that's often the retort to that theory, true, to which the comeback is generally something along the lines about every enemy of progress having said the same thing about every major discovery ever.

I mean I suppose you are familiar with these things, it's not like the history of this debate should be new and strange to readers of HN.

"every enemy of progress having said the same thing about every major discovery ever."

Oh, I'm sure that's absolutely true and not at all an exaggeration.