[A.J.Armitage]

The central theme of this article by Spengler is the decline of our civilization as evidenced by the narcissistic characters in the fiction we read. This topic has been flogged to death for as long as there has been civilization to discuss it

I don't know of any ancient writers complaining about narcissistic fictional characters.

Maybe you just meant to say the decline of civilization in general has always been talked about. Sure. And some times they've been completely right.

[spinestein]

[Maybe you just meant to say the decline of civilization in general has always been talked about. Sure. And some times they've been completely right.]

You are correct on both statements.

I just don't believe the theory that OUR civilization is going downhill culturally as evidenced by THIS type of book is an accurate one. If one looks back at literature of the past and only sees "Pride and Prejudice" and "Moby Dick", it gives the mistaken impression that escapist drivel was never written by long dead authors. But it was.

Sometimes the critics are completely wrong, and I'm skeptical of every instance when somebody writes an article that singles out a lowbrow section of modern culture and proclaims the latest "Hell in a hand-basket" theory.