We are taught not to be human. What does that mean? Imagine a world without laws, without preconceptions. Sadly, humans would perform horrendous actions. There would be more murder, there would be more theft, there would be more abandonment. Clearly society has some benefits. But do the social norms and the rights/wrongs that are instilled in us also prevent us from being truly human?
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Legality and Governmental Role
Some laws are critical to ensuring that we have a functional society. Punishment for those who murder others is essential to prevent murder. Laws seem to have a root commonality of preventing human nature from showing itself in a way that will harm society. While similar, this is not what I wanted to write about. I believe laws are generally necessary for the longevity of an effective society. What is more interesting when exploring human nature is other cultural norms that we live by.
Normalized Abnormality
I believe that to truly be human, you must be the same animal as other humans, but you must also embrace human culture. If a child was born and abandoned in a cave to be raised by wolves, they wouldn’t truly be human until they entered a human society. A large part of what makes us human is our concept of the world and role in society. At the same time, that society pulls us away from and potentially goes directly against the animalistic and natural human state.
Think of religion, for example. Many religions establish norms that individuals abide by. Many of these norms often include abstaining from sex. This goes directly against our human nature. Even for folks who may not be religious, sex is generally frowned upon, cautioned, or a taboo. This social norm pulls us away from our natural human state without breaking any laws (within reason). The concept of seven deadly sins point to much of this directly. Our human nature makes us vulnerable to things such as lust, greed, wrath, and pride. The question is, why are these sins? Telling people they should be prideless and humble, lustless and abstinent, or wrathless and passive can all be harmful to a person.
Good is Bad and Bad is Good
As we are raised, we are told to avoid desserts, laziness, and fights. These new cultural norms push a person to act with their intentional brain rather than natural brain. If our body is telling us to eat good tasting, high calorie foods, be lazy, and fend off anyone that tries to stop you, is that bad? It depends. In the advanced world, this can be a bad thing. If food is not scarce, this can lead to unhealthy habits and a shortened lifespan. In underdeveloped areas, take, eat, and protect the food that is a rarity.
Consequences
As the world continues to develop, more and more humans will transition to no-longer needing the animalistic instincts we were born with. If there ever becomes a scenario where our safety net is removed, there could be massive impact. If we continue to live without true animalistic needs, evolution will push this to the back and we will be at risk in the event of a societal collapse. What’s more, if we completely remove that animalistic nature, what do we live for? That will become the largest issue facing society.
Puzzle Pieces
People struggle to balance their internal compass with the compass of society. Your situation determines what the appropriate action is. At the same time, we need to understand that the norms we live by are human concepts, they are not natural. While these norms may be general guidance, like anything else made by humans, there are flaws. At times, it is appropriate to be greedy, at times it is appropriate to be aggressive, at time is is appropriate to be lustful. Your own judgement, rather than pure animalistic instinct or social norms should be used to drive decisions. Your judgement should incorporate both sides, weighted appropriately based on your situation. THAT is how to appropriately be human.
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