JUST WONDERING

Is “progressive” synonymous with good?

pro⋅gres⋅sive  [pruh-gres-iv] –adjective

1.  favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are, esp. in political matters: a progressive mayor.

2.  making progress toward better conditions; employing or advocating more enlightened or liberal ideas, new or experimental methods, etc.: a progressive community.

3.  characterized by such progress, or by continuous improvement.

4.  (initial capital letter) of or pertaining to any of the Progressive parties in politics.

5.  going forward or onward; passing successively from one member of a series to the next; proceeding step by step.

6.  noting or pertaining to a form of taxation in which the rate increases with certain increases in taxable income.

Second question:  does definition #2 always apply?  Making progress toward better conditions?

Feel free to chime in.  I do not claim to know the answer.  

I know many would promulgate tremendous progression in this country.  Our technological innovations have been phenomenal.  The web is at our fingertips.  We can TiVo or DVR practically anything we desire.  We can nightly fill our minds with all sorts of horrific criminal images or salacious, libidinous relationships.  Technology can even help us mistake fantasy with reality!

But wait... our medical progression has been outstanding.  We can detect and discern disease quicker than ever before.  We have hopes of beating cancer.  We have also made it easier to identify when a disabled child is about to enter the world, so we can prevent him from doing so since his quality of life will be so much lesser.  We are so smart!  (Intramuralist note:  remember that “wise” and “smart” are not synonymous.)

Forgive me, but our governing progression is second to none.  The United States government has abolished slavery, enacted formidable civil rights legislation, and established an enduring Constitution.  We protect our people.  Of course, if you disagree with any politician’s approach, you are allowed to call any prior administration a complete failure, invoke the name of Hitler, or call a person “unpatriotic.”  In fact, those in government who represent us must no longer read the legislation they enact on our behalf.  How efficient of them!  Apparently, protecting the people and respecting the people are also not the same.

Progression...  always good?  Always better?  Always characterized by continuous improvement?

I wonder.  I do not claim to know.

AR