Everything that presents a gradual deterioration, wear or setback undergoes a regression. It is a term that can be applied to very diverse realities, be they social, political, business or biological.
Steps back at the social level
Although the mechanism of natural selection and the theory of evolution explain the transformation of species, in the social sphere it is not so clear whether the human being evolves or not. Some analysts consider that certain social phenomena are a clear symptom of a process of involution.
In this sense, the fact that in economically advanced societies there are still deep inequalities, violent situations or a loss of civil rights shows a social setback and, therefore, a certain regression.
In the business field
Any company aims to improve its production and increase its profits. If this does not occur, an involution logically occurs. There are different causes that can explain this phenomenon: relocation, lower wages, the failure of companies to adapt to technological changes or lack of competitiveness.
The physical involution of individuals
As a species we tend to evolution in many ways. In fact, we live longer than at other times and people are in better health than a few decades ago. However, from the point of view of the individual, over the years there is an evident physical deterioration that affects flexibility, hearing, vision, speed of movement and strength.
From the perspective of medicine, the idea of involution can be applied to anatomy, physiology, or metabolism. In any case, all these forms of physical deterioration are related to the natural aging of the organism. In the sphere of psychology, we speak of intellectual involution to refer to the stage after maturity, in which the human being presents a slow mental decline also associated with age.
Evolution and involution are terms that cannot always be objectively valued
With respect to certain aspects, it is possible to establish a criterion to say if something evolves or regresses. For example, if a company sells fewer products than the previous year, there is a clear regression.
However, in other areas it is a subjective question. Thus, there are people who consider that the recognition of homosexuality or sexual freedom are symptoms of the evolution of humanity while others consider the opposite.
Photos: Fotolia - MoreVector / Manojkumar
