Are humans evil?
Are humans inherently evil?
There’s a popular hypothesis that says we are. It’s a great excuse for bad behavior. But believing we can’t help ourselves has never set well with me. Kind of like when some guys use ‘millions of years of evolution’ as an excuse to not be monogamous.
My hypothesis is that humans aren’t inherently evil, and I’m going to tell you why.
In Rutger Bregman’s ‘Humankind: A Hopeful History’, he makes a convincing case for why he doesn’t think humans are evil. He cites another book, William Golding’s ‘The Lord of the Flies” as a popular example arguing against his thesis. He explains that “Lord” is a popular book based on no evidence. In fact, Bregman further describes, the only evidence we know of refutes the premise that humans would behave like they did in Golding’s story.
I think being evil and doing evil are different things. Kind of like how shame is about being bad and guilt is about doing bad. I don’t think people are inherently evil. I believe we are born good. And always have been.
Before I share my thoughts on why I think people are not inherently evil, please allow me to share a story.
My brother is a bicycle rider. He has been my whole life. Sometimes he has to share the road with cars. Thirty years ago he told me he was literally run off the road by an intolerant (evil?) driver. For years I used this story as an example to illustrate that things were getting better. I thought those days were behind us.
Just a few days ago my bro shared more recent anecdotes about having a dirty diaper and a bottle of human urine dumped on him by drivers while riding his bike. WTF is wrong with people?
Were these people evil, or were they just doing bad things?
I refuse to believe people are evil because I don’t think natural selection would have favored it. I think the social nature of homo sapiens depends on lots of positive interactions. I think ‘good’ is considered evolutionarily fit, and thus selected for whereas evil is not.
So, why, then do people do bad things?
I believe people do bad things because of trauma. Acting out distracts people from their pain and provides an escape. A hit of dopamine or oxytocin to cover up their wounds. Probably because other people did bad things to them. Other people who had their own trauma. Who also were not evil.
These people, traumatized people, don’t need our hate. They need our love.
In order to send love to and empathize with people who do bad things, we have to do our own work. This begins with us, as individuals.
Next, we can learn to extend love outward toward people in need. We can demonstrate tolerance and empathy.
Self-awareness is contagious, but it is a luxury. Those of us who have it need to share it. This is the beginning of how we get to where we need to go.