Social Theories of Man

Ok...I know that the title sounds like a Harvard educated lecture is ready to get started, but I assure you that I do not have the qualities to write such a blog for the following reasons:

1) I am not as book smart as my British friend Andrew
- who is highly intelligent but also is sort of an airhead in some circumstances
2) I lack the patience to write anything that takes me more then 30 minutes to think of and do.
3) I learned 90% of what I know from TV and Wikipedia.

That being said...I like this social theory I read about...I wanted to know the if their are any other opinions out there.

THE SOCIAL CYCLE THEORY : Unlike the theory of Social Evolution, which views that society will always evolve and views human history as progressing in some new, unique direction(s), sociological cycle theory argues that events and stages of society and history are generally repeating themselves in cycles. Such a theory does not necessarily imply there cannot be any social progress..but merely that the progresses being made are over-shadowing the fact that the same social game is playing out on a loop in general terms.

I think I buy into this theory. I view society as a whole playing out similar roles throughout history. I think that through technology advancements and a "smaller world" society we tend to think that we are an advanced people...moving forward greatly, when in reality we as a "society" are not as far removed from our ancestors who emerged from a hundred thousand years ago.

I think that Americans (which I am one of) tend to think of ourselves as this great World Power that will lead the Ignorant World it the future and beyond...when in reality we are following the same rise and fall cycle that all other great nations have followed. Hopefully the fall isn't as hard as some , and maybe we can learn a little from our most modern counterpart .Regardless the cycle is repeating...too bad I wasn't born in 1949.

Anyone have any thoughts?