Does progress have negative consequences?

Question

what do you think?

Answer 1

It depends in which way the progress leads.

If the progress leads to bad. Then it has negative consequences.

Answer 2

Sure it does.  Or at least in the ways that we identify progress - we find ways to impove crop yield or eliminate diseases, yet we can't socially find a way to distribute these advances across all humanity without greed and corruption.

Ten years ago I was in the Czech Republic in a small town near the German border where 1/2 the town was out of work after the fall of the Soviets.  My colleagues were so impressed with how many people knew english and how many of our brands were available, and I just kept wondering if the 50 year olds who could no longer provide for their families were really that excited about the idea of progress.

The real measure is happiness.  Do cars and lights and TiVo and Blackberries, etc. make us any happier than the Greeks or the Romans or the Pilgrims?  

A good read on this general subject - The Progress Paradox by Gregg Easterbrook.

Answer 3

If you put negative energy out there, negative is what will be returned to you!

But then again, with progress, something must be sacrificed.  So,  I guess, it all depends on the sacrifice.  Does the end justify the means?

Answer 4

To me, progress is another way of saying moving forward.

When you move forward positive things will happen, but with that there can also be negative consequences.

It is definetly worth progressing even with the risk of negative consequences. You will never know what you missed otherwise.

Much love,

x

Answer 5

All change has consequences and not all consequences are positive.

Answer 6

Totaly depends on your point of view.  If your point of view is that of the universe then I would say no change has no - consequences and also no + consequences either.  But if your point of view is a bug that just got squashed id say it would be a - depending on how much you cared about having life as a bug.  If your point of view is that of mine then id say its close to equal neither - or + but close is not exactly and it would lean twoards the - spectrum.  Perhaps after im dead I'll change my tune who knows.