Decline is not an act of nature. Civilisations lose influence when they abandon the principles that once sustained them—initiative, productive investment, innovation and a belief that the future can be better than the present.

It used to be that young people sought advice from their elders. Today, they too often turn to psychologists.

Awareness of a hypothetical climate apocalypse is causing more and more individuals to fall into grief and despair, suffer panic attacks, and give up their life projects.