Today, I read an article written and published by Deepak Chopra in which he gives his reasons for believing in human nature and in the good of human beings . What is a good person? What are the metrics by which we evaluate behaviour as ‘good’ or ‘bad’? And thinking – for instance – of how societies justify war as being ordained by God, why do we sometimes change our yardsticks to justify behaviour that harms?

I give this kind of thing a lot of thought, having grew up in a home (and community, to be quite honest) whose thoughts on human nature were close to that of Thomas Hobbes: a thinker who saw human beings in a very pessimistic light. Unfamiliar with Hobbes? His thoughts on the matter can be summed up thus:

We are all selfish, driven by fear of death and the hope of personal gain. All of us seek power over others, whether we realise this or not – and it is only the rule of law and the threat of punishment that keeps us in check.

Source

I was taught that it’s a ‘dog eat dog’ world out there, but I have always vehemently rejected this idea. This has resulted – at the very least – in some interesting (and thankfully enjoyable) debates growing up but regardless, I made a conscious effort to live in a way that disproves the idea that life is solely about survival.

Dr Chopra made some excellent points – ones I agree with – but I have always broken things down to a simple idea: every child is born innocent and perfect. It is life that alters this and turns us into the product of our environment and experiences: essential to ensure our survival. However, I have always been of the notion that there must be more to life than ‘survival’. What about thriving? I mean, as a child, I always thought: if all you know how to do is survive, then you can’t have had many opportunities to live very well.

Taking this a step further, at what stage during the sheer magic of conception does a soul enter a new body forming in the womb (note: I use the word ‘magic’ because I’ve yet to find a scientific explanation for this) And – importantly – where does it come from? Does it arrive good or not? The young of most species are cared for and protected. It is amusing to observe female animals protect their young from male members, and for male members to sheepishly retreat in cheeky understanding. For centuries however, the protection of human young has not been the paramount concern of our society as a collective whole. As individuals, sure: we endeavour to protect our offspring as best we can. But when we zoom out and view human action and priorities from a sociological lens, it is easy to understand why some think the worst of us; why they think that we, as a species, are brutish and self-serving to the detriment of all that is good and innocent, as well as toour own long-term interests.

I do not pretend to have the answers, but I do know where I lean. We have all had experiences, some from which we heal, learn and grow and others from which we do not. Whether a person has chosen to identify those aspects of themselves that require healing and to do that work or not, the most important thing to remember – both as individuals and as members of this global community – is that no one arrived here damaged, mean or cruel. Experiences make us that way. There is however a different way to live that begins with believing that there’s more and that you deserve it. This might sound like lunacy to some, but for others, putting this idea unapologetically and consistently into practice yields beauty and results that speak to human nature and the fundamental good of humanity.

What do you guys think? I’d love to hear some of your thoughts on this.

See you in the comments!