You can't change human nature.
I am of the simple belief that the better we understand human nature, the better our lives will be.
“Social visions differ in their basic conceptions of the nature of man”
Thomas Sowell
At the heart of the misunderstanding between the right and the left, we can find inherently different images of human nature.
The Woke Left think that human nature is socially constructed.
One of the well-intentioned yet deeply problematic beliefs upheld by the progressive Left today is that human nature is a blank slate. Their assertion goes something like this: humans are born empty, as blank as a white sheet of paper, infinitely malleable, an empty receptacle waiting to receive, bare blobs ready to be inculturated. This viewpoint, inspired by Locke’s conception of the human mind as tabula rasa, posits that our natures - the way humans are - is mostly a matter of socialization. In other words, we learn to be the way we are, we are not born this way. And if there happens to be something unsavory in our natures, it is a consequence of socialization, and therefore can be socialized right out of us. If not out of us, then out of the next generation at the very least.
They think that through socialization, human nature can be shaped at will.
In this way, such persons look at the world, observe the faults and virtues of their fellow man, and make notes as to which bits of human nature don’t suit them and which they think need changing. They perceive human nature as infinitely malleable, and earnestly believe that it is in their right - and ability - to design social systems as they see fit in order to reshape our natures.
There are constants to human nature and knowing them will improve your life.
There are many things wrong with this argument, and I intend to unpack these ideas in future episodes and articles, as well as my upcoming book. But for now let me say this: I am of the school of thought that believes that there is something constant, stable, and universal about human nature. And I believe that understanding human nature - understanding the inner workings of the human psyche, its innate features, the spontaneous social systems that have naturally arisen, and the eternal truths of human existence - all amounts to knowing reality. And I am of the Judeo-Christian belief that knowing reality is good. We do not worship false gods here. (Or at least we make our best efforts not to.)
Playing god never ends well.
The existence of social delusions in the Western world is not new, their specific flavor is. As humans evolve, so do our delusions. The more scientific discoveries man makes, the greater his risk of hubris and self-deception. And here we find ourselves, at the dawn of the 21st century, with more technological power at each of our fingertips that we know what to do with - and we have, just for a moment, allowed ourselves to entertain the great delusion that we are gods.
We play god in all sorts of ways. For one, we have become quite adept at taming nature. But herein lies the problem - as much as we’ve been successful at building skyscrapers, curing infectious diseases, and growing food - so too have we introduced toxic indoor mold, drug-resistant bacteria, and mass-production pesticides that cause infertility and cancer. Nature always gets the last word - and we forget that at our peril.
We must work within the limitations of human nature.
Thomas Sowell wisely reminds us that there are no perfect, neat solutions - only trade-offs. There are elements of human nature and the world we inhabit that remain fixed, certain features of reality that are permanent and unchangeable to us. Since there are things we cannot alter, we must orient ourselves in a way that makes the best out of this tough lot of human existence. The better we understand ourselves and our world, the better we can orient ourselves towards living meaningful, fruitful, actualized lives.
This is a strong statement and I think very important to bring to people's attention. Most leftsists subscribe to the idea as a presupposition but I think the vast majority haven't really considered the point well. If they were challenged in a friendly way to deal with it, with encouragement and a little discipline to curb their desire for this to true, we might bring them over to a healthier, more constructive understanding.
I totally agree with you. The idea that human nature is entirely socially constructed is not only flawed but also dangerous. While socialization certainly plays a role in shaping individuals, it's simplistic to dismiss the existence of inherent human traits and tendencies. Recognizing the constants of human nature is crucial for creating effective social systems and improving our understanding of ourselves and others. It's refreshing to see someone advocating for a balanced perspective that acknowledges both the influence of socialization and the enduring aspects of human nature.
Thank you for your posting!