NationStates Jolt Archive

What are your views on human nature?

Humans are stupid.

Owen/Marx style 'human nature is malleable' thoughts, mostly.

What's to say? We are gregarious animals who seek to pass our genes successfully on to the next generation. We just use more sophisticated strategies to do so. Basically packs of wolves with bigger brains and opposable thumbs.

We're neither good nor evil, neither warlike nor peacefull. Those are just some of the strategies we use.

Wow...weird repeat...jolt glitch again!

Anyway...I think humans are basically good, social creatures with poor social skills:).

Well its natural and human.

A little too general a question I think.

Are humans naturally selfish or altruistic, warlike or sociable? Do we desire security or adventure? Is religion part of our nature?

Now these I can answer somewhat.

In my opinion we are selfish and sociable. A strange combination that has caused thousands of years of confusion in moral thinking.
I do not believe that the desires for security or adventure are naturally defined, but are culturally and educationally defined. We have both needs as potential.

Religion is a tendency we have, we like to explain things. The unexplained is uncomfortable. Religion eases this discomfort. So to some extent it is natural.

I don't think there's such a thing as human nature. I don't think the "sophisticated animal" argument carries much weight, but it used to be one I held to. Perhaps it's just one I don't want to accept? But I feel, on the whole, human nature is too varied to be given just one term, and so the term is meaningless.

What's to say? We are gregarious animals who seek to pass our genes successfully on to the next generation. We just use more sophisticated strategies to do so. Basically packs of wolves with bigger brains and opposable thumbs.

We're neither good nor evil, neither warlike nor peacefull. Those are just some of the strategies we use.

Humans by their very nature do no conform to the natural eco-system which, without us, would be able to function in complete perfect harmony. Where every animal has its instincts and simple means of acquiring food, humans are different and more complex in that we are able to create societies and pass on our cultural norms, values and customs to our spouses. In that sense, we have no instinct, everything about human behaviour, bar sexual impulses (although it is argued that they differ accordingly with social ubringing) is learnt.

and its pursuit, pointless.

I tend to believe there isn't really a human nature. There are tendencies, but humans can't really be said to have an inherent nature and I think it is mainly a justification for various evils.

Humans are the only animals that do not just seek survival but thriving and comfort as well. We have advanced beyond survival and developed the idea of basic luxories, what is beyond that I do not know.

In short human nature is to kick ass and keep doing it until we kick each others' asses into oblivion.

Humans by their very nature do no conform to the natural eco-system which, without us, would be able to function in complete perfect harmony. Where every animal has its instincts and simple means of acquiring food, humans are different and more complex in that we are able to create societies and pass on our cultural norms, values and customs to our spouses. In that sense, we have no instinct, everything about human behaviour, bar sexual impulses (although it is argued that they differ accordingly with social ubringing) is learnt.
Monkeys and chimps do that on a lower level. It's a quantitative difference, not qualitative. We're really smart, complex apes.

As an anachist I believe that human beings are intellegent enough to make correct descisions. If I did not believe this, I would have to admit the need for government. Anarchists of the world unite!

Humans will do what they need, or think they need, in order to survive. Ahort bursts of kindess come occasionally, but we'd screw each other into oblivion to gain for ourselves.

Humans will do what they need, or think they need, in order to survive. Ahort bursts of kindess come occasionally, but we'd screw each other into oblivion to gain for ourselves.
Kindness and generosity are strategies to get something for ourselves. They create stronger bonds in the tribe, making the tribe more willing to help the generous, kind individual when he's in need.

Kindness and generosity are strategies to get something for ourselves. They create stronger bonds in the tribe, making the tribe more willing to help the generous, kind individual when he's in need.
I should've been clearer. Occasionally meant when its beneficial. IMO there is really no such thing as true seflessness because we do to gain for ourselves or to benefit the community as a whole.

Human nature - to me, it's that we individually seek to avoid violent death, and only once we ourselves are secure could we beomce altruistic

Human Nature is an ok band, but Darron Hays' song 'Popular' is better than anything they did together.

I will say this: A human is smart, on his/her own. Humans, as a race, are dumb, stupid, wild animals

Is human character malleable? To a level yes, but not beyond that. Just as IQ levels are believed to be set in a general area, and upbringing can either get the IQ to the max in the area, or the minimum in the area, behavior acts in the same manner. Modern psychology tells us through repeated study results that about 50-60% of the behavior of any given individual is genetically influenced. This means that 40-50% of it is a result from your upbringing, here there are various different sources, your friends, your parents, your siblings, and the media might have a role, but if it does, it is viewed as being small. But, it is not infinitely malleable, people can only be changed so far.

Humanity will always have that level of selfishness, a result of our survival desire. It will never go away. It can just be focused on something healthy, which in my opinion would be the healthy competition of the market. Without this healthy competition, then the aggressive survival instinct will spiral out of control, and bad things happen.