KunstlerCast 417 — Charles Hugh Smith, Progress and Anti-progress
Jan 18, 2025
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In this discussion, Charles Hugh Smith, founder of the blog "Of Two Minds" and author of "The Mythology of Progress," delves into the deceptive nature of progress. He critiques the balance between technological advancements and their adverse effects on society and the environment. Smith argues that meaningful change often emerges from crises, not smooth transitions. He compares modern issues to the decline of the Ming dynasty, emphasizing the need for adaptable governance. The conversation reveals pressing concerns about healthcare, societal values, and the risks of blindly embracing technology.
The mythology of progress can obscure the negative consequences of technological advancements, highlighting a contradiction in societal beliefs about progress.
Challenging the dominant narrative of technology as inherently beneficial often provokes hostility, revealing deeper societal anxieties about identity and security.
A shift in the understanding of progress is necessary, prioritizing stewardship and collective well-being over profit-driven metrics for a sustainable future.
Deep dives
The Complexity of Progress and Anti-Progress
The discussion centers on the intertwined concepts of progress and anti-progress, emphasizing that while technology often symbolizes advancement, it can simultaneously generate negative outcomes. The speaker highlights the idea that the mythology of progress simplifies intricate realities, leading people to mistakenly believe that technological growth is inherently beneficial. Examples of anti-progress such as nuclear waste, processed foods, and the addictive nature of social media illustrate how advancements can have detrimental effects on society. This contradiction forces individuals to confront the uncomfortable truth that progress is not a linear path towards improvement.
Cultural Resistance to Questioning Technology
The conversation examines the societal pushback against questioning the narrative of technology as a catalyst for goodness. It references the experience of writer Jerry Mander, who faced intense criticism for criticizing the belief in technology's ability to drive utopian outcomes. This reaction exemplifies how challenging the dominant myth of progress is often met with hostility, as it threatens the identities and securities of those invested in the technological framework. Thus, the reluctance to confront these uncomfortable discussions reveals deeper societal anxieties.
Exposing Incentives Behind Anti-Progress
The speaker articulates how personal gain and self-interest act as the driving forces behind various systems that ultimately result in anti-progress. By presenting harmful products as technological progress, the system obscures the real consequences and manipulates consumer perceptions. This commentary includes examples from the food industry and healthcare, where profits are prioritized over genuine progress in public health. The discussion encourages a reevaluation of the values that uphold these systems and their implications for overall well-being.
Societal Adaptation to Change
The podcast explores how civilizations adapt to dynamic conditions, recognizing human beings as inherently problem-solvers who often cling to established systems even when faced with changing realities. As societies become invested in certain infrastructures, such as suburbia, they resist transformation despite mounting evidence indicating a need for change. The speaker emphasizes that vested interests perpetuate the status quo, ultimately hindering progress and innovation. Recognizing this pattern is crucial for fostering a more resilient society that can adapt effectively to new challenges.
Rethinking Progress Metrics
The speaker proposes that the current understanding of progress, broadly equated with growth, needs a fundamental shift towards valuing stewardship and the common good. This new perspective suggests that success should not solely be defined by profit but rather by societal well-being and ecological health. By changing the metrics of progress to reflect nurturing and responsibility towards the planet, a more sustainable future can be envisioned. This redefined approach positions social responsibility at the forefront, urging individuals and societies to prioritize collective welfare over individual gain.
Charles Hugh Smith founded his blog Of Two Minds in 2005 after 17 years of free-lance journalism in the San Francisco Bay Area. His 4,500 posts on the economy, society, housing and technology have logged over 150 million page views. He is the author of nine novels and nineteen non-fiction books on socio-economic-political dynamics, including "The Mythology of Progress." His work can also be found on Substack and Patreon. He lives by Winston Churchill's dictum that "Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm."
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