Every great civilization has a pattern: they flourish when they stay open to new ideas and trade, but decline the moment they become rigid. Look at Athens and Baghdad—they didn't dominate because they were closed off. They thrived because they welcomed fresh thinking, embraced diverse perspectives, and built networks of exchange. The moment they stopped adapting? That's when the fall began. Orthodoxy kills momentum. Whether we're talking about ancient empires or modern markets, the lesson holds: adaptability and intellectual openness aren't luxuries—they're survival mechanisms.