The Collins Dictionary and Thesaurus defines progression as "the act or an instance of moving from one thing in a sequence to the next". There are cases in which this progression is an inescapable fact, such as with time. Time moves forward; it does not move backward. At least not in our part of the universe. I leave it to the theoretical physicists and the science fiction writers to imagine circumstances in which it does.
More often, though, progress is used subjectively, to imply improvement in some way or another. The word has a reassuringly positive ring to it. Moving forward is the only way to go! Going back is not an option! Progress means new and exciting, improvement and enlightenment. Progress raises one up from the morass of stagnation. It is the domain of the free thinkers and the visionaries. It is one of the most popular slogans in political campaigns, used equally by hopeful challengers aiming to dislodge incumbent dinosaurs, and by those same experienced champions-of-your-cause defending their seats against wild upstarts.
Marketeers like progress, too. When something is bigger, smaller, better, newer, fancier, simpler, more well known, less expensive, lighter, heavier, louder, or quieter than it was before, that is called progress. But is it? Perhaps it was more useful to me before it was changed, or I simply liked it better.
Let me give you an example.
The first time I saw British band Coldplay perform live was in Amsterdam, in the Heineken Music Hall. This venue can hold up to 5.500 music enthusiasts (and did that night). I next saw them captivate a capacity crowd of 15.000 people in Ahoy, in Rotterdam. A couple of years after that I and 33.999 others packed ourselves in the GelreDome in Arnhem to see the band valiantly play through a set on the very day their beloved London had been hit by the horrific acts of terrorists. And finally, a little over two years ago, there were 50.000 of us on a field in the Goffertpark in Nijmegen, trying to make out four figures on a stage in the distance.
Clearly, from a purely numerical perspective, the gradual rise in Coldplay's concert attendance is progress. However, from the standpoint of an attendee like me, it is not. With each increase in the number of people at the shows, my personal enjoyment of those shows decreased proportionally. Their progression was my regression.
Sometimes I'd rather not have progress.
More often, though, progress is used subjectively, to imply improvement in some way or another. The word has a reassuringly positive ring to it. Moving forward is the only way to go! Going back is not an option! Progress means new and exciting, improvement and enlightenment. Progress raises one up from the morass of stagnation. It is the domain of the free thinkers and the visionaries. It is one of the most popular slogans in political campaigns, used equally by hopeful challengers aiming to dislodge incumbent dinosaurs, and by those same experienced champions-of-your-cause defending their seats against wild upstarts.
Marketeers like progress, too. When something is bigger, smaller, better, newer, fancier, simpler, more well known, less expensive, lighter, heavier, louder, or quieter than it was before, that is called progress. But is it? Perhaps it was more useful to me before it was changed, or I simply liked it better.
Let me give you an example.
The first time I saw British band Coldplay perform live was in Amsterdam, in the Heineken Music Hall. This venue can hold up to 5.500 music enthusiasts (and did that night). I next saw them captivate a capacity crowd of 15.000 people in Ahoy, in Rotterdam. A couple of years after that I and 33.999 others packed ourselves in the GelreDome in Arnhem to see the band valiantly play through a set on the very day their beloved London had been hit by the horrific acts of terrorists. And finally, a little over two years ago, there were 50.000 of us on a field in the Goffertpark in Nijmegen, trying to make out four figures on a stage in the distance.
Clearly, from a purely numerical perspective, the gradual rise in Coldplay's concert attendance is progress. However, from the standpoint of an attendee like me, it is not. With each increase in the number of people at the shows, my personal enjoyment of those shows decreased proportionally. Their progression was my regression.
Sometimes I'd rather not have progress.
