The Progress of Liberty

Numerous revolutionary, life-changing developments occur in the world without ever meeting with the approval of most people or even many people. This is not just a fact; it is a desirable fact, too. Imagine having a majority vote on every advance in technology, culture, or ideas in the past. How many of today’s routinely accepted and celebrated advances would have been voted down out of fear, short-sightedness, or the desire for power over others? How many great inventions and discoveries would have been voted down simply for failing to be appreciated by the unimaginative masses?

A great intellectual or technological breakthrough can change the world without ever initially winning mass support. Once the breakthrough exists, people who would not have understood or supported it at first come to appreciate it due to an empirical demonstration of its advantages. They then become either willing or indirect users of the breakthrough, until the advance is so well established as a new paradigm that it is impossible to return to a past when it did not exist. In such a way, it is possible to “sneak” progress upon an unsuspecting general public.

The art of the successful activist consists of sneaking progress upon the public and the world – without raising too much of an outcry or generating too much resistance. Opposition to future improvements to human life will not perish in a grand struggle; rather, if all goes well, it will simply fade away as people everywhere gradually adapt to new beneficent advances.

Sincerely,
Gennady Stolyarov II

Editor-in-Chief, The Rational Argumentator: http://rationalargumentator.com

Writer, Associated Content: http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/46796/g_stolyarov_ii.html

Author, Implied Consent, A Play on the Sanctity of Human Life: http://rationalargumentator.com/impliedconsent.html

Author, A Rational Cosmology: http://rationalargumentator.com/rc.html

Author, The Best Self-Help is Free: http://rationalargumentator.com/selfhelpfree.html                     

Author, The Progress of Liberty Blog: http://progressofliberty.today.com/

Trackback URI | Comments RSS