For the sake of accuracy and the lesson we can learn from it!
Quote: "The Roman empire eroded too, eventually to the point of schism, but that didn't stop humanity evolving culturally, and look where we are today in comparison to then."
The Roman empire did not end until 1453 when the Ottoman army broke into the city of Constantinople (Byzantium also called by some, New Rome) and brought the final end to the Roman Empire. (That's unless you believe in a Eurocentric view of the world).
The Roman Emperor Constantine had selected this site for his new city he may have called 'New Rome and 330 CE is regarded as the start date. He did that for reasons that may be unclear. But certainly it was a more convenient location for a capital. (it may or may not have been recognised as 'the' capital for a few more decades). Old Rome fell to Germanic tribes in 330 and brought an end to what historian call the western Roman Empire. And from the perspective of Constantine's new religious policy, there were far more Christians in West Asia than in Europe. And, Asia was far more prosperous then than Europe.
So lets fast forward 1000+ years to the Islamic conquest of Constantinople, the citizens began to convert to Islam. Of course, this was just another step in the conversion of western Asia from Christianity to Islam.
Can we learn anything from that. Yes! History has trends and people who try to resist the trends may finish up the losers (like the 100s of Constantinople residents who fled to the great church, the Hagia Sophia, believing their god would protect them. He didn't! Sultan Mehmet II allowed his army a few days of pillaging, and that included killing 100s in the great church and the raping of women and young men within the church, No wonder some started to convert, No wonder that West Asian christianity became a spent force.
Would that western Roman empire have survived longer if it had tried some sort of accommodation with the Ottomans? There's no answer to that question, but maybe.
I've referred before to Pankaj Mishra's book, From the Ruins of Empire: The Revolt against the West and the remaking of Asia. Mishra describes the Asian trends that commenced as a result of European colonisation. We may want to seclude ourselves from these historical processes, but that may only delay the process and your kids may face a bigger problem,
That's why the present USA elite's China policy is a bad move. It would be wiser to just watch from the sidelines, the Chinese policy of attempting to bring modernity and prosperity to the rest of Asia and to Africa. If it fails, the west could still pick up the pieces. It would be even wiser to assist China in that process. If all the world becomes prosperous, those with the mindset we are discussing here could keep themselves locked up in their little communities and no else in the world will give a rat's arse about you.
Please excuse any typos, I have a bit of a sight problem and am awaiting an operation, and I havn't got time today to check carefully,