Now here comes in the whole collapse and huge blunder of our age. We have
mixed up two different things, two opposite things. Progress should mean that we are always changing the world to suit the vision. Progress does
mean (just now) that we are always changing the vision. It should mean that we are slow but sure in bringing justice and mercy among men: it does
mean that we are very swift in doubting the desirability of justice and mercy: a wild page from any Prussian sophist makes men doubt it. Progress
should mean that we are always walking towards the New Jerusalem. It does mean that the New Jerusalem is always walking away from us. We are not
altering the real to suit the ideal. We are altering the ideal: it is easier.
As long as the vision of heaven is always changing, the vision of earth will be exactly the same. No ideal will remain long enough to be realized,
or even partly realized. The modern young man will never change his environment; for he will always change his mind.
Orthodoxy, first published in 1908, by G. K. Chesterton, is in the public domain, and available from Project Gutenberg. The previous post in this series is here. Thanks for reading! Read Chesterton
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