No question society has made gradual progress over several millennia. I'd much rather live now than 100 years ago. Still, there are those who cling to primitive ideologies, and some such people make their way into positions of political power, and those people prevent us from forging ahead into newer, better modes of life. Well, maybe not prevent--they just slow us down. These people usually use religion as their reasoning for doing so. Perhaps it's not as big a problem as I make it sound, but still...
As an example, Alabama's governor recently had 200 state troopers raid a bingo house that's been around for years because gambling is illegal in the state of Alabama and Bob Riley (the governor) is not willing to compromise because (disregarding any ulterior motives he may have as I'm hearing in all these campaign commercials about him selling us out to Mississippi) gambling is immoral according to the Bible. Legalized gambling would allow the state government to collect taxes on legal bingo (our tax is 10% and we have tax on food, which I understand several states do not have); many immoral things are legal and it's each individual's decision what morals they choose to abide by and which ones to disregard (should we outlaw sex out of wedlock too?); and Bob Riley destroyed jobs in a time when jobs are already scarce when the legalization of gambling in Alabama could potentially create jobs. Simple progress towards an obviously better way of life is being impeded by one religious nutjob who somehow managed to find his way into a position of power.
Looking at the big picture, though, of course we as a society have made progress, often at the expense of our valued traditions. I guess what Darunia and I are describing is too idealistic to ever be real, a world in which the pursuit of knowledge holds precedence.
But wait... wouldn't this make Darunia more of a progressive than a conservative? :)
![[Image: pandoras-box-print-c101007581.jpeg]](http://lacegrl130.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/pandoras-box-print-c101007581.jpeg)
Pandora's Box has been opened.
As an example, Alabama's governor recently had 200 state troopers raid a bingo house that's been around for years because gambling is illegal in the state of Alabama and Bob Riley (the governor) is not willing to compromise because (disregarding any ulterior motives he may have as I'm hearing in all these campaign commercials about him selling us out to Mississippi) gambling is immoral according to the Bible. Legalized gambling would allow the state government to collect taxes on legal bingo (our tax is 10% and we have tax on food, which I understand several states do not have); many immoral things are legal and it's each individual's decision what morals they choose to abide by and which ones to disregard (should we outlaw sex out of wedlock too?); and Bob Riley destroyed jobs in a time when jobs are already scarce when the legalization of gambling in Alabama could potentially create jobs. Simple progress towards an obviously better way of life is being impeded by one religious nutjob who somehow managed to find his way into a position of power.
Looking at the big picture, though, of course we as a society have made progress, often at the expense of our valued traditions. I guess what Darunia and I are describing is too idealistic to ever be real, a world in which the pursuit of knowledge holds precedence.
But wait... wouldn't this make Darunia more of a progressive than a conservative? :)
Pandora's Box has been opened.