World_Map, What is your opinion on dark days of civilizations?Didn't mean to derail your civilization on the chronological order?My limited understanding on civilizations have tilted my views more towards the health of civilizations per se. Why do civilizations go through cycles like an individual's life time?Islamic civilization is credited for preserving classical papers of Socrates,Plato and Aristotle.The genesis of western civilizations which I believe still dominates most of the western mind.Whatever happened to their high days?Renaissance in Europe was the wake up call for the westerners.Do all the deteriorated civilizations like our in the present need renaissance?Personally,I think inorder for the society to leave behing the darkest hours,renaissance can be the most imporatant tool.Your thoughts.