Progress vs. Regress

How do we determine, in the present, between progress and regress?

It seems to me that modern day American culture is hell-bent on 'progress'. What I mean by 'progress' is that culture belives it is inevitably trending towards being 'better'...Who we are today is better than who were were yesterday and subisquently the days, years, centuries before...and so on...

But are we really?

Are we really any better off than we were in the past?

Does our current cultre really present us with a better opportunity to know the truth? Do we even value such questions or claims? And can 'current culuture' really even claim such a strong foothold on our understanding of truth?

I'm growing more and more disillusioned with the idea of 'newer is better'. In fact, I call BS on that one folks. Newer is not, by default, better...there, I've made my stance clear.

Is 'new' exciting? Certainly...it is 'new' after all. But does novelty equal 'progress'?? No! Novelty is freakishly good at clouding our initial reaction; it's even fascinating most of the time BUT it isn't long lasting...novelty by default is fleeting.

So where do we begin with such ideas of 'progress' and 'regress'?

Honestly, this isn't a rhetorical question. I want to know what you think. I only have so many ideas and most of them are far-fetched...I would love to know you're answer to these questions:

'How do you determine progress?' and 'How do you substantiate these claims?'