They never really discovered truth. They’ve always had a version of strength instead of truth, and they lie their asses off to exercise it. But because of this metaphysics, nobody trusts anybody. It’s a low trust society with a very low capacity for cooperation, both internally and with outsiders.

So even though they value strength, their inability to trust each other makes them weaker than European peoples.

Europe (really North Sea Europe): Truth (ie Science)
Jews: Language
Muslim Civilization: Family
China: Bureaucracy
Russia: Strength
India: Brahminism

Maybe I should revise “Europe”.

Anglo – Truth (Science)
Germany – Duty

Anglos are an island people and had the luxury of putting truth ahead of duty. Germans were a continental people who survived by strength of arms. It’s no coincidence that that counter-enlightenment began in Germany.

Also, the war between and Anglos and Germans marks the second time that civilization ended in a war between the navy and the army. The industrial revolution may very well have happened in ancient Greece had not civilization’s navy (Athens) got to war with civilization’s army (Sparta).