Most societal norms are beneficial, but there are always some that need to change. It takes brave people to make such changes, especially if the majority or a small powerful group disagrees and might even punish them for trying.

Our descendants will look back at some of the things we do and scratch their heads, much like we do when thinking about past practices. It’s hard to imagine how someone could be arrested for teaching that Earth revolves around the Sun, or how some human beings were treated as personal property.

For thousands of years, people have believed the world was on the brink of disaster. But the fact that there are fewer major wars, less starvation, better healthcare, improved social justice, and many other improvements, should give us optimism for the future. Despite many bumps along the road, civilization has generally trended in the right direction.