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Why are humans so bad?

  • 05-06-2009 7:37pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 495 ✭✭


    we're like animals.


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,182 ✭✭✭nyarlothothep


    That's because we are. Does that mean we should sling sh1t at each other and accept "the world" as it is??? Nope. We are the only species with a concept of infinity and the only one which has any potential to control its own evolution, the only one so far that has any chance of understanding the universe. These are good qualities which should be fostered. Yes we are animals, doesn't mean we should use that to excuse, justify or accept idiotic behaviour.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,829 ✭✭✭KerranJast


    We are only like animals in that we have our own territory and protect our young. In every other way we are a unique, I would say pestilence, upon the Earth. To quote The Matrix:
    I'd like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species. I realized that you're not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment, but you humans do not. You move to an area, and you multiply, and multiply, until every natural resource is consumed. The only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. A virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet, you are a plague, and we are the cure.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,182 ✭✭✭nyarlothothep


    I think we share more similarities with our evolutionary cousins than is initially apparent. We are animals, but the term carries a lot of baggage insofar as it can be used to justify regressive tendencies.

    Evolution is inevitable, how humanity advances is influenced by how we act today. Our technology could even influence particular changes. There was an interesting article about different evolutionary paths we could take. One was that human minds could become absorbed within a computer system, due economic pressures certain modules from those minds would be chosen over others to create a gestalt composite mind, a machine intelligence composed of its human input which would be focused purely on the ever more efficient use of resources.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 25,848 ✭✭✭✭Zombrex


    tolteq wrote: »
    we're like animals.

    weird that, isn't it :P


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 92 ✭✭Col Man


    I also think animals are bold....

    Ha sorry.

    Oh OP, in your opening question, you spelt "bad-ass" the wrong way! Don't worry though, we know what you meant.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 232 ✭✭DTrotter


    Because we got as far as we have through a fine balance of killing/fearing/mistrusting and embracing/accepting/getting along with outsiders.
    When it comes to human nature I'm reminded of this David Attenborough clip, especially the bit at the end.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDFh5JdYh7I


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,023 ✭✭✭Tim Robbins


    tolteq wrote: »
    we're like animals.

    I've a few books over the years and the one that explains the human the best is 'The Selfish Gene' by Richard Dawkins.

    All we are our a bunch of genes just like any other animal but with slightly different genes who have one goal... to survive. This explains a host of things from empathy, morality to evilness and selfishness. There are stability patterns in evolution such as having a certain percentage of evil people and certain percentage of kind people who then balance each other out.

    These stabilities are our base product. We can't do anything about that until we have broad acceptance, that them the facts.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    I think we expect too much from ourselves as a species.

    We're geared to be aggressive and territorial. Human society/civilisation has evolved over time, and changes are happening... They might not be happening as much as some people desire, but well... tough. You have no direct control over the speed of these changes.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 495 ✭✭tolteq


    I've a few books over the years and the one that explains the human the best is 'The Selfish Gene' by Richard Dawkins.

    All we are our a bunch of genes just like any other animal but with slightly different genes who have one goal... to survive. This explains a host of things from empathy, morality to evilness and selfishness. There are stability patterns in evolution such as having a certain percentage of evil people and certain percentage of kind people who then balance each other out.

    These stabilities are our base product. We can't do anything about that until we have broad acceptance, that them the facts.

    How was filming on the Shawshank Redemption? lol.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,479 ✭✭✭t-ha


    I don't think we're that bad at all. Most animals will consume as much resources as they can and proliferate themselves as much as possible - they are just limited in their success. Elephants are known to destroy grazing areas due to elevated herd numbers and are sometimes culled back in controlled areas like wildlife parks to protect the habitat. Locust hords only stop destroying everything because they die off. Etc.

    In fact, I'd say we're the only species that conciously acknowledges our effect on the environment and acts to change it, despite not being limited by geography, predators or immediate resources the way other animals are.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,923 ✭✭✭Nothingcompares


    Ah yes, because on occasion we demonstrate a little bit more self-control than a rogue heard of elephants we aren't half bad at all.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 27,857 ✭✭✭✭Dave!


    We are animals :) Just like other animals, we have certain neurological peculiarities that drive us to act in certain ways. Other animals are 'so bad' also! You ever see a lion catching a gazelle? Not very nice. The reasons we are motivated in certain ways are not always apparent, and some are cleverly disguised. But rest assured that at the end of the day, we are primarily driven by the desire to pass our genes on to the next generation -- just like monkeys, lions, birds, and fish.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 232 ✭✭DTrotter


    Dave! wrote: »
    We are animals :) Just like other animals, we have certain neurological peculiarities that drive us to act in certain ways. Other animals are 'so bad' also! You ever see a lion catching a gazelle? Not very nice. The reasons we are motivated in certain ways are not always apparent, and some are cleverly disguised. But rest assured that at the end of the day, we are primarily driven by the desire to pass our genes on to the next generation -- just like monkeys, lions, birds, and fish.

    You ever been to copper face jacks?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 46 marabhfuil


    Who knows man!!! Who knows!!!
    Though there are more good than bad would anybody agree with that???:confused:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,045 ✭✭✭Húrin


    tolteq wrote: »
    we're like animals.

    That's because we are. What I find a more interesting question is, why do we know we're so bad?


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Húrin wrote: »
    That's because we are. What I find a more interesting question is, why do we know we're so bad?

    Because we were indoctrinated into the idea of guilt... Feeling guilty for just about everything... ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,657 ✭✭✭komodosp


    I think it's mainly because we have animalistic feelings, which we should be able to rise above given that we're a civilised race, but we also have the ability to come up with excuses to justify the bad things we do!


This discussion has been closed.
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