History of Human SocietyBlackmar, Frank W. (Frank Wilson)
History
History of Human Society
Blackmar, Frank W. (Frank Wilson)
Civilization; Progress; Sociology
As we stand and gaze at the movements of the airplane, or contemplate
its rapid flight from ocean to ocean and from land to land around the
world, we are impressed with this great wonder of the age, the great
achievement of the inventive power of man. But what of the gain to
humanity? If it is possible to transport the mails from New York to
San Francisco in sixteen hours instead of in five days, is there
advantage in that except the quickening process of transportation and
life? Is it not worth while to inquire what the man at the other end
of the line is going to do by having his mail four days ahead? He will
hurry up somebody else and somebody else will hurry the next one, and
we only increase the rapidity of motion. Does it really give us more
time for leisure, and if so, are we using that leisure time in the
development of our reflective intellectual powers or our spiritual
life? It is easier to see improvement in the case of the radio,
whereby songs and lectures can be broadcast all over the earth, and the
{21} community of life and the community of interest are developed
thereby, and, also, the leisure hours are devoted to a contemplation of
high ideals, of beautiful music, of noble thoughts. We do recognize a
modicum of progress out of the great whirring, rapid changes in
transportation and creative industry; but let us not be deceived by
substituting change for progress, or making the two identical.
Thus human progress is something more than achievement, and it is
something more than the exhibition of tools. It is determined by the
use of the tools and involves betterment of the human race. Hence, all
the products of social heredity, of language, of science, of religion,
of art, and of government are progressive in proportion as they are
successfully used for individual and social betterment. For if
government is used to enslave people, or science to destroy them, or
religion to stifle them, there can be no progress.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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