While my main research area is on the origins and causes of material progress, recently I have been thinking quite a great deal on the relationship between progress, psychology, and ideologies. I think that many modern ideologies take advantage of people with psychological problems and only make their problems worse. They remove agency from the individual and get them to blame society for their fate.
Modern communication devices, particularly social media, and the fact that people in prosperous societies have more free time, so this intensifies the problem. Then the supporters of those ideologies implement government policies that undermine material progress.
I go into more detail here. I would be curious what you think:
Great essay.
While my main research area is on the origins and causes of material progress, recently I have been thinking quite a great deal on the relationship between progress, psychology, and ideologies. I think that many modern ideologies take advantage of people with psychological problems and only make their problems worse. They remove agency from the individual and get them to blame society for their fate.
Modern communication devices, particularly social media, and the fact that people in prosperous societies have more free time, so this intensifies the problem. Then the supporters of those ideologies implement government policies that undermine material progress.
I go into more detail here. I would be curious what you think:
https://frompovertytoprogress.substack.com/p/is-material-progress-driving-us-crazy
https://frompovertytoprogress.substack.com/p/where-does-ideology-come-from
https://frompovertytoprogress.substack.com/p/radical-ideologies-feast-on-mental