Assuming it's a useful model, where does that leave us? Basically with nothing. The author suggests "spending less than we make, and treating each other well." Or in other words, fiscal austerity and compromising with non-compromisers. If Dalio has examples of nations retreating from the inevitability of collapse, or engineering soft landings, he doesn't share it in the video. Either way, why should a system which inevitably results in big cycles stop producing big cycles. Of course each empire wants to avoid its demise. Wanting to avoid demise isn't a sufficient condition.
What I hoped Dalio would confront, was the possibility of changing cycle producing machine itself. You can start to see where this is going by identifying the change needed in each of the sub-components. Eliminate economic systems which create wealth gaps. Upend the global reserve system entirely. End Westphalian sovereignty. &c &c. Any or all of these naturally lead to big cycle formation and resistance toward changing the system creating big cycles is a tacit endorsement of the big cycle machine which I fully expect to receive (big cycles are good actually!) :)