A significant problem with Spengler's analysis is the discontinuity in the collection of sets of civilizations to analyze. At the time of his writing only West European derived civilizations, with the possible exceptions of Japan and the failed, then abandoned industrial revolution in Ming China, had ever experienced anything like the Industrial Revolution. So he was comparing a large number of civilizations that were somewhat alike with one that was fundamentally different. How can one extrapolate anything from that set of data?

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."