Human nature

Originally Posted by Sassafrass

I would hope that humans would figure out that in modern day, there isn't really any more "survival of the fittest," unless you consider war a situation wherein it is necessary.

The key words there are "modern day." Look at the exponential increase of technological advancements within the last 2,000, hell even 100 years! These advancements have made survival a much easier task than during the stone age. It took many years of evolution to become such great survivors. Those survivial skills like looking out for one's own best interest or seizing and exercising power may take a bit longer to disappear from human nature. They may begin to disappear as survival isn't quite as difficult given modern technology. In the mean time, our innate will to survive on a primal scale may still influence our actions and emotions and might be considered "evil" depending on your cultural frame of reference.

Originally Posted by Sass

Are you saying that all living creatures are inherently evil?

Would it be more fair to say that most living creatures are impartial survivors?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I dunno, I'd like to hope that when our "evil" will to survive diminishes, we would step forward to embrace a new evolutionary need... like getting along with everybody. But maybe that's just me being an optimist. S'matter, you aren't a fan of technological advancements?

Wait a sec, how are animals not impartial? Maybe you misunderstood what I was getting at. I only meant what you just stated; animals are indifferent when in a kill or be killed situation. They'll do anything to survive.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by JackyBoy

When answering why evil exits or why people do bad things, I feel at least part of the problem lies in the political spectrum of western democracy. Democracy leads society to become selfish. It's emphasis is on the individual. Your rights. Your freedoms. Materialism compounds the problem. We've been programmed with this selfish desire for material goods and live isolated lives. This individualism inevitably leads to conflict because it undermines the shared moral framework that holds society together.

So western democracies inspire evil through individualism? I guess things were just hunky dory before all the evil individualists came along. Western democracies do not program citizens with selfish desires for material goods and isolated lives. These ideas are the result of the values of smaller social stuctures. And democracies allow for a multitude of different social value scales. Maximizing one's potential under the rule of law doesn't necessarily undermine a "shared moral framework" as the definition of a "shared moral framework" is extremely diverse within a democracy. Individualism gives citizens the freedom to choose to collectively join together or not. This freedom of choice, however, does not directly inspire "evil" behavior.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

So when kids get held up for their PS3 money, materialism is to blame? Are you kidding? I guess robbery may result from materialism in some roundabout way, but there are several other factors that are more directly related like addiction, poverty, and simple greed.

I disagree with the idea of blaming problems within human nature on democracy and religion. Humans have and always will be just as self seeking as they are now despite their stuctures of government and religious institutions. Throughout history humans have experimented with different forms of government in attempt to find the best method. Democracy may not be the end all beat all answer, but it's certainly has benefits that were not present in previous systems of governing.

In the example of Christianity, many people have been killed in the name of God, but who is reponsible for the deaths of those people? Is it the religion's fault? I think religion here is used as a scapegoat. The basic ideas of Christianity like love God and love your neighbor as yourself weren't reflected in the Crusades. To dismiss any religion based on the actions of some of it's followers is too simplistic. In the same way, it is unfair to judge or dismiss Islam based on the actions of extremists.

"People ultimately see their well being as more important than that of society's which places us in a primeval survival "my life or theirs" state of mind."

Again, I do not think that this is a problem stemming from decmocracy, but rather as a result of millions of years of evolution (or from the fall of man for those who are inclined to a Judeo Christian way of thinking). This is the way humans are, and unfortunately it's difficult to speed up a process of moral evolution. What's strange to think about is the exponential increase in understanding of science and it's application through technology within the last 200 years. Yet, when was the last time we had a major breakthrough to a higher moral understanding?

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Ah, from my perspective, the thirst for power/control is often times purely for the sake of itself. Power and control enable the option to indulge in materialism and other nasty behavior.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Jacky, that sounds fair. Also it's awesome that you're a fan of Immanuel Kant. I also enjoy his ideas despite the dryness of the reading.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?