They just support the current thing and see it as progress. There was a time eugenics was "progressive". It was the new hot science, and "progressives" ate it up.

Sure they use it euphemistically, but technically progress can be towards anything. Progress towards your own demise. Or progressing towards the breakdown of society. Etc.

As for who worships progress or not, I don't think the average progressive is a Kabbalist or Freemason. Their masters are, but the average so-called progressive truly thinks it is about society progressing, merely because conservative institutions are being eroded.