History progresses

During the 1980s when I attended university, student protests were frequent and the police would fire tear gas. Back then, I was often told that ‘history progresses” and I faintly smiled whenever I heard such comments. I could not tell whether the person sharing that quote had some intellectual conviction on history or whether s/he was sharing their hopes of the military dictatorship ending.

If historical progress refers to technical progress, then the saying is true. I can confidently say that technical civilization is constantly evolving. What about laws and social systems? It may appear so. Treason, guilt by association, torture, slavery, and other unfathomable and cruel practices are no longer existent. Practices once considered lawful and reasonable are now considered illegal and condemned publicly if they occur and are unrevealed.

You could say that such changes are progressing, but I would consider it “adapting to changes.” For example, it was considered unpolite in the Joseon era if one wore glasses before an elder. Back then, glasses were rare, high-end imported items that everyday people could not own or touch. If such practices were performed today, where many people wear glasses, society would come to a standstill.

Has the nature of humankind evolved? Not at all. We still witness cruel and horrifying crimes in the 21st century. They may appear less cruel than before due to technological advancement and the difficulty of maintaining confidentiality. If you turn a blind eye, however, you encounter full-fledged brutality.

Onlookers of the war, the narrow-minded thinking of intellectuals, partisanship, ignorance - they are all present today. The conscience and discernment of humankind have not advanced much at all.

The Russia-Ukraine war is likely to come to an end next year. The war between Israel-Hamas will initially come to an end as well. However, that is not considered an advancement, for a new type of brutality will reveal its ugly face soon.