Why has our species come to value profit more than its own progress?

They don't know that progress is what profit is!

What is progress? I read a quote that said "Far from where i was but not yet where i want to be". We all demand to see perfection but what if perfection is a perception, can all be satisfied or does one measure an average count? A measurement of an effort does give a measure of satisfaction at a given place or time.

We want to be assured that it will be fine with us. This is a safety based question and in that is our profit. Are we as a people safe? that depends on who is making the gain.