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Are you familiar with Rutger Bregman and his book Humankind? That gives a fresh perspective into humanity. One that I believe to be true. We're just too deep in

Are you familiar with Rutger Bregman and his book Humankind? That gives a fresh perspective into humanity. One that I believe to be true. We're just too deep into the illusion of evilness, that's mandatory for status quo.

readonthegoapp 5y ago
i think some very small contingent of often-extraordinarily rich and powerful -- and, therefore, comparatively-loud -- people either believe or claim to believe that humans are selfish/evil. the fact that someone would have to write a book to countervail that claim shows the incredible power of those few people. then again, we have folks like Steven Pinker, who - i don't know what his actual views on human nature are - but he definitely seems to be convinced that everything is getting better all the time - despite what seems to me to be at best a mixed record, and from here on out is going to be...challenging.
- raxxorrax 5y ago
  There are reasons why you believe this if you disproportionally own more than thousands combined. Even just for yourself you need some justification. What better than to declare humanity evil, constrained by its nature? Makes you sleep better at night and can justify anything you have done. It was just your nature.
- browningstreet 5y ago
  Honest question: did you read Pinker’s book?
  - readonthegoapp 5y ago
    no.
- tapgnid 5y ago
  Thanks for Pinker, I'll add it to my list. Would the primary book be: The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined?
  - readonthegoapp 5y ago
    i actually don't know his primary book - but that one sounds reasonable enough - that was definitely one of his reasons why he said the world was getting better.
rapsey 5y ago
Nature from the cellular level up is comprised out of struggles between parties. There is always a war in every level of biology. There is an undeniable percentage of egotistical maniacs, psychopaths and narcissists in the human population. This ensures conflict will always be a part of human societies.
- rvense 5y ago
  > There is always a war in every level of biology. You assert this with no proof, when asked if you have read a book which presents a case for a different viewpoint: that there is (also) cooperation and interdependence. It is, to me, so obviously absurd to state that humans - who invented cities, fire brigades, line dancing, and symphony orchestras - are defined by struggle and warfare. It's just nonsense. "We were born to work together like feet, hands and eyes, like the two rows of teeth, upper and lower." - Marcus Aurelius. > There is an undeniable percentage of egotistical maniacs, psychopaths and narcissists in the human population. True. But first of all, where do they come from? Are they born as such? And second of all, should they define our societies? There are many ways in which people, who are neither psychopaths nor narcissists, are forced to act in self-serving ways simply because there is no alternative in this culture. And there are many ways of dealing with them that do not involve building everything on mistrust.

readonthegoapp 5y ago

i think some very small contingent of often-extraordinarily rich and powerful -- and, therefore, comparatively-loud -- people either believe or claim to believe that humans are selfish/evil. the fact that someone would have to write a book to countervail that claim shows the incredible power of those few people. then again, we have folks like Steven Pinker, who - i don't know what his actual views on human nature are - but he definitely seems to be convinced that everything is getting better all the time - despite what seems to me to be at best a mixed record, and from here on out is going to be...challenging.

raxxorrax 5y ago
There are reasons why you believe this if you disproportionally own more than thousands combined. Even just for yourself you need some justification. What better than to declare humanity evil, constrained by its nature? Makes you sleep better at night and can justify anything you have done. It was just your nature.
browningstreet 5y ago
Honest question: did you read Pinker’s book?
- readonthegoapp 5y ago
  no.
tapgnid 5y ago
Thanks for Pinker, I'll add it to my list. Would the primary book be: The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined?
- readonthegoapp 5y ago
  i actually don't know his primary book - but that one sounds reasonable enough - that was definitely one of his reasons why he said the world was getting better.

rapsey 5y ago

Nature from the cellular level up is comprised out of struggles between parties. There is always a war in every level of biology. There is an undeniable percentage of egotistical maniacs, psychopaths and narcissists in the human population. This ensures conflict will always be a part of human societies.

rvense 5y ago
> There is always a war in every level of biology. You assert this with no proof, when asked if you have read a book which presents a case for a different viewpoint: that there is (also) cooperation and interdependence. It is, to me, so obviously absurd to state that humans - who invented cities, fire brigades, line dancing, and symphony orchestras - are defined by struggle and warfare. It's just nonsense. "We were born to work together like feet, hands and eyes, like the two rows of teeth, upper and lower." - Marcus Aurelius. > There is an undeniable percentage of egotistical maniacs, psychopaths and narcissists in the human population. True. But first of all, where do they come from? Are they born as such? And second of all, should they define our societies? There are many ways in which people, who are neither psychopaths nor narcissists, are forced to act in self-serving ways simply because there is no alternative in this culture. And there are many ways of dealing with them that do not involve building everything on mistrust.