""Progress should mean that we are always changing the world to fit the vision, instead we are always changing the vision." - Orthodoxy, 1908
I agree with Chesterton, and yet I don't know what to say to people who insist that things should be "progressive" and that the only good thing is when we are making "progress."
Should I say, "Progress towards what?" or "What vision is it that we have to progress toward?"
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
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Ask them if 21st-C America represents more "progress" than 20th C America.
ReplyDeleteTHEN ask if Atlanta 2002 is more "progressive" than Atlanta, say 1950.
Then show them the murder-rate numbers.
That's "progress," all right...
Well, given that Atlanta was segregated in 1950, that may not be the best example. But there seems to be a sort of static level of evil in the world; whenever one thing gets better, something else falls off. We don't discriminate by race much anymore, not that that was exactly old; but we didn't use to kill babies, either. Women have more legal equality than they did in much of the world, especially Asia, but they're all in the same proletarian misery as men.
ReplyDeleteIf I wasn't a Catholic I'd probably try to just put the stupid world out of its misery. Thank God for Manalive and Man Who Was Thursday.
Isn't it the same question? I thought this was settled with 'progress is the comparative of which we have not settled a superlative'?
ReplyDeleteThe same Truth & reason that doesn't change, can be applied to anything that comes down the pike.
ReplyDeleteIt would depend on not only the goal, but the means being taken to get there.
If the word 'progress' is used to promote abortion, euthanasia and experiments on the unborn, then they need to get a new word. It's beyond oxymoronic to call such destruction 'progressive'!
Ask for specifics, Mrs. Brown. You are a teacher- if you can correct someone, do so, with kindness. Don't be afraid to say that your beliefs prohibit you condoning such activities. 'It is against my religion' or 'Because God says so' are phrases I've uttered regularly, to my kids, coworkers, neighbors...
whoever needs to hear it. They may not agree, but the seed has been sown.