It was luxuries like air conditioning that brought down the Roman Empire. With air conditioning their windows were shut, they couldn't hear the barbarians coming.
If the battle for civilization comes down to the wimps versus the barbarians, the barbarians are going to win.
I've always been fascinated by the Norsemen, their lives, history and cosmology. The more we study them the more interesting they become... breaking their own stereotypes. We usually think of them as barbarians, but there were aspects to their society that shows a tremendous level of civilization, sophistication and social advance.
Only barbarians are not curious about where they come from, how they came to be where they are, where they appear to be going, whether they wish to go there, and if so, why, and if not, why not.
Of course the barbarians' aim of world domination has not escaped the attention of the Europeans, perhaps because unlike us they are closer to the walls.
Farming as we do it is hunting, and in the sea we act like barbarians.
Each new generation born is in effect an invasion of civilization by little barbarians, who must be civilized before it is too late.
Gambling is a disease of barbarians superficially civilized.
Unlike Europe, China can't be intimidated. Europe backs down if the United States looks at it the wrong way. But China, they've been there for 3,000 years and are paying no attention to the barbarians and don't see any need to.
Just what is it that academics have to fear if they stand up for common decency, instead of letting campus barbarians run amok?