THEMYTHOFPROGRESS
H ARVEY L EAKE “Progress”isawordthatgetsbandiedaboutwithincreasingregularity.Itsusefulnessindescribing
movementtowardadesirablegoalisoftencloudedbyproponentsofvariouscauseswhouseit
withoutdescribingexactlywhattheirproposedgoalisorexplainingwhytheythinkitwouldbeso
desirable.Thisisoftenthecasewhenthewordisusedtorepresenthoped‐forsocietalchange.The
advocatesofsuchchangefindthewordparticularlybeneficialwhentheywanttoavoidfull
disclosureoftheirintendedmeansandends,skirtanydiscussionsofthenegativeramificationsof
theirobjective,andsummarilydismisscontraryideasasinferioranddeservingofnofurther
consideration.
Itwouldseemthatprogress,usedinthissense,wouldreflectamultitudeofmeaningsasviewed
throughtheeyesofeachbeholder.Surprisingly,though,justabouteveryone,regardlessofsocial
backgroundorpoliticalpersuasion,ispassionatelymarchinginlocksteptowardthesame
fundamentalvisionofsocialchange,likethepioneersinafamousnineteenthcenturypainting
entitled“SpiritoftheFrontier”.Itdepicts
thewestwardmovementofafloating
goddessandherfollowerswho,aidedby
technology,areclearingthewayofwild
animals,Indians,anddarkness.Cultural
criticNeilPostman,inhisbook,Amusing
OurselvestoDeath,describesthisconcept
ofprogressthusly:“allAmericans…believe
nothingifnotthathistoryismovingus
towardsomepreordainedparadiseand
thattechnologyistheforcebehindthat
movement.”Henceforth,Iwillusethe
capitalizedform—Progress—torepresent
TheSpiritoftheFrontierbyJohnGast,1872
thisparticularideology.
AninevitablecorollaryofthephilosophyofProgress,itseems,isthatthereissomethingwrong
withthosewhoaredisinterestedinorcriticalofthisquestfortechnologicalnirvana.Suchpeople
aredismissedasunenlightened,backward‐looking,andinferiorbothintellectuallyandmorally.
Theyaredisregarded,ridiculed,andsometimesdealtwithusingmoreviolentmeans.Ibecame
interestedinthissubjectyearsagowhileresearchingthehistoryofmyancestors,theWetherill
familyofMancos,Colorado.Theyexperiencedthisrepressionfirst‐handwhen,informedbytheir
Quakerheritage,theyattemptedtospreadthewordthatmodernsocietycouldlearnimportant
lessonsoflifebystudyingthewaysofNativeAmericans.
TheWetherillsmovedtosouthwesternColoradoaround1880.Itwasaperiodwhenmostofthe
settlersconsideredthelocalUteIndianstobeadversariesandimpedimentstocivilization.TheUte
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presencelimiteddevelopmentoftheregionandexpansionofmining,farming,andranching
operations.Thefamilypatriarch,BenjaminKite(B.K.)Wetherillviewedthesituationfroma
differentperspective.HehadlivedwiththeOsagesduringthepreviousdecadeandrespectedtheir
abilitytolivehappilyintheirnaturalenvironment.RatherthanfightingwiththeUtes,the
Wetherillstreatedthemasneighbors.
RichardandB.K.WetherillonleftataUtewedding,ca.1892
In1888,B.K.Wetherill’seldestson,
Richard,andson‐in‐law,CharlieMason,
discoveredCliffPalaceandsomeofthe
othercliffdwellingsofMesaVerde.The
familybelievedthattheyhadfoundan
amazingresourceforeducatingthe
public,andtheyworkedhardtogather
artifactsforuseinspreadingthe
message.Theyweredisappointedwhen
theyrealizedthatthepublicwasnotso
enthused.“Theneighborsridiculedand
scoffedattheideaofpreservingthe
bonesandpotteryofalotofolddead
Indians,”oneofB.K.’sgranddaughters
recalled.“Betterleavethemalone;they
woulddonooneanygood;whygoto
allthetrouble?”
B.K.WetherilldecidedtoappealtheircausetotheSmithsonianInstitutioninWashington.“Ithink
theMancos,andtributarycañonsshouldbereservedasanationalpark,inordertopreservethe
curiouscliffhouses,”hewrote.TheSecretaryoftheSmithsonian,SamuelP.Langley,forwardedB.
K.’slettertotheDirectoroftheBureauofEthnology,notedColoradoRiverexplorer,JohnWesley
Powell.Powelldirectedthelettertohisstaffarchaeologist,WilliamHenryHolmes.“Ofcourseitisa
pitythattheycouldnotbereservedandpreserved,”Holmesreplied,“butwhentheirmultitudeis
considered—theycoveragoodpartoffourStatesandTerritories—itseemsaHerculeantask.”
B.K.Wetherillwroteseveralotherletters,reiteratingtheneedforgovernmentaction.“Weare
particulartopreservethebuildings,butfear,unlesstheGov’tseespropertomakeanationalpark
oftheCañons,includingMesaVerde[,]thatthetouristswilldestroythem,”hewarned.Hewas
unawarethatHolmeshaddecidedtoterminatethedialogattheoutset.“Thereseemstobenoneed
ofothercommunicationwithhim,”HolmeshadrecordedprivatelyuponreplyingtoB.K.’sfirst
letter.Myancestorsmusthavewonderedwhyagovernmentbureauthatwascreatedforthe
purposeofstudyingIndianculturewassodisinterestedinhelpingprotectinvaluable
archaeologicalresourcessuchasthecliffdwellingsofMesaVerde.
Iwonderedthesame,soIundertookastudytobetterunderstandwhattheleadersoftheBureauof
Ethnologywerethinking.IlearnedthattheywerestaunchbelieversinProgress,whichtheyviewed
asincompatiblewiththeconceptthatvaluableinsightscouldbegainedfromexposuretoNative
Americanculture.
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JohnWesleyPowellwasadiscipleofsocialtheoristLewisHenryMorganwhosebook,Ancient
Society,orResearchesintheLinesofHumanProgressfromSavageryThroughBarbarismto
Civilization,waspublishedin1877.Morganwrotethathumancultureevolvesandprogresses
throughthesethreestages.Hepurportedtodocumentthe“Growthofintelligencethrough
inventionsanddiscoveries,”thusassertingthatnon‐technologicalculturesareintellectually
inferior.
PowellelaboratedonMorgan’stheoryintwoarticles:“FromSavagerytoBarbarism”and“From
BarbarismtoCivilization”.Hemaintainedthatcivilizedsocietyisnotonlytechnologicallyand
intellectuallysuperior,butmorallysuperioraswell.“Insavagery,thebeastsaregods;inbarbarism,
thegodsaremen;incivilization,menareasgods,knowinggoodfromevil,”hewrote.
ThepositionofthesemenandmanyothersintheFederalGovernmentwasthatNativeAmericans
werestuckinthebarbaricstageandneededtobecivilized.TheBureauofIndianAffairs,sincetheir
inceptionin1849,implementedanumberofunsuccessfulstrategiestobringtheIndians“up”to
modernintellectualandmoralstandards,whilefailingtoacknowledgethatthedividewas
fundamentallyaphilosophicone.WilliamHenryHolmes,whohadrespondedtoB.K.Wetherill’s
firstletter,laterexpressedtheviolentaspectofthegovernmentapproach.Hebelievedthatthe
dominantculturewasdestinedpredominateandthat“thecompleteabsorptionorblottingoutof
theredracewillbequicklyaccomplished.Ifpeacefulamalgamationfails,extinctionoftheweaker
bylessgentlemeanswilldothework.”
Myancestorssufferedmanyindignitiesdownthroughtheyearsasaresultoftheirunorthodox
interestintraditionalNativeAmericanculture.Duringtheirlateryears,allfiveofB.K.Wetherill’s
sonsspenttimeontheNavajoReservationwheretheycontinuedtheirarchaeological
investigationsandoperatedtradingposts.Theeldestson,Richard,settledatChacoCanyon,New
MexicowhereheengenderedthehatredofBureauofIndianAffairsagentsWilliamT.Sheltonand
SamuelF.Stacher.HewasmurderedbyaNavajomanin1910undersuspiciouscircumstances.My
greatgrandfather,JohnWetherill,livedwithhiswifeLouisaamongtheNavajosfrom1900until
1944.TwicetheywerethreatenedwithevictionbyIndianagentswhoresentedtheiracceptanceof
theNativeAmericans’wayoflife.
Inthecourseofmyresearch,Ifoundanassertion
byJohnWesleyPowellregardingProgressthat
wasparticularlyinsightful:“Itisnotbyadaptation
toenvironment,butbythecreationofanartificial
environment.”Inthisshortstatement,Powell
preciselydefinedtheobjectiveofProgress—the
creationofartificialenvironments,whicharea
meansofescapefromthenaturalenvironment.
Theopposingview,asadvocatedbytheWetherills
andtheirNativeAmericanfriends,wastheone
thatPowellrejected:weshouldadapttonature,
ratherthanavoidit.
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TheWetherills’Navajofriendsbelievedinthe
importanceofstayingconnectedwithnature
In 1893,someoftheartifactsthattheWetherillshadcollectedfromMesaVerdewereexhibitedat
theWorld’sColumbianExpositioninChicago.Thefairwasnotintendedjustforentertainment,but
itwasalsoa“propagandaofsocialideas”,asoneofitsdesignersexplained.Thefair’stheme—
Progress—wasdemonstratedbyinnumerabledisplaysofthemostrecentadvancesinscience,
technology,commerce,andthearts.AlthoughtheexhibitsofIndianmaterialswerejustifiedby
someascontrastingwiththemodernandhelpingtoillustratehowfarsocietyhadprogressed,
otherstookoffencethattheywereincludedatall.“[Wedonot]believethatanypersonsoutsideofa
littlehandfulofethnologicalspecialistshaveevenalanguidinterestinmenwhowerehardlyabove
theanimalswithwhomtheywereassociatedinintelligence,”theChicagoTribuneeditorialized.
Thefair’splanners,designers,andbackersdidnotsharemyfamily’sbeliefthatanunderstandingof
NativeAmericanculturecouldhelpenlightenmodernpeople.Rather,theexpositionwasintended
topromoteahigherlevelofrefinement,culture,andsensibility,asdemonstratedbythe
architectureandfancyexhibits.Theenlightenedpopulacecouldnowfindescapefromuntamed
natureandtheiraversiontoitbytakingrefugeinartificialenvironmentssuchasthoseondisplayin
theGreatWhiteCity.Thereinforcementofthisphilosophycontributedtofurthermarginalization
oftheWetherillsandtheirIndianfriends,whocontinuedtobelieveintheimportanceof
maintainingtheiraffinitywithnature.
BeliefinProgressentailssomeoftheattributesoftraditionalreligion:Hope,i.e.,anticipationofa
bettertomorrow,andFaith,whichtranslatesasconfidenceinhumaningenuityandinitiativeto
createtheperceivedutopia.However,itdiffersfromtraditionalreligioninsomesignificantways.
Forexample,“hungerandthirstafterrighteousness”seemstohavebeensupersededbyapassion
forpleasureandcomfort.Werepressourawarenessthatwearepartofthenaturalrealmand
substitutethefalsebeliefthatwearetranscendingnature,despitetheinescapablefactofour
ultimatefateonthisearth.
ThebasictenetsofProgressincludethequestforwealthwithwhichtomaximizeonesimmersion
intoartificialenvironments,accumulationofmanufacturedthings,involvementinonediversion
afteranother,andeitherheroworshiporenvytowardthosewhohavemadeabettershowing.
Intentionalcontactwithnature,ifitoccursatall,ofteninvolvessanitizedabstractionsofthereal
world.
Today’spolitically‐chargedrhetoricfocusesonhowtobestenhancetheabilityofthecitizensto
createartificialenvironments.Freedomistheabilitytomakeone’sownescapefromnaturewitha
minimumofman‐madeencumbrances,andequalityistheassurancethatallpeopleareprovided
thatability.
IndoctrinationintothephilosophyofProgressissoprevalentinoursocietythatmostofits
adherentsdonotevenrecognizethatanalternative—adaptationtonature—exists.Iwasfortunate
tofind,inthepapersofmygreat‐grandmother,amanuscriptthatexplainsthetenetsofthis
philosophywithclarity.ItistheaccountofaNavajomannamedWolfkillerwhorecountedthe
moraltrainingthathereceivedfromhismotherandgrandfatherwhenhewasaboyandhowit
helpedhimdealwithlifeashegrewolder.Mygreat‐grandmother,LouisaWadeWetherill,
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translatedandrecordedhisstory,anditisnowavailableinthebook,Wolfkiller:Wisdomfroma
NineteenthCenturyNavajoShepherd.
Wolfkillerreceivedhisfirstlessoninadaptationtonatureintheearly1860swhenhewasaboutsix
yearsold.Hisgrandfatheroverheardhimcomplainingaboutthechillingwindandgentlyexplained
thatitwassomethingtobethankfulfor.“Allthingsarebeautifulandfullofinterestifyouobserve
themcloselyandstudythem,”thegrandfatheradmonished.Afterconsideringthisadviceforafew
days,Wolfkillercametoseethatthewindisgood.“Wehadthoughtthewindwasjustauseless
thingtocauseusunhappiness,butnowwesawthatithadmanypurposes.Itclearedtheairofthe
odorsofdecayingplantsanddeadanimals,broughtthecloudsonitswingstogiveusrain,and
madeusstrong,”heconcluded.
Whenaviolentrainandlightningstormterrifiedtheyoungboy,hisgrandfathertookhimoutto
studytheaftermath.“Seehowbeautifulitreallyis,”saidthegrandfather.“Howblackthecloudsare.
Seethestreaksofwhitelightningcomingdown.Seetherocksoverwhichithaspassed—howthey
glisten.Andyoucanseehowfreshandgreenthecornfields,grass,andtreesarenow.Weneeded
thestormtomakethingsbeautiful.”Whenwintercameagain,Wolfkiller’smothertoldhimtogo
outsideandrollinthesnow.“Thesnowwillbewithusforseveralmoonsnow,andifyourollinit
andtreatitasafriend,itwillnotseemnearlyascoldtoyou,”sheexplained.
Byfollowinghiselders’guidancealong“thepathoflight”,Wolfkiller
achievedanintimateandrewardingconnectionwiththeearth.Heso
treasuredthewisdomitofferedthathenolongerworriedabouthis
livingconditions,whichwouldbeconsideredextremebytoday’s
standards.Wind,storm,cold,andevennaturaldeath,causedhimlittle
concern.Hisjourneywasnotadifficultone.Simplybyovercominghis
unfoundedfearsofnature,hewasabletofocusonlearningtheskillshe
neededtoavoidlife’srealdangersandgainaccesstotheinvaluable
insightsthatonlynaturecanprovide.
Wolfkillerwithhisyoung
friend,JohnYazzie.Oneof
thecasualtiesofso‐called
Progressisdimmingofthe
lightinchildren’seyes
Estrangementfromnatureisdebilitatingtotheyoungergenerationin
particular.Continuallywiredintoelectronicgadgetry,manychildren
havelosttheirinnatesenseoffascinationwiththerealworld.Lookinto
theirfacesastheywanderthemallsorbigboxstoresinanticipationof
acquiringthelatestcomputergame,textingdevice,oraudioorvideo
recording.Goneisthesparkoflightthatgracedtheeyesofthechildren
ofyesteryear.Today’skids,aswellasmostoftheirelders,aremissing
thejoysofencounteringnature’sstunningscenery,thesimplepleasures
ofsunshine,freshair,andstarlitnights,andtheintrigueofdiscovering
forthemselveswhatisoverthenextridge.Aboveallelse,theyare
missingoutonthelessonsinwisdomthatonlynaturecanoffer.These
deficienciescanhardlybeconsideredprogress.
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