Do you ever think that we might not be progressing as successfully as we say we are? To the point we’re actually moving backwards? Well, you’re not alone. Survivng Progress follows Ronald Wright’s argument on societal collapse in A Short History Of Progress through analysis of past civilizations. As they say, “Every time history repeats itself, the price goes up.” Perhaps we should stick to our roots of hunting and gathering, the way our brains were wired to begin with. Are we working against our natural behavior?

Screeners silently trickled out of the theatre with solemn faces. What was the general thought on a movie discussing how we’re basically on a dead end in human progress? I thought there would be some sort of protest, but the entire audience agreed with the thoughts discussed in the documentary and many are excited that this idea is hitting theatres.

Ronald Wright in a scene from SURVIVING PROGRESS, an Alliance Films release.

Although strangely enough, no one was offended by the grave notion that there was no real solution to this problem, that it was bound to happen and there was no way to stop our inevitable fate. Simply the fact that Surviving Progress is spreading the awareness of the flaw in civilization is enough to satisfy the audience’s quest for righteousness. Toronto-based film critic Julian Carrington agrees with how directors Mathieu Roy and Harold Crooks have visualized this collapsing world. “I’m not going to say I like hearing about it, but I sometimes like to see it being acknowledged.”

I felt like I stepped back in time to a world issues class in high school where we analyzed economic, social and cultural patterns. An environmental studies student thought it represented her personal outlook. “I loved it. It had the same ideas as I had myself.” Isn’t it crazy that we can all agree on the over-population, the oligarchy taking over, the natural resources getting drained and the government losing control and yet we still refuse to believe that one individual can make a change. You just have to look up at the sky and hope you’re not alive when the world breaks down. I guess I’m with George Bush on this one. “I’m not an economist, but I do believe we’re growing.” Until judgment day, I’ll see you at the movies.