The Ascent of Man

Fifty years ago today, the first episode of Jacob Bronowski's ground-breaking series, The Ascent of Man, was broadcast on BBC2. I can dimly remember watching it and wondering at how far we had come as a human race. 

(image: Wikimedia Commons)

The thirteen episodes followed the development of humankind through the lens of our understanding of science. The first five programmes dealt with our evolution from the earliest stages of human life to the height of the Middle Ages. Episodes six onwards covered the beginnings of modern science, from Galileo's discovery of Copernicus's theory of a heliocentric universe, through the laws of Newton and Einstein, the effects of science and technology as seen in the Industrial Revolution, and Darwin and Wallace's theories on the origin of species, to developments in modern chemistry, biology and physics.

In episodes 11 and 12 in particular, Bronowski shared his misgivings about what people do with their imperfect knowledge of science, which can lead to dreadful, or at best, ambiguous, outcomes - the Holocaust, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and modern developments in genetics, such as cloning. It was a fascinating series, and the book which came from it is well worth reading.

I wonder what Bronowski would have made of the developments in our world in the fifty years since the programme was broadcast - the many ways in which we have raped and pillaged the natural world in the name of human progress, let alone the many examples of "man's inhumanity to man" to quote Robert Burns. Sadly, we will never know, as he died the year after the programmes were broadcast.

Interestingly, the series was commissioned by David Attenborough, then Controller of BBC2, who has been a staunch speaker on the high costs of human progress in terms of the rest of the world with whom we share this planet.

Onwards and Upwards Forever?

The German poet, Heinrich Heine, was a born in 1797 and died in 1856. So he spent most of his life in the first half of the 19th century, when human, industrial and technological progress was seen as an unambiguous good. He wrote, "I believe in progress. I believe humanity is destined for happiness."

Sadly, in the 175 years since his death, we have come to understand that progress is far from being a universal good. It wasn't then, and it isn't now. Back then, all the industrial and technological progress came at a price ignored by many - the terrible working conditions of the industrial poor, and the exploitation of people and lands all over the world. 

Early next month, a book will be published by the Lindsey Press, called Cherishing the Earth - Nourishing the Spirit. I have been fortunate enough to get a sneak preview. Edited by Unitarian minister Maria Curtis, it presents a variety of responses by Unitarians - lay people, ministers and children - to the global ecological crisis we are currently facing. As it says in the publicity, "their insights range from the prophetic and political to the practical and intensely personal." And all the contributors are clear that we are in this situation because of our past and present blindness to the downsides of "progress" and that we urgently need to Do Something before it is too late. If it is not already too late... It is well worth a read.

I believe that if we are to save our beloved blue and green planet, we will need to make extensive changes to how we live our lives, far beyond putting stuff out for recycling. Each of us has a responsibility, both to the planet and to future generations, to both make greener choices as individuals and to find ways collectively to make a difference.

Only One Step

When I first read this week's quotation, from Seneca, I was discouraged. It reads: "What you take for the summit is only one step."

I thought, "Bother (or a less printable equivalent) - my work is never done. Why even try?"

But then I thought again, and saw it in a different way - that our journey through life is made up of only one step, followed by another and another... and then, somehow, we get to where we're going.

And then rest, re-evaluate and start the whole process over again! So the message I'd like to take from Seneca is that although we can only take one step at a time, each one is important, and each one moves us on in our lives. Sometimes, we may feel that it is "two steps forward, one step back", but hey! That is still progress.

And if we feel we have hit rock bottom, as happens to everyone at some point (for me it was the Summer of 2013, when I had my first and only alcoholic blackout and realised that if I didn't quit, the only way onward was down), then we can choose a different direction, and start to move on again.

For me, the "one step" was quitting drinking for good on 2nd September 2013.  I have not had an alcoholic drink since. Alcoholics Anonymous and other Twelve Step programmes  also recognise the importance of the "one step at a time" way of living. The important thing is being brave enough to make that one step, over and over again.

Each of us has an opportunity every day to make another step in the direction we're going. And can choose to make it - or not. But when we choose Life, the onward steps will always be for good.