Evaluating Progressive Ideas

“…many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.” -
Obi-Wan Kenobi

Those of us who understand and embrace the need for the abolition of slavery
and a stateless society typically hang our hat on a few core concepts: Self-
ownership, non-aggression/self-defense, and some version of free-market
capitalism or non-coercive communism. Though these ideas are critically
important to transition humanity into the next phase of its social evolution, does
that imply that they represent the optimal perspective for a sentient being living
on this planet?

Let’s look at a notable example of progressive thought – the overall philosophy

of the American “founding fathers”. A divisive lot of alternative thinkers for
their time, these men are heralded as champions of freedom by some, and
condemned as hypocrites by others – so how shall we evaluate their role in
history and the value of their perspective?

The revolutionaries performed a feat of immense significance, against all odds –

they overthrew the very concept of monarchy. Others had offered the ideas set
forth by the founding fathers throughout history, but it was in their lifetime that
these became ideas whose time had truly come.

The liberation of America from the grips of the king sent tremors across the
globe, and today modern societies have all but abandoned the idea of rulership
based upon mere heritage, or the notion of divine right - a concept that had held
humanity in its grip for thousands of years.
The writings of men like Jefferson, Franklin, Paine, et al., represent some of the
greatest words of wisdom ever to spring forth from the mouths of men.
However, in one breath this generation noted how man has self-evident, God-
given, unalienable rights, and in the next established a new nation under
governmental rule with the words “All legislative Powers herein granted shall
be vested in a Congress of the United States…”

How are we to judge these men and their actions? Were they true freedom-
fighters, or mere opportunistic wolves in sheep's clothing?

We must realize that progress cannot be judged in the absolute. It must be

evaluated relative to what comes before and what comes after. Relative to the
historical monarchies of unchecked personal authority, this was a great leap
forward, and we owe the relative comfort of our slavery in modern times to this
progress. That being said, the work of the revolutionaries in no way represents
the height of human achievement – it was a stepping stone to the work that we
are faced with in the present, and pales in comparison to what’s possible in the
future.

We are among the few who understand that humanity in the very early stages of
a shift toward the dissolution of external authority in favor of self-governance,
supported by rudimentary moral concepts like non-aggression. But we must not
make the mistake of believing that this is the end of the road. Imagination must
remain unfettered, and progress must be seen as moving through such phases,
not to them.

Concepts like non-aggression and property rights that delineate obligatory

boundaries for human behavior are crutches that can bear the user through the
tumultuous transition to come; but they are the mere tip of a larger iceberg upon
which coercion and domination will ultimately crash asunder. Beyond lie fields
of heretofore unimagined peace and prosperity, born of a true understanding of
man’s oneness with his species, his planet, the full breadth of the universe, and
collective consciousness itself.

Of course, it behooves us to place the majority of our focus on the steps

immediately before us – to keep horse before cart and fulfill our present duty –
but this commentary is being offered as a simple reminder to keep our
progressive ideas in context. Remember that the future is wide open, and that
the next generation will benefit most by being encouraged to an awareness of
the infinite possibilities of expanding consciousness, rather than being limited
by an absolute presentation of the current leading edge. Even our lofty notions
of a free society – as luminary and necessary as they are now - will be rightfully
deemed archaic and backward when viewed in retrospect by the future
generations to come.

-Brian Blackwell