I've witnessed both the depths of cultural filth and the potential for human success.
In almost every instance of the former, there was a tangible reason for the descent into hell, and I believe it's rectifiable - in the latter, it was humanity allowed, without interference from outside greedy interests...and it can be beauty in it's most basic form and magical in what it can acheive.
There has yet to be a review of the impact religions have wrought in fear of the religion itself. Newton was sentenced to die for showing the world the brain can function and prosper away from the church. The church still, is looking forward to the day we all die by despicable evil, rising again to prosper under a myth in a place we haven't destroyed. How nice, huh?
Easy to change, harder to convince. Takes brains, not influence.