delineation regarding human behavior is complex. No single answer satisfies the questions.

     Nonetheless, someone will turn tragedy into personal advantage. Whether for political expediency or marketing consumption, a disaster is profitable for the profiteers. A politician might use a killing for his or her personal agenda. In the mainstream media, a talking head pundit could defend his or her inexperienced and nonfactual opinion.  From academia, particularly in the “social studies arena”, a theory is reborn and a paper published. Following a horrific event, one of the quick and easy default options is the “mental health” foreplay. Another diagnostic term might be invented, or increased funding for therapy is proposed. Individual and group accountability, as well as ethical responsibility, is usually shoved to the sidelines. A writer for a contemporary magazine cites that American culture is being transformed into its “dark ages”. Accordingly, it is a society in which anything and everything, good or bad, is easily justified.

     In a recent assessment of student learning, several classes in a criminal justice related degree program were observed. At the baccalaureate level in a collegiate setting, students who professed an alleged passion for investigative processes were given an open assignment framework. Peripheral at best, contained bias at the most, an oversight was conducted as to the extent and level of creativity. A process of “show and tell” preceded a field exercise. Before that and after a series of foundation building courses, a basic template provided the framework for a fundamental field exercise. As to the free flowing experiment that was implemented, the freedom to invest innovation was the key ingredient. Nothing should be inferred as anything near a highly scientific experiment whatsoever. Such was simply an exercise in supervisory observation for a limited group of young college student participants. Operationally, one perspective surfaces immediately. When given a open format without detailed instructions, difficulty arises in creative processes.

     As to the forgoing and relative to the field of law enforcement (practitioner criminology), investigative processes required open-mined critical thinking. As the proverbial admonition infers, thinking outside the box is a daunting process. For the case in point, although primal and rudimentary, this exercise has been attempted with different groups over several decades. While mature experienced leadership is essential, the ability to culminate free thinking into an operational instance is scary to many people. Organizations tend to be rife with “cattle”. The herd mentality cowers as the extradimensional prospects of transitioning very quickly. From one moment to the next, adverse influences of one nature or another can manipulate consensus. Relatedly, an article in a major socio-political magazine addresses the spooky nature of an “American transformed”. On that point, the author suggests its not a good thing.

     Instead, the possibilities are dangerous. Accordingly, educational processes are hampered by excessive politicalization. That later of course has nothing to do with enhancing education but slants toward special interests. In another comparable argument from another magazine on social issues, the author discusses the diminishing nature of intelligence. Castigating the social mainstream for complicity in encouraging stupidity, philosophical extremism seems to rage rampantly. Along with an ever increasing rise in paranormal belief systems, UFO’s and aliens, political incompetence, and limited leadership capacity, scientific endeavors appear seriously derailed. Likewise, some describe the atmosphere as being anti-intellectual, where emotional reactivity replace critical analysis. One news report assailed the current climate as fiction triumphs over the factuality of evidence. In the dark ages of modern times, selfishness dominates.

     Overall the dark ages in the post-moder era from the standpoint of rational choice theory, or the historic classical criminological view, suggests a quickening of impending human demise. And, as such, it is intentional, purposeful, and selfishly motivated. Characterized by widespread foolishness, ignorance, and self-destructive behaviors, accelerating toward civilizational collapse, the mainstream embraces ignorance over enlightenment. Steeped in a two-dimensional subservience of thinking, forsaking the necessity three-dimensional to four-dimensional ideation, adversarial self-interests take precedence. And, in various institutions, academia for instance contributes to accelerating postmodern devolution. Across the mainstream, especially what is proclaimed as "news", negatively perpetrates divisive conjecture and acrimonious jealousies of one sort or another. Opinion, rumor, gossip, and fake news, loom everywhere. Putdowns foster a plethora of illicit conjecture that promotes shallow invective.

     Most have succumbed to the satiation of more infantile perspectives. Normalcy in contrived consensus censors individuality. Many insulate themselves in submissive obedience to the next app that makes life easier but less intelligent. The perceived need for immediate self-gratification and entitled materiality reinforces cowardly complacence. Acceptance of "dumbing down" is more commonplace than ever before. And as such, the dark ages of modern times descend.

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