http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/apr2005/sb20050420_3427_sb037.htm
In his terrific new book, Collapse, science writer Jared Diamond examines some of the most famous failed civilizations of prehistory and history, from Easter Islanders and the Anasazi of New Mexico to the Viking settlers of Greenland.
Diamond concludes that societies collapse when they fall on hard times and make one or more of four fundamental mistakes:
1) They fail to anticipate problems.
2) They don't respond promptly when problems arrive.
3) They exhibit something he calls "bad" rational behavior.
4) They adopt "disastrous values."

I hate these kind of books. Someone should have forbidden them when they came up with the hippy era.

I hate these kind of books. Someone should have forbidden them when they came up with the Rennaisance era.