I think that throws light on our assumption that there is such a thing as moral progress — we in the West consider ourselves largely more enlightened than our great, great grandparents, who are likely to have been racist, sexist and homophobic (just for starters). But at the same time, the question prohibits us from being smug about this progress and draws attention to our own failings. Yet it does so in a detached way, asking not ‘What are we doing wrong?’ which is likely to make people defensive, but the more roundabout question of what other people in the future might think we are doing wrong (which leaves open the possibility that they are wrong about what we are doing wrong, it removes the idea that we are being judged So that’s what I think I hope that help :)
