Darkover
Archangel
- Jul 29, 2021
- 5,213
Progress feels futile because no matter how much humanity advances, it never truly escapes suffering, struggle, or the inevitable decay of everything. It might change the form of problems, but it never eliminates them.
Every solution creates new problems. We invent medicine to cure diseases, but then people live longer, leading to overpopulation, resource depletion, and new illnesses. Technology makes life easier, but it also causes isolation, addiction, and existential crises. Societies develop laws and ethics to reduce harm, but corruption and inequality still persist in new ways.
Happiness doesn't scale with progress. Despite massive advancements in technology, medicine, and comfort, people aren't any happier than they were centuries ago. The human mind adapts to its circumstances, meaning that no matter how much life improves, people still feel dissatisfied. Depression, anxiety, and existential dread are more common than ever, showing that progress doesn't necessarily make life worth living.
Entropy and decay are inevitable. Everything we build, from civilizations to personal achievements, will eventually collapse. Empires rise and fall. Scientific knowledge can be lost. Digital data will eventually disappear when servers fail or power runs out. No matter how advanced humanity becomes, the heat death of the universe (or some other cosmic event) will wipe everything out in the end.
There is no ultimate destination. Progress is often framed as a journey toward a "better future," but there's no final destination where suffering stops. If humans solve one set of problems, another set arises. The cycle never ends, and there's no ultimate reward waiting at the finish line. Even if humans were to colonize space or merge with AI, suffering and death would still exist in some form.
On an individual level, working hard and improving yourself doesn't guarantee happiness or success. Even the greatest minds and inventors eventually fade into obscurity. Their contributions might be remembered, but they won't experience any of it after they're gone. If the universe is indifferent and everything is temporary, then no achievement truly matters in the long run.
So, no matter how much progress happens, suffering remains, nothing lasts, and there's no final state of fulfillment. It's just an endless grind toward an outcome that erases everything.
Every solution creates new problems. We invent medicine to cure diseases, but then people live longer, leading to overpopulation, resource depletion, and new illnesses. Technology makes life easier, but it also causes isolation, addiction, and existential crises. Societies develop laws and ethics to reduce harm, but corruption and inequality still persist in new ways.
Happiness doesn't scale with progress. Despite massive advancements in technology, medicine, and comfort, people aren't any happier than they were centuries ago. The human mind adapts to its circumstances, meaning that no matter how much life improves, people still feel dissatisfied. Depression, anxiety, and existential dread are more common than ever, showing that progress doesn't necessarily make life worth living.
Entropy and decay are inevitable. Everything we build, from civilizations to personal achievements, will eventually collapse. Empires rise and fall. Scientific knowledge can be lost. Digital data will eventually disappear when servers fail or power runs out. No matter how advanced humanity becomes, the heat death of the universe (or some other cosmic event) will wipe everything out in the end.
There is no ultimate destination. Progress is often framed as a journey toward a "better future," but there's no final destination where suffering stops. If humans solve one set of problems, another set arises. The cycle never ends, and there's no ultimate reward waiting at the finish line. Even if humans were to colonize space or merge with AI, suffering and death would still exist in some form.
On an individual level, working hard and improving yourself doesn't guarantee happiness or success. Even the greatest minds and inventors eventually fade into obscurity. Their contributions might be remembered, but they won't experience any of it after they're gone. If the universe is indifferent and everything is temporary, then no achievement truly matters in the long run.
So, no matter how much progress happens, suffering remains, nothing lasts, and there's no final state of fulfillment. It's just an endless grind toward an outcome that erases everything.
