> We really are entering a new dark age.
All the indicators are there:
Instead of leaders like Charlemagne who unified the Frankish domain, stabilized society, and promoted education and culture, we now have leaders who want to dismantle society, education and use culture for wars.
Long-distance ocean trade routes since the 1950s have taken international commerce to another level for humans, but this is being challenged now by aging/leaking tankers, unruly piracy at transit choke points, communication cable destruction, etc.
Loss of interest in classical learning and the arts where dystopian, murder or horror movies, music and books now are the best sellers as WW3 seems to be on many people's minds now.
While innovations are still occurring for improved navigation and agricultural productivity, the Earth's ecosystem collapse is in full effect.
I wish it could reversed somehow.