Faith Quote by Ronald Wright
““Our practical faith in progress has ramified and hardened into an ideology -- a secular religion which, like the religions that progress has challenged, is blind to certain flaws in its credentials. Progress, therefore, has become 'myth' in the anthropological sense. By this I do not mean a belief that is flimsy or untrue. Successful myths are powerful and often partly true. […] The myth of progress has sometimes served us well -- those of us seated at the best tables, anyway -- and may continue to do so. […] Progress has an internal logic that can lead beyond reason to catastrophe. (4-5)””
About This Quote
Source Book: A Short History of Progress, Ronald Wright, 2004
Progress is treated like a secular religion, becoming a powerful myth that can be both beneficial and dangerous, potentially leading to catastrophe.
In simple terms: Progress is a myth with risks.
Key Takeaway
Question the assumptions behind progress.
Themes
myth
religion
danger
logic
Mood
cautious
critical
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- policy making
- technology development
- environmental planning
Key Concepts
secularism
ideology
catastrophe
Questions to Reflect On
- What aspects of progress might be mythic?
- How can we balance optimism with caution?
A Different Perspective
Blind faith in progress can ignore warning signs and cause harm.
![“Soon after man shows up in new lands, the big game starts to go missing. […] A bad smell of extinction follows Home sapiens around the world. (37)” quote by Ronald Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ad5/ronald-wright-25212_around-the-world_soon-after-man-shows-up-in-new-lands-the_2147648.jpg)
