Nothing new under the sun.

Great article from Alternative Right: go read it here.

According to Tradition, the various epochs of human history are reduced down to Four Ages, each of which deteriorates in a state of gradual degeneration. In Hinduism, these are known as the Four Yugas, respectively titled the Satya or Krta Yuga, Tretā Yuga, Dvāpara Yuga, and the Kali Yuga. These also correspond to the four eras symbolized by metals found in Hesiod’s Works & Days, being the Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron Ages.[3] Similar versions of this myth are also found in the Persian, Chaldean, Egyptian, Aztec, and Norse Traditions.

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Many of the predictions held for the Kali Yuga arise from the Hindu scriptures known as the Purānas – in particular the Linga and Bhāgavata Purānas provide lengthy descriptions of the events that will unfold as the Kali Yuga accelerates. An entire section of the Bhāgavata Purāna is devoted to the evils of the Kali Age. Some of the defining points of the Kali Yuga are described as follows: 

"In the Kali Yuga, wealth alone will be the deciding factor of nobility of birth, righteous behavior or merits. And only brute force will be the only standard in the arrangement or decision of what is righteous or just.[27] […] When (in the Kali Age) religion will be predominantly heretical, and kings will be as good as robbers and men will be earning their livelihood by theft, (economic offences), mendacity, wanton violence to life and such other pursuits.[28] […] Thieves function as kings and kings function as thieves. The chaste ladies cease to exist and wanton sluts increase in number.[29] […] As a result of Kali’s influence, mortal beings become dull-witted, unlucky, voracious, destitute of wealth yet voluptuous, and women, wanton, and unchaste.[30] […] In the Kali Age, men will abandon their parents, brothers, friends and relatives and establish their friendliness on sexual basis. Their affection being centered on their relation with women, they will seek consultations from their wives’ relatives (such as sisters and brother-in-laws) and will be miserable.[31] […] Killing of fetus and murder of heroes become prevalent.[32] […] In Kali Age men excited by tamoguna adopt Māyā (deception) and jealousy. They do not hesitate to kill ascetics. They are always tormented by jealousy.[33] […] In Kali cooked food will be kept for sale in living places. The selling of Vedas and other sacred literature will occur in cross streets; young women will even sell their honour.[34] […] Women will be short-statured but voracious, noted for fecundity and shameless. They will be harsh-speakers, given to theft, fraud and dare-devilry."[35] 

From these extracts it is clear that a significant amount of the negativity embodied in the Kali Yuga originates from humanity itself, under the influence of the tamas guna (materialistic component of existence). In the Kali Yuga we see an increasing trend towards indulgence on the material plane, such as the abandonment of religion, obsession with sex, and jealousy over the wealth and acquisitions of others. People are respected by their wealth alone, and not for deeper personal qualities such as strength of character or personal achievements. Under the reign of the dark material strand of existence, only materialistic pleasures such as sex and wealth are accorded merit by society in the Kali Yuga. This materialism is also expressed in the passage regarding the abandonment of aged parents and the killing of fetuses – this can clearly be seen in today’s increasing trend towards placing ones parents in Rest Homes or Retirement Villages, left to die amongst strangers rather than accepting responsibility for the elderly. The killing of fetuses can likewise be seen to relate to today’s increased abortion rates. Other symptoms include the moral degeneration of the female to a purely sexual role and a corresponding increase in the growth and social acceptance of prostitution. Perhaps the most unusual prediction here though, is the one that cooked food will be kept for sale in living spaces – a clear reference to fast food, and the mass consumption of it by the populace at large. A similar picture of civilization slowly decaying from within can be found in the Vishnu Purāna. The Vishnu Purāna (IV, 24) also tells us that the syndrome of the Kali Yuga is marked by the fact that it is the only age in which property alone confers social rank; wealth becomes the only motive of the virtues, passion and lust the only bonds between the married, falsehood and deception the first condition of success in life, sexuality the sole means of enjoyment, while external, merely ritualistic religion is confused with spirituality.[36] The problems brought by the Kali Yuga are not entirely brought about by moral collapse however – there are also a set of predictions relating to environmental problems.