why do humans behave as they do?

[New Troll]

Humans act like they're gods because they have no natural enemies, other than themselves. What they need is a good ol' fashion alien invasion or something to help put them in thier places. Teach them some humility, morality, dignity, humanity.

 

[Jandau]

I'ts part biological, part conditioning and part free will.

The chemical balance in our brains determines some of our behavioral patterns and is out of our control (as evidenced by being able to modify human behaviour through the use of medicines and other chemicals). Also, many of our physical characteristics determine how we interact with our environment and other people which contributes to the conditioning, which in turn determines a part of our behaviour.

Conditioning includes acquired reflexes, conditioned responses, habits and in genereal behavioral patterns that were acquired after birth through interaction with our environment. These can vary in degree and intensity and not all are bad (basic social skills are usually conditioned).

Finally, we have free will. Despite all the chemical impulses in our brains, all the things we were conditioned to do and everything previously mentioned, each individual is capable of at least some degree of decision making that isn't predetermined by other factors. The extent of our free will is open to debate, but I maintain that it does exist.

 

[Puzzles]

Human nature is a silly term anyway that doesn't really mean anything.

It means plenty about human behaviour and the human condition, but it is a very vague term. It still means a lot, though. Human nature encompasses everything from Love to greed and what motivates us etc.

 

[L4hlborg]

Quite honestly, I think it's stupidity. Mostly. Let me explain.

There is one truly evil or good person in every million people or so. This guy is the one who makes a difference, makes all the other idiots follow him/her. And that determines what people do. This is what causes all the bad/good things in the world.

Lets see. Hitler is an example He couldn't have killed millions of Jews alone, but a bunch of idiots were following him. Or the twilight phenomenon. Some random chick writes a book and makes a huge army of teenage girls to follow her and think that vampyres glow in sunlight and like people. My guess is that she is a vampyre herself and is trying to make idiots think that vampyres are happy little glowing things.

Another theory: People are motivated by happiness. Whatever you do is because you want to be happy. Seriously. Think about it. If anyone can find something you decide not to be happy, be my guest, tell me.

 

[Puzzles]

Quite honestly, I think it's stupidity. Mostly. Let me explain.

There is one truly evil or good person in every million people or so. This guy is the one who makes a difference, makes all the other idiots follow him/her. And that determines what people do. This is what causes all the bad/good things in the world.

That's kind of an ideal though. In reality you get one morally grey person in every million who happens to rise to political power. They aren't totally good or evil, but they get enough support to be in power because of a couple of key points. These people are called politicians. The ideal (or indeed problem) you are talking about died a long while ago in western society, this is democracy.

Take Obama for example. People praise him as some savior of sorts, but to be honest the only way he seems to differ from a lot of other politicians is that he is good at rhetoric and is mixed race. He is no more good or evil than any other politician, but he had enough following to get into power.

 

[ZSF]

what makes people evil? what makes them good?

These terms are subjective. They do not exist in objective reality, only within your mind.

 

[Chibz]

Because of the desert-god's teachings.

 

[vamp rocks]

because there is always a desire to get more than you have.. and a primal instinct to get rid of anything in your way... and because of these two things people get greedy, crimes committed, wars start...

even criminals who only kill are somewhat driven by greed... as when they kill it is usually for revenge or for an emotional release that makes them feel good inside...

two things you can be sure of, is that the world will keep on spinning... and humans will always kill eachother...

 

[cobra_ky]

The solution? Strip away free will. People instinctively act like douche bags to one another when they know there's no consequence behind their actions. The internet is a perfect avenue to see this happening. That's why people flame one another on message boards. The wors that will happen to them is being banned from the site. I think that humans just have a self destructive nature towards each other and anything else in a 50 mile radius.

people never had free will to begin with.

 

[L4hlborg]

Quite honestly, I think it's stupidity. Mostly. Let me explain.

There is one truly evil or good person in every million people or so. This guy is the one who makes a difference, makes all the other idiots follow him/her. And that determines what people do. This is what causes all the bad/good things in the world.

That's kind of an ideal though. In reality you get one morally grey person in every million who happens to rise to political power. They aren't totally good or evil, but they get enough support to be in power because of a couple of key points. These people are called politicians. The ideal (or indeed problem) you are talking about died a long while ago in western society, this is democracy.

Take Obama for example. People praise him as some savior of sorts, but to be honest the only way he seems to differ from a lot of other politicians is that he is good at rhetoric and is mixed race. He is no more good or evil than any other politician, but he had enough following to get into power.

Well, not too many politician seems to have too much power, because they have to share it because of democracy. Idiots don't follow politicians any more: it's forms of media nowadays. Yes that's right that most things are grey. Or starts of as gray, but then it deforms into something messed up. For example news. People watch them and they read about how video games are cause of all bad things in life and so on.

 

[Mardy]

Because they can I guess, or it depends on the person. Some might enjoy it even.

 

[the1ultimate]

Well I have heard that human thought may be partly quantum mechanical in nature... Which might go some way to explaining why most people don't know where they are going or how when "now" is (particularly if they are carpooling, you are waiting for them).

 

[Zac_Dai]

Human nature is a silly term anyway that doesn't really mean anything.

It means plenty about human behaviour and the human condition, but it is a very vague term. It still means a lot, though. Human nature encompasses everything from Love to greed and what motivates us etc.

I just hate the term personally.

It gets thrown around a lot to explain away the behaviour of humans without actually explaining anything.

 

[cowbell40]

Because we suck and are selfish bastards.

 

[Arkhangelsk]

Instincts, moral, rationalizing (I'd say egoism, but that is part of our instincts). A combination of those three in different degrees. They all lead to how different people think.

 

[Gerazzi]

Ultimate answer: Read The Giver, then get back to me.
Would it really be that good a thing for human nature to be lost?

 

[SIXVI06]

Acknowledgement.
Warmth.
Scorn.
Love.
Hate.
Passion.
Greed.
Compassion.
Identity.
Acceptance.
Contrast.
Definition.
Standards.
Defiance.
Faith.
Belief.
Pleasure.
Pain.
Image.
Deception.
Honor.
Family.
Friends.

Existence.

 

[space_oddity]

Obvious Troll Is Obvious.

 

[Puzzles]

Human nature is a silly term anyway that doesn't really mean anything.

It means plenty about human behaviour and the human condition, but it is a very vague term. It still means a lot, though. Human nature encompasses everything from Love to greed and what motivates us etc.

I just hate the term personally.

It gets thrown around a lot to explain away the behaviour of humans without actually explaining anything.

Yeah point well taken, I know it isn't the best of terms, I was just trying to be dramatic and say two words to close the thread. No it explains little but it tries its best to emcompass a lot. If you take the term as its literal definition it has a bit more meaning. I wish I wasn't drunk so I could write a decent response, but oh well. Have a good night guys/girls.

 

[Puzzles]

Quite honestly, I think it's stupidity. Mostly. Let me explain.

There is one truly evil or good person in every million people or so. This guy is the one who makes a difference, makes all the other idiots follow him/her. And that determines what people do. This is what causes all the bad/good things in the world.

That's kind of an ideal though. In reality you get one morally grey person in every million who happens to rise to political power. They aren't totally good or evil, but they get enough support to be in power because of a couple of key points. These people are called politicians. The ideal (or indeed problem) you are talking about died a long while ago in western society, this is democracy.

Take Obama for example. People praise him as some savior of sorts, but to be honest the only way he seems to differ from a lot of other politicians is that he is good at rhetoric and is mixed race. He is no more good or evil than any other politician, but he had enough following to get into power.

Well, not too many politician seems to have too much power, because they have to share it because of democracy. Idiots don't follow politicians any more: it's forms of media nowadays. Yes that's right that most things are grey. Or starts of as gray, but then it deforms into something messed up. For example news. People watch them and they read about how video games are cause of all bad things in life and so on.

Yeah I just hate the whole segmenting actions into black and white. I think almost everything is grey with shades of awesome or superbad. Like I said already, I wish I wasn't drunk so I could give a satisfactory reply... Maybe that will have to wait for the morning. I still maintain that no one follows a completely good or evil person, and that a leader can only be followed if they have some sort of good ideal, but I also don't believe that anyone is the dictionary definition of good (we all have our vices, we all have our problems). I mean, unless the whole of the public is secretly evil, but I don't think that is the case. Anyway I'm probably making little sense, so let me make more by saying goodnight and I'll adress this tomorrow unless I stumble on a reply before then.

EDIT: sorry for the double post, I adressed both messages in my inbox separately. Don't kill me mods, I'm too young to die.