The Eternal War: Human Nature

[The Hunter of Jahanna]

But to return to the main topic of this thread, my view is neither optimistic nor pessimistic. My view is that we as a species are able to choose to act and conduct ourselves the right way at any time if we want to. We can choose not to attack, kill, and destroy in order to survive. We can choose not to rape the land to live. The only trouble is that often we don't choose, and just run on automatic pilot. Our ability to make things better for ourselves is always there; we merely choose not to exercise this ability.

But who has the right to say which is the right way to live and which is the wrong way to live? Nature kills and destoys anything that is too weak to survive on its own. Look at bears and sharks, thoes are 2 animals that will kill and eat anything that you put in front of them. Are they wrong for killing and destroying to survive?? Look at nature itself. Do you think the earth cares if it whips up a hurricane that kills thousands of people and animals?? My guess would be that nature doesnt even notice. WHat makes humanity wrong for doing the same? My only bone of contention is that humanity has too many "Dogooders" doing their best to keep the weak,sick and stupid alive and fed, instead of leting nature take its course.

[K T Ong]

To Hunter:

My answer is simple. Humans are not bears or sharks. Bears and sharks etc have their own way of settling things; humans have another. It's a mistake to say that, just because animals act in certain ways, humans should, too.

Look at the white and red blood cells in your body. White blood cells go about eating up germs and stuff. Do red blood cells do the same? No. Each party has a mode of behaviour appropriate to itself. White blood cells shouldn't act the way red blood cells do, and neither should red blood cells act the way white blood cells do.

Likewise, humans shouldn't behave the way animals do, and animals shouldn't behave the way humans do, either.

Animals can't really choose; humans can. Population control by killing off the weak may be the norm in the animal kingdom, but in the human world we can instead opt for the (IMO) rather more humane method of arriving at a common agreement not to have too many babies.

My two cents. No obligation to take them if you don't want to, okay?

[ 11-07-2002, 09:23 PM: Message edited by: K T Ong ]

Originally posted by K T Ong: Not really surprised by dear uncle MagiK's responses to this thread so far. (Sorry again, I enjoy eye exercises. [img]tongue.gif[/img] ) Well, as he said, we're entitled to our respective opinions. *shrugs shoulders* Nature cold and hostile? I think if that were truly the case, we would have been wiped off the scene long ago. And we have come rather close several times since the beginning of the species. How much time have you spent camped out in the wildernes my eastern friend? Just so I can get my eye exercises I'll join you But to return to the main topic of this thread, my view is neither optimistic nor pessimistic. My view is that we as a species are able to choose to act and conduct ourselves the right way at any time if we want to. We can choose not to attack, kill, and destroy in order to survive. We can choose not to rape the land to live. The only trouble is that often we don't choose, and just run on automatic pilot. Our ability to make things better for ourselves is always there; we merely choose not to exercise this ability.

Originally posted by The Hunter of Jahanna: But who has the right to say which is the right way to live and which is the wrong way to live? Nature kills and destoys anything that is too weak to survive on its own. Look at bears and sharks, thoes are 2 animals that will kill and eat anything that you put in front of them. Are they wrong for killing and destroying to survive?? Look at nature itself. Do you think the earth cares if it whips up a hurricane that kills thousands of people and animals?? My guess would be that nature doesnt even notice. WHat makes humanity wrong for doing the same? My only bone of contention is that humanity has too many "Dogooders" doing their best to keep the weak,sick and stupid alive and fed, instead of leting nature take its course.

Now don't go confusing the issues with facts Hunter We all know that Disney is where we learn about how benevolent mother earth nurtures and cares for us.

[ 11-07-2002, 10:29 PM: Message edited by: MagiK ]

[K T Ong]

Originally posted by MagiK: And we have come rather close several times since the beginning of the species. How much time have you spent camped out in the wildernes my eastern friend? Just so I can get my eye exercises I'll join you

What reliable sources have you that we came close before? In deferrence to what you said elsewhere, our ignorant ancestors probably just saw things in the dark where there were none, and made up stories to frighten themselves. *shrugs shoulders*

And gee, aren't you jumping to conclusions about the number of times I've camped out in the wilderness, my dear Western friend?

Good to know you've come to see the value of eye exercises, BTW.

[ 11-07-2002, 10:45 PM: Message edited by: K T Ong ]

Originally posted by K T Ong: quote: Originally posted by MagiK: And we have come rather close several times since the beginning of the species. How much time have you spent camped out in the wildernes my eastern friend? Just so I can get my eye exercises I'll join you

What reliable sources have you that we came close before? In deferrence to what you said elsewhere, our ignorant ancestors probably just saw things in the dark where there were none, and made up stories to frighten themselves. *shrugs shoulders*

And gee, aren't you jumping to conclusions about the number of times I've camped out in the wilderness, my dear Western friend?

Good to know you've come to see the value of eye exercises, BTW. [/QUOTE]
I believe it was in the 16th century that 1/4 of the entire worlds population bit it, do you recall that thread about the Black Death?

There was another minor incident you might recall having heard about, the Ice Ages, there were acutally several and it did quite a number on the total population

There have been other natural calamities but Im too tired to do research now

If you don't just count mankind, there have been at least 3 well documentd global level extinctions before Man showed up, unless you are a strict creationist in which case the world is only 7,000 or so years old.

Nature is not a kind mistress she is harsh cruel and unyielding, wether to man, or animal or plants.