RE: What Hope For The Human Race: How Good Are We?
On most days I agree with you that we are intrinsically good but sometimes I'm not so sure.
For example, your list of what needs to happen for good to become better. Firstly I'll say that I would LOVE it if these came into being. But my inner cynic thinks that money, resources etc...aren't the problem, it's the greed behind them, it's how they are used. Money is an easy example to look at...it's just a benign means of exchange. Regardless of how much people have, the greed that causes corruption, enslavement and persecution seems to exist on its own.
I think the key is fear. Fear is behind every single thing in this world that harms others or ourselves. How do we deal with that one? Yes if we all had resources it would certainly help a lot and eliminate much crime and the impetus for stealing and taking advantage of others, but I believe we need to deal with fear each within ourselves because I have no idea how as a society or world to tackle it!
Sidenote: The C-word is seen as sexist in America, yet in the UK, you are more likely to call a man it, than a woman . . . Hmmm, maybe more musings on the subject . .
Interesting how this "insult" is used differently in the US and UK. I would say that the fact that this most powerful part of a woman and most intrinsically female part of a woman is seen as something to insult with, as something negative is an inherently misogynistic state of affairs but maybe I'm only looking at it through a limited lens.
Thanks for the good food for thought @cryptogee!
This one is a very big point for me and is extremely complicated, I think I go some way to dealing with it in my, Understanding Hate article, twinned with this one. Fear I think, harms us most when it has been manipulated by others.
For instance, we have a natural fear of strangers which we overcome everyday, however when one section of the media asks us to fear a particular set of strangers, that's when things can turn into racism, homophobia, et al.
It is a long drawn out process, but we'll get there in the end . . . Things like this next example give me hope.
In the UK for years, it was quite acceptable to call Gypsies, gypos, the problem with the term is it was connected with entirely negative things. Thieving gypo was a term used often, because gypsies where portrayed as dishonest and untrustworthy.
Then a few years ago, a TV production company decided to make a program called My Big Fat Gyspy Wedding, the program revealed a previously unseen Gypsy community. We saw the good, the bad and the ugly, but mainly the good.
Suddenly these people who we had dismissed as thieving pikeys or gypos were finally being humanised...
Now in the UK, using the term gypo, or pikey is frowned upon, and there have been many more programs about this community, and in fact the culmination of this was when Paddy King of The Gypsies, one the Big Brother reality show.
This is a perfect example of how unfounded fears where smashed after the populace were educated, and it really gives me hope for our world! :-)
As ever, thanks for your thoughtful comments @natureofbeing :-)
Cg
It's so true that fear becomes dangerous when paired with assumptions and manipulated. And very cool example of how powerful education can be in dispelling fear and ignorance of all kinds. Also great example of how influential the media and creativity can be!
Definitely a good example of the good side of the media ... just realised I wrote one instead of won ... tsk, tsk! :-)
Cg
Ok one more note - I just read the Sarah Silverman - Jeremy Jazrozy (sp?) twitter interchange and wow, you are right! What a series of fantastic acts of kindness and big heartedness!! moved me to tears. Ok lol maybe humans are good ;-))
Hahaha! I'm not ashamed to admit, tears of joy were stinging my eyes as I read it. My other half started crying just as I was telling her about it :-)
We are good!
Cg
I don't think you're looking through a limited lens, just one that has been crafted in America. Here people know the word is meant to be female genitalia, however is rarely, if ever used for such. It has just become the word for a horrible and aggressive person (usually male, very rarely female).
So I guess the word is always negative here and sometimes positive in the US?
Strange fact, I love hearing American women saying the word, there is something about the accent that drives me insane!
Every now and again I get my friend from Texas to say it for me, :-D Lolz, I hope you don't think me weird now; or at least not too weird!
Cg
Omg that is hilarious, I just chuckled aloud! Stay weird please!
Will do! :-)
Cg