NationStates Jolt Archive

I believe this is what is the root of many of our world's problems

And with very damn good reason: look at all the racist/sexist/any "-ist" threads around here alone. Give someone any amount of power an they will find someone to use it on, and followers to support that use. Give groups of poeple any power and they will find a target and make war for any reason whatsoever. And if no reason is found, then one will be manufactured.

Humans hate themselves and express that hate by destroying others.

I've had bad experiances with trusting people...

Of course we do, and here's why:

Civilization.

In our natural habitat, we live in small groups based on family and location. We hunt and gather. We have an average population density of perhaps 2 square miles per person. Strangers are rare.

Now flash forward past the agricultural revolution and the growth of cities and the industrial and information revolutions.

Suddenly we got millions, MILLIONS of unrelated people all cramped into a tiny area. We have groups made up of millions of people vying for dominance of groups of other millions of people. We associate a country that is larger than we could ever possibly see in our lifetime with the concept of "home."

I truly believe that all society's problems, including the basic lack of trust (which is now a survival trait in day to day living) are directly the result of civilization itself. Similarly they won't disappear until civilization does as well.

I find it diffcult to trust a species foolish enough to create weapons powerful enough to wipe its existence off of the map, would willingly sacrifice their own kind for their own benefit, and haphazardly detroy their own homes. Face it. We haven't exactly made ourselvse trustworthy people.

I trust everyone untill i have reason to do otherwise. I cant say that i have always been that way but i have worked on it and enjoy much more fruitfull relationships with my fellow human beings having done so.

I agree pretty much Santa Barbara

I think attitudes can change without requiring fundamental change in our lifestyle. Then again, I am an irredeemable optimist........