Our civilisation today has great science and technology, but that doesn’t make us smarter, just better consumers.

We have more education today, which means we know more, but that doesn’t make us more discerning.

We have more information today, but in our haste we do not take the time to ponder what we have learned.

The ancient evils of war, prostitution, starvation, crimes against children and slavery are more prevalent today than they were 100 years ago. There are more slaves in the world today than there were in the Roman Empire. In fact, there are more slaves in the world today then there have been in all the centuries since the birth of Christ.

These statements can shock people living in affluent first-world nations, but take a look at world news and you’ll genocide in Sudan, public health crisis in Zimbabwe caused by government neglect, war throughout Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Most of the tea, coffee and chocolate consumed in the world today is farmed by slaves, even child slaves. This is the chocolate which you and I eat. Take a look at www.fairtrade.com.au to see what you can do to help.

Closer to home, we have rising levels of divorce, single-parent and blended families, most resulting in compromised relational outcomes. There are many studies that have confirmed the significant personal and social cost on the children of these failed marriages, including higher rates of unemployment, drug addiction, and crime. We have more people living alone now than ever before, who find it easier to live with loneliness than to live with people.

Legislators of the 70’s introduced no-fault divorce, thinking it would reduce antagonism between partners in divorce proceedings. Perhaps there are a few amicable divorces as a result, but most divorces are still antagonistic and hurtful. Given the ease with which divorce is now obtained, it has become the easy way out of relationship difficulties. Whereas before a husband and wife would invest in their marriage because they were stuck with it, now struggling couples declare their marriage bankrupt and start again with someone else.

The no-fault divorce, which seemed like the easy path, often turns out much harder over ensuing months and years, especially if there are children involved. Furthermore, the second marriage does not necessarily result in a better marriage, as the issues that caused trouble to the first marriage frequently return to cause trouble in the second.

In our pride, we look down on the knowledge of prior centuries, thinking that we know better now. In some fields we are right. In other fields we do ourselves a disservice, ignoring the wisdom of our ancestors, who knew less but understood more.