While my topic may seem to be pretty general, I want to talk/write about humanity's progress as a whole throughout the centuries and where we are held back. This is my general observation based on "trends" throughout the human civilization.
There is only one source of progress in this world - human beings. Sadly, even the source of regress is just one - human beings.
Whenever, humanity has attempted progress, the one thing that has always held said progress back is humanity itself. This fact is so real and easy to notice that you can find this everywhere around you.
Let me provide an example. Since you people are using steemit, I will assume that most of you are aware of cryptocurrency. Bitcoin was an extremely noble and scientific concept that was supposed to bring in a new era of human evolution. While that is still possible, this concept was misused to the chagrin of millions of people. Scammers and opportunists have blatantly exploited the whole concept in order to acquire millions of dollars.
This is just a latest example from the times we live in and goes all the way back to the birth of civilization. Terrorism has been predominant throughout centuries, scams, frauds, you name it. But these are not the worst that have held back humanity, the worst is society itself.
It is common knowledge that geniuses like Galileo and Aristocrat were frowned upon and punished by society. The reason was simple - the fear of not understanding and/or believing. And hence people of the world decided to punish and demean other people who saw the world as it was. Majority of people are scared of the truth and that remains to this day. Their fear will demean you, hurt you or straight up kill the wave in your heart.
When Galileo's age passed, people accepted science. As da Vinci or Picasso's s time passed, people accepted art. But did they evolve? No. You will always be held back by 'other' guy's level of understanding.
You may say that the simple solution is being your own, ignoring norms of society or even keeping yourself above everyone else. But that does not solve this issue. Treating yourself differently or adopting a steely mindset does not change the fact that human beings are what hold human evolution from prospering. So it has been, so it will be.
Had humans not held back humans from progressing, we would have been travelling in space now (probably). Which leads to the question - why is this so? Is 4th dimension really a thing and have we been designed in a manner such that we always hold each other back?
We are our own enemies. He or she may be better or worse than you, but what gives you the right to judge others? Did you create your gods to mask your jealousy, the real devil?
But we feel from our heart is that it is imperative to judge others, be it their crime or their success. Why should not we? Have not we been judged and criticised and discussed at our worst and best moments? Did not we enjoy and hate those moments? Why should we spare others?
You don't have to. Just embrace what you don't understand. Think. Rationalize. Look forward. Accept. Criticize. But do not judge those who see and feel the world differently. You don't have to love them, but we don't need to hate them either.
Don't be an enemy to yourself, because at the end of the day, you are your world. And you are human.