Project: Pyramid. Resource: rock quarry. 1. Building phase. Locate, obtain, and add value to the resource. Rich finds and big accumulation always mean overw

Project: Pyramid. Resource: rock quarry. 1. Building phase. Locate, obtain, and add value to the resource. Rich finds and big accumulation always mean overwhelming leverage can be applied if desired. Complete the project one brick at a time, that's the purpose of leveraging the resource, and it takes a lot of labor to go along with the resource. 2. Peak Pyramid phase. The value added by shrewdly combining resources & labor is at a maximum, the landmark nearly-impossible project is complete. Built to last, it can then be maintained virtually forever with relatively insignificant resource drain compared to when it was being built. It does best what it was supposed to do. Enjoy the maximally leveraged resource and minimized drain. 3. Crumbling phase. If labor & resources can not be wisely supplied at the way required for maintenance of such a wonderful structure, it will become less wonderful all on its own. This can often occur when the whole optimized structure changes hands. Somebody has to still make decisions long after the unmatched original builders are gone. Newcomers not there from the start can fail to realize how nearly impossible it was to get built to begin with. Well built, it may still seem to look like it will last forever anyway. 4. Deconstruction phase. Changes of priorities in resource & labor allocation, or major fluctuations or trends can result in resources being drawn from a built structure rather than by adding value to raw material. This is an extremely deleveraging process, more expediently accomplished than the building phase. Value is lost faster and more irreplaceably than it was originally added. To the same basic resources. Often it can be when the responsible parties benefit more from the underlying accumulated resource in place than they do from the continued existence of the structure as a whole. After fully depreciating the unique combination of labor and time that made the structure possible to begin with. __________________ It could be worse, depending on the system with overwhelming leverage you could have a pyramid using resources that are not even there. Seems a lot faster to build that way, and could get pretty big on faith alone without a firm foundation, but may not stand the test of time. Would be more subject to collapse from the peak rather than showing early signs of crumbling. No resource recovery could be expected either.