“Let’s not forget that society has been more advanced then it is now at different points in history.

“Why people think they are smarter *now* then they were *then* is beyond me. Civilizations have been advanced before and wound up rubble.”

I’ve wondered about this, too. Probably every week of my life (though not in the same language) since I became an adult. And whenever I doubt it I think about the Roman inventing aqua ducts and think ‘damn those people were clever!’

Oh no, Alicia. I think you can progress and continue to progress. I am doing this in my personal life to the best of my ability and with as great of awareness as I can muster. But I am just one little speck on this earth.

I don’t think people are DESTINED to repeat mistakes. They have an option to learn. Is a woman DESTINED to choose a man who beats her? No.

I mean there are limits in life and you have to live within them in some ways (you can always dream which would be unlimited). But hell no. It happens but it does not HAVE to happen.

That would be like a saying a woman HAS to cheat on her husband or vice versa. That it’s her “destiny”. You can see that is ridiculous. People are choosing this, they have free will.

As far as I can tell humanity as a whole has not changed much, information just travels faster and wider than ever before. There are always good and decent people as well as plenty of fools & jerks. :::shrug:::

Progress to me is personal because the only person whose choices I truly have a say about is myself. But we can choose to spread good will and kindness through our interactions with others as Elsa has and continues to do! That often means far more than we realize!

“Someone just remarked that going back to the, 1950’s won’t help in regards to current sexualization of children and other social problems. They may or may not be right about that but the idea we are not going back to the 1950’s, or the 1900’s or the 1800’s, etc is probably in error. Let’s not forget that society has been more advanced then it is now at different points in history.”

I meant it as in building blocks. Going back is not an option because circumstances are different and our consciousness is different.

I’ve thought about this a lot regarding my personal life. There were times - long times - in the past where I was definitely more ‘evolved’ and wise than I am now. There were times that I did not fear death, and I mean that truly; Times that I was happy and easy-going in the face of difficulties. I seemed to have an advanced mastery, an innate connection with what really mattered. None of that is true in my life now, and it hasn’t been for a while. I fear a lot more things. I struggle with a lot more things. Is my progress assured? By no means. I am of course always experiencing and thus learning things. But I am also always forgetting things that I’ve learned.

I see it as a chance, an opportunity, to be who I want to be in much harder conditions. Not that conditions were ever easy, but sometimes the world changes, things revolve, and suddenly things that were natural (even in traumatic environments) are difficult again. Who knows why things get difficult? Did I give away my power along the way without noticing, or is it something objective, or have I gotten lazy, impatient, am I experimenting, being careless, or whatever. Doesn’t really matter, since as Elsa stressed in her comment above, the one thing constant is the CHOICE one has in each and every moment of one’s life. That’s easier to see at some times than others. It’s a mystery to me what, if anything, influences this.

Astrology is useful for showing what the lessons at any point in time are or could be. But beyond that, free will - and progress - is always (for me) an open question.

I think that we as a civilization are in this midst of chaos on so many levels. Time is speeding up, we are moving into an Age of Energy, vs the Reptilian/Industrial age we have been in for over a century. Now we have instant communication and worldwide reaction in seconds via news feeds etc. The Butterfly Effect (from 1961) has never been more relevant.

We as a planet are on a path of destruction, no question. Our Earth cannot be sustained if we continue our destructive practices and (It takes 35,000 gallons of water to produce one lb of beef, the aquifers are going dry, just for starters.) “Third World” countries are clearing forests at an astronomical rate in order raise beef, but mostly to raise crops to feed the cattle so they can be just like us and eat lots of meat! Earth cannot sustain this abuse, and resources are going to be continuously pared down, one way or another.

I believe absolutely that previous societies (known and unknown) have been more advanced than we are. Those that worked and lived in harmony with earth. That were intuitive and divinely connected and spiritual in nature.

But I also believe that there are many more enlightened beings and teachers and leaders (Elsa) than ever among us because they are needed now more than ever as we move more and more into a state of chaos.

As far as children being dumbed down? I don’t know about that, but I do know my sister does not let her young children watch TV or eat at McDonalds, yea! and they are very creative and very socially adept . Unfortunately I have heard tales from many teachers who just had to quit teaching jobs in total frustration after the “No Child Left Behind” policy hit their schools and they could not abide by the “dumbing down” aspects of it.

The earth will survive, as I believe it has after many abusive civilizations, many that we don’t even know about. But I think our tumultuous times have only begun.

our schools are still designed to turn out factory workers, by and large. we don’t need more factory workers, we need broadly aware problem solvers.