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About this quote

What does it mean?
Early data on human advancement suggests setbacks rather than smooth progress.
In plain terms
News about how humans are doing shows some bad trends.
What can you take from it?
Expect setbacks when measuring long-term improvement.

Where it applies

  • policy reviews
  • academic research
  • social commentary

Putting it to work

  • track metrics carefully
  • avoid blind optimism

Questions to consider

  • What counts as progress?
  • How do we measure it?

Another view

The quote assumes progress is being measured systematically.

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