They say history doesn’t repeat itself, but it does tend to hum the same tune. And if you listen closely to the rhythm of empires, the lyrics go something like this:
Strong men build.
Weak men inherit.
Fools tweet.
And the rest of us queue politely for a flat white while Rome burns.
Let’s rewind.
The Roman Empire was built on discipline, roads, legions, and a general belief that sandals could, in fact, be masculine. Then came the orgies, the emperors with god complexes, and finally the barbarian at the gates wondering why everyone inside was too busy lounging to notice they’d run out of actual food.
The Ottoman Empire? Born of swords and strategy. Ended in bureaucracy, banquets, and a man named Abdul who thought artillery was a passing weather event.
Even the Mongol Empire, once galloping across continents, eventually slowed to a trot, lost its edge, and swapped conquest for committee meetings.
So what of Britain? Once, we built ships that ruled the seas. Now we argue over who should have won “Britain’s got Talent”. We invented the steam engine, parliamentary democracy, the sandwich, rugby and then promptly outsourced all our manufacturing, our standards, and our men’s national football team has never won the UEFA European Championship 🙁
Yesterday our ancestors hunted mammoths and faced tyrants. Today, we navigate the perilous world of office fridge politics. Once, our leaders gave stirring speeches about fighting on the beaches. Now, our politicians tweet videos of themselves dancing to ABBA at party conferences. We’ve gone from Churchill to chirpy influencers explaining tax policy in TikTok dances.,Growth Hubs built on quantity not quality.This is not progress. This is a national nap.
Time to wake up everyone …
We need to go back to the days when we were great but let’s face it, we won’t do it by taking selfies and holding meetings to decide when to hold meetings… Empires aren’t revived by focus groups. We don’t need another committee on national greatness; we need people who can change a tyre, hold a pint without filming it, and remember that principles are not a punchline.
We need strong minds, strong backs, and, without a doubt, strong tea, preferable landed via sustainable routes. We need to invest in the gladiators of our future, who will help to not only rebuild the country, but instill a sense of pride in being part of this great nation. This isn’t about turning back the clock. It’s about winding it up again.
Pride without pomposity.
Innovation without idiocy.
And leadership that doesn’t require a ring light and six takes.
Because while history may hum, it’s up to us whether the next verse is tragic or triumphant. The world has enough weak men in expensive suits. Time for some new strong matelots hoisting sails !!
Photo by Malvestida
