I mainly said America because I only feel qualified to speak on America. But I do think there is something uniquely American about seeing the march of "progress" as an ultimate ideal and stagnation in any form as a defeat. Economic and social progress is basically a founding ideal of American society and is a major driver of our success over the centuries. It permeates our culture in so many ways, e.g. the idea that your kids should have it better than you. So shaping the next generation by way of shaping the views of your kids, despite the potential mismatch between the ideal and the reality is seen as just a part of the march of progress.