In historical times like these sages often retreated into the wilderness

Why?

Because often in these kinds of times living in big cities is death to thousands or millions for one reason or another.

So, because of this philosophers, sages and creators of the new civilizations retreated away from the chaos so they wouldn't be murdered by armies and mobs like most other people were in cities.

Then when things calmed down they came into the cities to share their realizations and to help rebuild.

Warriors tend to die young because "He who lives by the sword dies by the sword". So, heroes don't tend to live that long (in general).

So, most heroes die young and those who survive often become world leaders eventually if they can manage their PTSD successfully.

So, traditionally there were the warriors who died young mostly, the workers who worked until they died and the thinkers and architects of new civilizations who retreat to the wilderness to survive times like these until better days arrive.

These days remind me the most historically of the late 1930s. We cannot have a world war II because of nuclear weapons now too. However, we are in some kind of war without nukes and likely have been ongoing since the end of World War II. It's just that we had a break between 1990 and maybe 2001 and that's all. So, the world is still fighting out the disagreements left unresolved in World War II and likely will be the rest of this century at least. And by the way this is a world war that never ended. This might be the most useful way to look at this whole thing.