Capitalism and Human Nature.
- Thread starter Mac Buddha
- Start date
Of course, this is the question that must be dealt with first.
Human nature defined, is the characteristics that each human shares with one another, this is however, without respect to two very important key issues:
1. Must all humans share the same characteristic for it to be considered human nature, or just the majority? For the most part it is human nature to clothe one self, but not in all areas of the world. So would we consider this? If not, then just the bare essentials would be upheld.
2. With each pasing day society and the world around us evolves; so what was human nature at one point in time, might have changed due to foreign influence. For example, communism at one point may have been considered human nature (B.C.E.), but for people in this day and age, greed has overcome apportioning, thus you have capitalism, or vice versa*.
*did greed create capitalism, or did capitalism create greed?
So when we say human nature, do we look at what an average human, aside from any authoritive influence would do? Or do we look at where we are at any point in time when the question is asked.
If I am given no insight on how to answer this question, then I would say it is human nature to eat, drink, have sexual intercourse, sleep, build, discover, and use the human senses, because these are necessities, things that each human absolutely must do in order to survive. In this aspect, it is not logical to compare forms of government rule with human nature because these systems are created and controled by few, while the majority of humans who account for this so called "human nature" develope characteristics similar to the given government system, which obviously varies from country to country. So in this sense, many of the traits we develope from our own culture are not actually human nature. For instance, in America, our form of government is capitalism, and through years of obiding and living under the standards set forth, American human nature has become that of greed, lust, envy, and jealousy, because it is consistant throughout our society. But in China, the traits might be completely different. Therefore I assert that cultural traits are not human nature because they are non consistant (as TOKZTLI concluded) with every human around the world. So in conclusion I also assert that:
Human nature: To survive.
So neither communism or capitalism is truely aligned with human nature. But if one is forced to choose, and he is wise, then he would choose communism. He would choose communism because it is aimed more towards prolonging life whereas capitalism pushes people to the bottom; where in many cases, these people at the bottom do not survive.
Human nature defined, is the characteristics that each human shares with one another, this is however, without respect to two very important key issues:
1. Must all humans share the same characteristic for it to be considered human nature, or just the majority? For the most part it is human nature to clothe one self, but not in all areas of the world. So would we consider this? If not, then just the bare essentials would be upheld.
2. With each pasing day society and the world around us evolves; so what was human nature at one point in time, might have changed due to foreign influence. For example, communism at one point may have been considered human nature (B.C.E.), but for people in this day and age, greed has overcome apportioning, thus you have capitalism, or vice versa*.
*did greed create capitalism, or did capitalism create greed?
So when we say human nature, do we look at what an average human, aside from any authoritive influence would do? Or do we look at where we are at any point in time when the question is asked.
If I am given no insight on how to answer this question, then I would say it is human nature to eat, drink, have sexual intercourse, sleep, build, discover, and use the human senses, because these are necessities, things that each human absolutely must do in order to survive. In this aspect, it is not logical to compare forms of government rule with human nature because these systems are created and controled by few, while the majority of humans who account for this so called "human nature" develope characteristics similar to the given government system, which obviously varies from country to country. So in this sense, many of the traits we develope from our own culture are not actually human nature. For instance, in America, our form of government is capitalism, and through years of obiding and living under the standards set forth, American human nature has become that of greed, lust, envy, and jealousy, because it is consistant throughout our society. But in China, the traits might be completely different. Therefore I assert that cultural traits are not human nature because they are non consistant (as TOKZTLI concluded) with every human around the world. So in conclusion I also assert that:
Human nature: To survive.
So neither communism or capitalism is truely aligned with human nature. But if one is forced to choose, and he is wise, then he would choose communism. He would choose communism because it is aimed more towards prolonging life whereas capitalism pushes people to the bottom; where in many cases, these people at the bottom do not survive.
Human Nature is to be concerned with yourself and your OWN survival.
I remember learnin about some philosipher who tied human nature in with law and came up with the idea that citizens should have the right to pursue happiness, he also said that when it comes down to it, everyone is concerned with themselves and those close to them because its basic human nature. Anyways.. I don't understand how communism could be human nature at all, capitalism seems to fit our primative instincts pretty well.
I remember learnin about some philosipher who tied human nature in with law and came up with the idea that citizens should have the right to pursue happiness, he also said that when it comes down to it, everyone is concerned with themselves and those close to them because its basic human nature. Anyways.. I don't understand how communism could be human nature at all, capitalism seems to fit our primative instincts pretty well.
True, and to be concerned with your own survival is to be selfish, which is closer to capitalism. I was thinking more along the lines that, for the most part, the majority of a countries society find themselves as equally wealthy as their counterpart, but I did not take into consideration that when provided with the oportunity of great wealth, that any given person would take it for themselves rather then share it with others. This is true in our country as it is with many others. So perhaps to survive is not so accurate, rather, human nature is to acheive self gratification. We eat to become full; we drink to regenerate; we mate to feel physical pleasure; we sleep to revitalize; we fight to feel superior; all of which are self gratifying. In this sense, human nature would closely resemble capitalism.
Since the dawn of time humans have killed, raped, stolen, and sang karaoke to each other. If capitalism is evil then yes human nature is more in tune with capitalism, if communism is evil then yes communism is more to the liking of 'human naturists.' That's why I promote a dictatorship under my rule.