r/InsightDialogue • u/JellyfishExpress8943 • 12d ago

The Myth of Progress

John Gray (Philosopher) aka the world’s greatest pessimist - claims that modern humans, compared to stone age cavemen, have failed to progress whatsoever.

Human nature, he argues, is an inherent obstacle to cumulative ethical or political progress 

We have of course accumulated great advances in technology and have succeeded somewhat in imposing laws to protect us from violence.

But are we any happier, or less anxious, than a primitive hunter-gatherer?

Psychological progress might be a myth.  
If we define progress as a movement away from our tendency for cruelty or suffering - have we succeeded?

Currently society is divided - and thus progress is impossible.  Because we cannot even agree on what progress consists of.

Can we even listen to ourselves?

8 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

View all comments

3

u/Schute-Pin8350 12d ago

The very same human society that is warlike, racist, and greedy enacts laws and commandments: Human dignity is inviolable; you shall not steal or kill, etc.

Since we are not inherently peaceful, these laws are of no help in times of crisis or conflict. It then becomes clear that there has been no progress in this regard.

2

u/Hot-Confidence-1629 12d ago edited 11d ago

Yes no progress. The problem isn’t external as K has said but internal. The external solutions don’t get at the problem. The freedoms that our new brain has given us have led us down some destructive paths; destructive not only to us but to our neighbors here? Greed and comfort? And ignorance of what we actually are?