Evil
My father and I often discuss whether or not humans are inherently evil. My opinion always changes, depending on the current political developments. Are we more inclined to be selfish? Or are we more inclined to be selfless?
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Approaching the argument from a scientific angle leads me to believe that we’re inherently selfless. Humans are social animals, meaning that we work together to accomplish our goals and need each other to survive. In archaeological digs, we find bodies with healed broken bones- an important marker of a civilized society. Why? Because to break a leg in nature is near certain death. Without full mobility, you lose your ability to defend yourself, to hunt and gather food. For this wound to be fully healed means that this individual was helped and cared for by their community. The other humans in their family group loved them, so they took care of them even when they weren’t necessarily “of use” to the community. I think this shows us that we’re not inherently evil. If we’re so inclined to help one another that we’re able to see it on the fossil record, how could we be?
But selfishness and evil still exist in the world; we see it every day, from corrupt politicians to school shooters to oil spills and more. How do we explain this away, if we’re supposed to be inherently good? I think it all comes down to humans being easily manipulated. As a social creature, we look to each other for guidance; if one of us appears to be stronger, or smarter, or kinder than the average man, we are inclined to follow them. When in a position of power it becomes easier to excuse certain unsavory actions for your perception of “the greater good”, and if the leader excuses it so too will the followers. What evil is, in my opinion, is the snowball effect of thousands of years of excuses by those in power culminating in a naturally cruel society. Paradoxically, it exists because of our desire to do what’s right- we learn morality from the people who raise us and the people we look to for guidance, and if their morality is skewed, then so too becomes ours. It then becomes our responsibility to look at what we view as good and ask ourselves: is this, truly, what’s right?
