Talk:Biplane/@comment-70.53.100.239-20120901230659/@comment-1216259-20130217233533

No.

Science has greatly attributed to our understanding. It has allowed us to treat many diseases, such as the Black Death. When it's not heavily politicized, it acts as a way to dispel outdated notions such as bigotry and superstition, which can be used to rob others of their livelihood.

Industry has brought us air conditioning, refrigeration, and the very computer you use to explain your sentiments on development. It has generally increased standard of living for the countries that have it. While it also brings climate problems, our greater scientific understanding gives us the ability to address these if we so choose, as opposed to societies of old who would destroy their resources for religious or hunting reasons without knowing it was killing them.

While inequality still exists, the middle class was practically unheard of before the Renaissance, making for a sharp divide between nobility & peasantry.

As far as religion goes, you are talking to an atheist. Not only do I believe it's an outdated relic, I am also quite aware that not being religious in the old days was tantamount to treason, and thus you could be executed for it, even in the most otherwise "forward-thinking" societies. I think that alone really invalidates your "tradition is better" argument.

And this is without even addressing the rights movements for women and minorities, the increased awareness we have for the problems of people around the world, the rise of peoples' voice in government, the greater speed with which we can communicate information, or the fact that many professions--particularly low-and-middle class ones--would not exist today, were it not for the rise of science & technology.

The fact is, when you remove the polished, glossy veneer that our televisions put on it, the past kind of sucked.

The fact that we still have problems today does not excuse any of this.