Laws of Human Nature

Human Nature in Crisis

Polar Aspects of Human Nature and Our Potential for Adaptive Change

This post examines a threat to humanity that arises when the negative aspects of our species become much more prevalent than the positive ones.

It proposes a path toward increased global quality of life through greater focus on compassionate care-giving to self and others guided by sound knowledge, deep awareness, and judgements based on humankind's adaptation and resilience long-term.

I created the chart below to show opposing (polar) aspects of human nature organized into nine categories. The concept of polarity is a fundamental Law of Nature (as I've discussed in previous posts). Here I'm examining how polarity applies to the Laws of Human Nature.  

Humans have the potential to manifest (exhibit) both adaptive and maladaptive aspects of human nature. These aspects consist of mental, emotional and behavioral tendencies we all have. Those tendencies are associated with both aspects: 

• Adaptive aspects are functional (rational, helpful, balanced, adjusted); they increase or promote the well-being of our species.
• Maladaptive aspects are dysfunctional (irrational, harmful, unbalanced, maladjusted) in that they decrease or obstruct the well-being of our species.

These tendencies are influenced by our culture and its social systems, which include political, financial, healthcare, legal, educational, religious, cultural and family systems.
These aspects of human nature strongly affect people's:

• Living conditions, physical and mental health, relationships with others, sense of self (ego), level of knowledge, employment opportunities, etc.
• Belief systems, judgments, perceptions, values (morality and priorities), social norms and mores, and the mindsets (which provide a framework for understanding the world.

In times of worldwide crisis, we have a rare opportunity to examine our cultures. What, for example, is the character and competence of our leaders, the values promoted by our social systems, and the beliefs fostered by our societies.

This examination will reveal the positive and negative aspects of human nature that are (a) encouraged and supported by our cultural institutions and (b) accepted by the people of each nation/society. Armed with this knowledge, we have the potential to change the negatives into positives.

The solution must enable humanity to follow a different path. The goal must be greater balance, less disparity, and increased compassionate collaboration worldwide. Following are some of the tactics that may be required to achieve that goal:

• New political and economic models and rules may have to be established
• Cultural values and national laws may have to be revamped
• Social awareness may have to be increased
• People's living conditions, health and well-being, and educational opportunities may have to be improved
• Family and community relationships may have to be strengthened. 

This will not be easy since the privileged who benefit from the status quo will resist radical change. After all, it's only human nature to do so.

Some questions to consider:

1. In what ways can Capitalism be improved and income inequality be lessened?
2. How can cultures and groups be more inclusive while respecting individuality and people's freedoms?
3. How can the influence of money in politics be changed; should it be changed?
4. How can honestly, transparency and accountability be increased?
5. Is our meritocracy model -- based on the belief that America is a land of limitless opportunity and people are rewarded with economic goods and/or political power based on their talent, effort, and achievement -- a valid model of opportunity, or do we need to replace it with a different model?
6. How can human life be better protected from pandemics and should the delivery of high-value healthcare become a universal right?

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The negative aspects in the chart below reflect forces that are pulling us in a maladaptive direction that threatens our long-term survival. The positives aspects, in contrast, indicate the potential we have as a species to shift to a more adaptive direction that promotes longer-term survival and better outlook for future generations.

Polar Aspects of Human Nature (9 Categories)	Negative Aspects of Human Nature Promoted by a Dysfunctional Culture	Positive Aspects of Human Nature Promoted by a Wise Culture
Self-interest vs. the Common/Greater Good	Self-centeredness, Selfishness, Exploitation of Others	Compassion, Empathy (putting oneself in others' shoes), Sympathy, Equanimity, Generosity, Charity
Power & Control vs. Focus on Mutual Benefit	Dominance, Subjugation, Deservingness, Prejudice	Kindness, Tolerance, Unity, Acceptance, Collaboration
Duplicity vs. Integrity	Dishonesty, Deceit, Fraud, Deception, Betrayal, Infidelity, Scapegoating, Seduction, Loopholes, Mismanagement	Honesty, Openness, Transparency, Sincerity, Accountability, Fidelity, Oversight, Watchdog, Whistle-blower
Uninformed & Unaware vs. Keen Awareness & Rational Comprehension	Self-deception, Denial, Mis/Disinformation, Rationalization, Ignorance, Close/Narrow-mindedness, Thoughtlessness, Incompetence, Foolishness, "Shooting the messenger"	Profound Knowledge, Valid Understanding, Open-mindedness, Critical thinking, Science-minded, Wisdom, Skill, Insight, Seeking and using negative feedback for adaptive development
Gluttony & Greed vs. Conservation & Moderation	Overindulgence, Conspicuous Consumption, Wastefulness	Thrift, Prudence, Frugality, Giving, Sharing, Contributing
Unconstrained Profit vs. Real Value	Profiting from Poor Quality, Inefficiency, Scarcity	Value-to-Consumer through Effectiveness, Efficiency, Quality
Sense of Superiority vs. Humility	Ego, Pride, Arrogance, Self-aggrandizement, Conceit	Modesty, Humbleness, Inner peace through Unconditional Self-Acceptance and Mindfulness
Acceptance vs. Rejection of Human Essence-Appraisal Beliefs	Belief it is possible to appraise (judge, measure) the intrinsic worth and goodness of a person's essence (core character, total nature, soul) -- using an objective, valid rating scale -- to determine who is a good, bad, worthwhile or worthless person	Reject the belief that appraising a person's intrinsic worth and goodness is possible since a human's essence is not a visible measurable thing (it’s just an imagined concept); instead, people can only subjectively judge what people do and have, not what they ARE
Cowardice vs. Courage	Avoidance, Inertia (resistance to change), Disheartenment in the face of fear, uncertainty, doubt	Disciplined perseverance, determination, and will in the face of fear, uncertainty, doubt
Life-focus: Immediate pleasure vs. Postponing pleasures for more important benefits later	Short-term hedonism, Frustration intolerance, Emotional reactivity, Addictive behaviors and Obsessive thoughts	Development of Mind and Spirit, Focus on long-term Benefits, Prolonged diligent effort, Thoughtful Preparation & Action
Division vs. Inclusion	Instead of viewing humanity as a whole, dividing people into different groups based on their appearance, language, beliefs, cultures, races, genders, nationalities, etc. and believing that certain groups is fundamentally superior or inferior, more deserving or less deserving	Understand that humanity will "sink or swim" as a whole, not as a bunch of disparate parts. Pandemics are a case in point. Everyone benefits with strong international relationships, countries and states united, cooperative groups, intact families, etc. There can still be value in honest competition on a "level playing field."

 
Click Post a Comment below to share your thoughts and to offer suggestions of other human nature aspects that can be added to this chart.