Progress

As a humanist, I do see progress in accepting many common assumptions. Those who tout capitalism as the penultimate form of economy accept the assumption that some will gain an acceptable superiority over others. Those who preach competition as the only model for making advances assume that advances can only come with winners and losers. Those who preach pro-life positions against rational and intentional reproduction assume that women are not entitled by birthright work together to develop educational models for sane reproductive methods and policies.

Motivated progress in any single life begins with accepting responsibility for self-awareness, self-education and self-respect. This is the process of developing and maintaining a daily practice. For those with good parenting, this comes sooner. For those with bad parenting, this is a long and painful process. Until all members of a society are enabled to embrace progress in their own lives through human rights, economic justice and quality education, instead of being consigned to live under the assumptions of those in power, human progress will be a sketchy business of two steps forward and one step back.