Not Rhodes though I've heard the name no doubt from other materials, most of what I have encountered is more basic geopolitical and historical stuff like looking at the patterns of nature. Actually, I find that as I digest the information or knowledge, that it becomes a part of me and I don't always remember the original source as they start to merge into the consciousness, sort of like that choosing which radio station to listen to once you realize you have a choice. Nature does seem to present the basics patterns. Sort of like that mention by the C's in "Wolfen" as the wolfen packs expand into the cities too far and suffer the consequences of human recognition. They got too greedy. Lobaczewski's 'Ponerology' has great analysis in it, though I do wish he could have taken off the psychiatrist hat and simplified the lingo some as it can be difficult to understand like Spengler when I first came across his Decline of the West. It's was like learning another language at the time, but perhaps that's what's really required for exiting this round robin trap of limited self awareness? Learning to be a travelor and not a tourist means learning the local language patterns.
I personally don't think capitalism is anything new, just modern covert means of infiltration of STS energies into civilization instead of overt methods like in the East, in history as we know it. It seems to me that it is just basic + vs - energy expressing itself, and I wonder if this 'innate' (as the C's called it) feeling doesn't start from the beginning in 1d. Look at the difference in the four elements of fire, wind, earth and water. Active vs passive etc. I wonder if this innate energy expression doesn't continue into 2d as a preference for predator roles instead of prey? A representation of a line of ascent that allows the innate tendencies to express themselves first in 3d STO and later in the rise and fall of civilizations within 3dSTS. Empires whether in business, politics, religions, militaries, cultures etc seem built into the system of our realm and a further genetically refined expression of those energies from the animal kingdom of which our bodies come.
Wasn't it one of the more recent C sessions that said this psychopathic introduction into the OP genetics was around 50,000 yrs ago? I wonder if that again didn't have something to do with Altantean STS tendencies that then called for a balancing mechanism to develop? Perhaps in response to treatment of those 'things' as Cayce put it? These psychopaths present a challenge not just to those seeking + polarity but also - polarity as they present an opponent to understand whether for ones' sanity or means of exploitation of others which seems genetically programmed into all STS types to sooner or later seek 'top dog' status, which would make the 'failed' OP's/pyschopaths even more determined as they don't have an ego getting in the way. If not introduced on purpose, they were 'lucky',
as they seem such a 'lovely' device to wreck negative energy on the masses, be it on a personal level or public level in business or politics. A built in control that allows sort of an autopilot feature for 4dSTS. Or is it some sense of detachment from an STS point of view? :/
I wonder if this 'downcycle' is the STS energy expressing itself? As the energies of nature return to a positive expression eventually after the storms of any civilization, when given the chance. Or are they just part of the shortwave cycle which includes STS orientation experience? Wouldn't that continual expansion be more of a longwave process? More STO sort of pathway in time/space?
Either way, money seems just a tool or means of control and perhaps a better one for STS feeding purposes in our world today. It gives them the ability to enslave the mind without awareness as Marciniak's Pleidians sort of mention about the USA. The most controlled and lest aware of being controlled, thinking they are the freest until the safety blanket is pulled away not just from the masses but from the wannabe greedy types on Wall Street as well. Catalyst for waking them up to greater STS orientation perhaps?
I can't find alot to agree with on Mr Rhodes article as I find imperialism natural STS expression in our realm. It seems to be how nature does it in 2dSTS in this realm as well. A pack will expand if given the chance until conditions prohibit further growth and then it contracts back to 'fit in' within the changing environment. It ususally means alot of death for the pack as the demand/supply curve rebalances. Every business or political/military empire does the same thing. They expand until they are forced to contract. They seem to represent a part of nature's pruning, which is perhaps only necessary in the STS physical planes. The more STO oriented packs would serve as prey to these more STS packs. The prey and the predator situation again which seems to continue into 3d once the desire to remain physical is brought into the equation and a STS realm is entered. Money is just shorthand for all the other more basic tools like food and housing. If limitations can be kept on these basics, then the masses can be kept contained like sheep and fed off of. Artificial means of control, with Mother Nature replaced by 4dSTS and their 3dSTS 'helpers' amoung the flock. It just seems these machinations of empire and money etc are just more reflections of the two energies in the universe.
The mosaic revealing itself perhaps? The only difference seems the personal choice in which pattern we seek to follow given those innate feelings/biases. A question of which puzzle pieces interest us first and later connect us to the bigger picture. STS seems to follow a very narrow set of pieces and force of will is more needed to ignore the rest, a narrow field of vision which allows pin pointed concentration of power as all successful empires need demonstrate to conquer their opponents. Divide and conquer, one region at a time, or one group, one idea, one business, one policy etc at a time. Classic. Never allow full field vision for oneself or your subjects lest either glimpse, even for a moment, the true depth of vision possible.
This seems to be the classic use of money in our financial empires today. Willing participation by all available players in this empire of choice we call the Free Trade or WTO etc. Force is slowly applied through various 'legal' means as the 'stick and carrot' routine builds an ever growing fence that both surrounds them and suffocates them with its demands for submission and acceptance without dissent. Either they consent to the game or they pay the price of nonparticipation which reminds me of the 'Native Americans' as the 'White Men' came to conquer their lands. The game in this realm is competition for control and you either play with the pack or the pack destroys you. Most in power have the necessary greed for self-aggrandizement that allows them to be 'played' this way and drawn into this web of deceit that they then play on their own people, perpetualizing the process. Again, the pack/empire expands until the conditions no longer are fertile for their growth or a competing pack/empire is stronger/greedier or the resources are used up or all the sheep have been penned in and there are no more to exploit. Rome does seem a good example here only with more time for the game to play out.
Expansion in Rhodes analysis seems STS in orientation as the only businesses that over expand are those that want to 'rule the world' or at least their local branch of it. Greed gets control of them and they are milked even as they milk others. Either they have risen to STS graduation level or they are just fattened calves for the feast. They've played their part and are no longer necessary. The original builders long since passed from the scene who started out filling a void.
It just seems so predictable. The cycle closes, the game resets, the lessons go on until learned. Empires rise and fall as does the money supply that is manipulated into existence for that very reason. Paper money to replace reality one step at a time until it has become totally meaningless. The seeds of destruction nearly always there at its birth as that classic States Rights vs Federalism USA model shows. Money playing its hand in the debt issue from the beginning. A tool to get the ball rolling. Money has always been 'privatized' as an instrument for expansion by artificial means. It allows the middlemen to slowly move in and take over control and in their midst arises the psychopaths or STSers who know a good thing when they find it. Like moths to a flame until it goes out. All good things come to an end. All empires end as they began with the destruction of these artificial tools of control. It's like slow quicksand that eventually gets the better of us when we aren't paying attention, same in our personal lives. It sort of reminds me of the plotline to the Terminator films/tv show. They can try to change things, but in the end the game ends as designed with destruction, death of the old so that the new seeds can grow from the ashes. Perhaps those psychopaths are going to be our fertilizer? ;D
We should say thank you while they we still can. :P I could be wrong, but it reminds me of what Marciniak's Pleidians said about the Lizards needing to remember who their creators were just like us, because they are returning. Perhaps their curtain is closing same as our own? The creation mirrors its creator.