I'll just look into my crystal ball...

2006-07-17T15:50:00.000-04:00

Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future, too.
Marcus Aurelius

Though I will never be mistaken for a historical or political analyst, I still like to throw my viewpoint out there just like everyone else. In all seriousness, is it really all that hard to understand the truth in Marcus Aurelius' words? Empires rise and fall as a natural course of history. While we no longer refer to international states as "empires", the modern day equivalent does still exist. What is known as a hegemony or superpower would basically be considered an empire. The U.S. is currently the only state that fits into this category, although China and India are quickly on the rise and we could have a Three's Company sometime soon. If the U.S. is still up there that is.

Common sense would say the quicker an empire rose in its power and reach, the faster and harder it would fall. This does not bode well for the U.S., since historically speaking, it became very strong in a very short period of time. It's possible the U.S. has already passed the peak of its power. Either that, or we are right at the end of it. The question is, how soon after the peak does the fall come? It's hard to answer that, but any rational analysis would tell you that most great empires collapsed much faster than they originally rose. This means the actual collapse will be sudden, but the seeds of collapse were sewn long ago. Everything just builds to a climax, and then it's over before you notice.

I'm not saying this is imminent or if it will even happen in my lifetime. Again, I'm not an expert on history, politics, international relations, or predicting the future. But I try to be an "expert" on common sense. And that tells me change is inevitable.

Introductory Notes

2006-07-16T16:15:00.000-04:00

I'll just briefly introduce myself for the benefit of whoever may choose to read this.

My name is Jordan Fazio. I attend a college in Minneapolis, Minnesota called North Central University. I was born and raised in New Jersey, and that is where I spend the summer.

After I finish college, I'll be teaching English in either Japan or China if everything works out. I hope to live in those countries for a good part of my life.

Politically, I'd say I'm a Libertarian. But my views cannot be classified into one party, nor should anyone else's be able to do so. Part of the reason I named this blog Balanced Thinking is I like to think I can achieve a balance in the way I view the world.

I try to carry this balance over into sports, but it doesn't happen. You can't be a sports fan and not be biased, otherwise you're not really a fan. However, my most "unbiased" sport, if you will, is basketball. I can typically discuss the NBA or college basketball with some semblance of logic.

I enjoy all sorts of books, movies, and music. I prefer my books and movies to have some sort of message, but with music it just has to sound good.

Lastly, I hope this blog evolves into more than my "random thoughts and contemplations", but perhaps that is all I am capable of at this point. Try to enjoy. And think.