Better with age

I have a supervisor that likes to compare what is happening in the modern world to what happened in the Old Testament. It is a good exercise in that it shows that humans act the same no matter in what era one lives. One sees power grabbers, adulterers, ruthless people, murderers, benefactors, entrepreneurs, powerful leaders, etc. I can see that side of things. On the other hand, society has moved on, way beyond what one can see in the Old Testament. One sees scientists on a space station, pilots flying missions in stealth planes, people driving vehicles at deadly speeds. Do the scientists, pilots, and general population act the same really? Although power grabbers could exist on a space station, teamwork is the rule. Although pilots could be ruthless, the whole world would know if they acted less than responsibly. And people in general? I don't know. I guess one could make the case for civilization to have progressed to a point that the population is proportionately better than in days of old, a kinder, gentler place to live. One would hope so. Otherwise people are just plain stupid if they act exactly the same as in days gone by. Surely, over successive generations, people get better.