Thus the Financial Times today. “Leaders must confront the world as it is, not as they know it,” elaborates the newspaper. Albeit ever so slightly ridiculous, the philosophical bent in the title and the byline are refreshing at this point in time. The world is surely entering a new stage, and the investors are among the first to notice it. As well as to understand it. This is where money meets the future, after all. But it is interesting to ponder the history in question. In particular, what history tells us not to cling to the past? Without reading the article, which does not attract me a single bit, I would suggest that Roman history tells of the world as it is better than any other history on offer. And leaders today must have caught a glimpse of it already. There are books galore about the end of Rome in any bookstore. In fact, they seem to be thriving like the proverbial mushrooms after rain. Or is it before a dry spell? At any rate, leaders should listen to investors. They are about the future and nothing but the future. And the best of them are suspect of all data, books, statistics, accounts, archives, and records. The past is for the birds, anyhow.