Improving Ourselves: A Journey Beyond Blueprint
Adam Frank, a renowned astrophysicist from the University of Rochester, highlights an essential truth: the progress we believe in, often referred to as progress in the context of the Enlightenment, simply happened. This is a story of gradual change, an outcome of a variety of factors rather than a meticulously planned blueprint.
Telltale Signs of Change
The tale starts with a simple observation: our cousin walks into a formal ballroom of an English provincial mansion in the early 20th century, while you might be sized up as a Vaudeville actor or regarded with suspicion in a factory setting. This difference lies not in your genetic or ethnic background, but in the nature of society itself.
The narrative unfolds as follows: your cousin possesses a phenotype that aligns with the Victorian beauty standards. She has blonde, fair skin, long arms and legs, and a stature that radiates prestige and elite status. You, however, resemble British peasant stock—dark hair, dark eyes, short and stocky with relatively short appendages. The same physical traits that might make you an acceptable face in certain social settings could make you an outsider in others.
A Bevy of Unintended Changes
This question prompts a broader discussion: why do these shifts occur? They have little to do with someone laying out a blueprint but are the result of a series of societal changes over several centuries. Unintended changes, partially spurred by the Reformation, contributed to alterations in social conventions and labor relations. Technological advancements, also influenced by the Reformation, played a significant role in enhancing innovation.
By the early 20th century, a multitude of unexpected advancements reshaped society. Agricultural advancements, water treatment breakthroughs, industrialization, and the subsequent empowerment of the working class through education all contributed to this transformation. Government policies based on planning emerged to address these changes, but they did not start as a blueprint.
An Underlying Irony
The irony in all this frenetic activity is that it has created a highly complex society, one that has grown even more complex with the advent of the digital age. Some argue that no amount of planning can match this level of complexity. In his recent Big Think article, Frank questions whether distributed cognition over social and political networks is capable of handling this pace of change.
The answer to this question may lie in the nature of human ingenuity and adaptability. While planning and foresight are undoubtedly important, they must be balanced with the fluidity of human experience and societal shifts. The path to continuous improvement is not a straight line but a series of small, often unexpected, changes that accumulate over time.
As we navigate the complexities of the digital age, it is essential to recognize that progress is not a destination but a journey. It is a process that requires not just planning and policy but a deep understanding of the evolving human experience. We must continue to innovate, but also remain adaptable and patient. The future may be uncertain, but it is surely a promise of ongoing improvement.