> I sometimes imagine, with horror, what would happen if after 500 years of progress, humanity were to realize that almost all cultural practices they painfully, one by one, undid, were all sensible to begin with for reasons that humanity didn't previously understand.

Especially since modern cultural change seems to have a tendency to be driven by the youngest politically-aware cohorts. Not a lot of time to acquire wisdom that might prevent that, if you're so young you haven't even collected enough knowledge yet.

“If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore; and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God”

Or, alternatively, you'll be driven mad by the sight and your entire civilization will collapse.

http://www.astro.sunysb.edu/fwalter/AST389/TEXTS/Nightfall.h...

What an interesting writing prompt

Indeed, and submitted[0] right away.

[0]: https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/7p2ubq/wp_a...

Tiny positive effects are not worth the downsides of most of those. So even if that's somehow true it's okay.

You're just describing evolution. We almost assuredly don't practice most of the habits of whatever sludge we evolved from, regardless of how useful it is to sludge to continue such practices. And if we stop doing things, we will probably do so for reasons just as valid as why our ancestors started them.

This is basically the position of the alt-right, neoreaction, and similar "movements."

Beautifully written. This thought that I have often half-pondered has now become unified and unforgettable. Thank you.