Here's another example that comes to mind- this one's not so much a past vs. future issue as it is an "other vs. self" issue:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_concentration_and_internment_campsFunny how I remember US history classes focusing a whole hell of a lot more on what the other guys did than the shit we did to trample human rights.
I'm not so much trying to question whether we're getting "better" because I don't think that's actually a common notion. I'm wondering if the world's really getting all that much
worse.
Honestly, I think overall some things may be improving, but the world's still horrifically broken. In the US, slavery is (on the books) illegal, segregation is (on the books) illegal, and gay marriage is becoming more and more accepted- yay! Now, if only most of our clothing and gadgets didn't come from child slave labor, and if only it wasn't still implicitly socially sanctioned here for gang rapes to happen in fratboy-jock-dudebro culture, and if only our culture wasn't about as good as it gets for sexual safety, worldwide.