“History is filled with the sound of silken slippers going downstairs and wooden shoes coming up,' Voltaire reportedly said. The observation refers to the argument that fortunes of nations or civilizations or societies rise and fall based on the character of their people, and this character is heavily influenced by the material and moral condition of their society. The idea was a staple of history writing from ancient Greece until it began to decline in popularity after the middle of the twentieth century.” CharacterNationsHistoryTough TimesToughnessSocietiesCivilizations Book:The End is Always Near: Apocalyptic Moments, from the Bronze Age Collapse to Nuclear Near Misses Source: The End is Always Near: Apocalyptic Moments, from the Bronze Age Collapse to Nuclear Near Misses