The world was programmed in such a way that our individual programs take great delight in exploring it. As we do so, we often think we “discover” things. “Discovery” and “Progress” are words that describe increasing familiarity with part of His Program that we haven’t yet seen or understood.
This illusion of progress was provided as an ongoing test of our affections. Some of us choose to make ourselves into “little gods”. We discover things and take great pride in our accomplishments
Others may understand that all accomplishments and skills are nothing more than increased awareness of what He has programmed. Vanity is good in that it may inspire us to make progress. It is bad if it then keeps us from understanding that progress should lead us to the God Who programmed all. It is worse if it keeps us from loving and obeying Him.