The Decline of the West

The Decline of the West

April 01, 2026

Oswald Spengler used this title first, writing from Germany after the First World War (The “War To End All Wars,” as it came to be called) in his two volume work published in 1918. His Decline of the West is a mix of philosophy, history, politics and prediction. He asserts that the kultur of Western Civilization had reached its apogee in the Nineteenth Century, and then entered a centuries long period of deterioration. He took the First World War as evidence of this decline, not the cause. He predicted continued erosion of our heritage heroic values, whether they be manifest in government, wisdom, art, music, literature, or architecture.

From where we write at this moment, it seems hard to argue that Spengler was wrong.

In further evidence of the ennui of our social mores, we submit the enclosed video, sent to us by ROSCOE.

Presumably, this …dance is this young man’s response to our March 15 Blog, entitled Courage. But, it falls short in every way; Oh, so short.

There is no Balanchine to the primitive dancing.

There is no Vera Lynn to the singing.

There is no Picasso to the fatuous rabbit picture on the cover of the book round which the dancer … dances.

Worse, and more ominous, the dysmorphic rhythm of the spectacle seems to draw in one or two Grownups who have had the ill fortune to happen by.

As evidenced by this video, ROSCOE has not gone swushy– he has become it.

Can anything be done?

YES, we shall say, a thousand times YES.

We shall send immediately to the return address on the video a copy of Bedtime Stories That Will Terrify Children, with a suggestion that one Story of it be read to ROSCOE, and the pictures of it studied, each week.

This should be the bling, to take the measure of the swushy thing.