"Unsystematic
Ideas"
Sweet illusion of human progress
Barlas
F. Esin
The mass consensus, at least today, believes
that human progress — engineered by
such profound disciplines as science, humanities
and economics (just to name a few) —
is inevitable, let alone real. Since we’re
the only species out of all that evolves
intellectually, many people boldly go on
to assert that new ideas, technologies and
policies are engendered to "improve
our way of life." Also, due to our
egocentric character, we often conceive
of ourselves too highly, too godlike, thinking
that we’re somehow superior to both
nature and history.
But, for a moment, let’s ask ourselves
the negative question: What if progress
is just a sweet illusion, an ironic process
of degeneration? What then?
Technology, without a doubt, has opened
up new frontiers for humankind. We currently
live in a small world with almost no barriers,
thanks to telephones, televisions, airplanes
and the Internet. Lives are extended as
a result of tremendous medical advancements.
Due to our scientific ventures, old paradigms
are replaced with new ones, and we understand
more about the universe than ever before.
In the political realm, too, humanitarian
movements led to the prevalence of diplomacy
over war, though global peace is still a
dream. Kant’s idea of a "League
of Nations" — in which smaller,
weaker countries’ well-being would
be secured by a contract with bigger, more
powerful countries — is realized in
the form of United Nations and the NATO.
We reside in a culturally relative society
today that appreciates different ethnicities
and their customs. Even world religions,
which represent the subjective territory
of faith and dogma, are — slowly but
surely — embracing the concept of
religious pluralism.
But, regardless of how much we change and
evolve as a species, our essential nature
(the spirit of human experience) remains
the same. Universal emotions — of
love and hatred, of forgiveness and revenge,
of sympathy and resentment, of altruism
and selfishness — still dominate our
personal and collective decisions. We may
be intelligent and be able to utilize reason
for our own sake, but underneath all of
it, we’re just affectionate animals
coerced by feelings. We simply struggle
for existence, as we always have —
trying to extract some sort of happiness
and meaning out of everyday chaos.
That’s what, to me, human nature entails
— a combination of wit and unpredictability.
That’s also why, I think, progress
is merely a hopeful speculation; in spite
of everything, it puts too much naïve
faith in our fallible wisdom. For example,
in the hands of irrational people, science
poses an immanent threat; the same technologies
that bring us luxuries and make our lives
easier can potentially become the cause
of our extinction.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not
implying that science is a dangerous enterprise
in itself. Weapons don’t kill people,
people do. Science simply happens to be
the object of our implacable desires.
Only time can tell how long we will last
as a species, especially considering our
conflicting interests and commitments. The
natural law says that every species will
have its run on earth; even the most fearsome,
most dominant species is, after all, just
another species in the parade. Yet, as long
as we are able, humanity shall strive to
endure, to propagate and to prolong its
kind — and, in a hopeful manner, we
shall continue to believe that we’re
progressing toward a joyful ending.
I’m not sure if, when the end befalls,
there will be glory rather than nothing.
On the other hand, one thing about which
I’m sure is that we’ll go down
fighting for ourselves and our species until
we cease to exist. This is not good, not
bad, but simply the way it is for us, mortals,
no matter how long our lives may be. Therefore,
knowing that everything ultimately embraces
the inevitable that is death, we should
humbly swallow our arrogant pride —
and respect our place in nature, as well
as in history.
Barlas F. Esin can be contacted at besin@csulb.edu.
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