Humans Are Too Complex to be Classified as Good or Bad
As I get closer to drawing a
conclusion about what makes humans “bad,” I am finding that the social sciences
have inspired me the most to think critically.
Where humanities may provide knowledge from different perspectives,
social scientists state what they know based off of quantified
research. The natural sciences also
proved to be insightful, however “hard” science can have its limitations in
that there is still much to be tested—especially in terms of root causes of “bad”
human behavior. For this reason, I have
decided to broaden my knowledge on the theme “What Makes Humans Bad?” by
analyzing further research in the social sciences.
Are We Conditioned to Believe in Good vs. Bad?
The common belief that there
are good humans and bad humans is not likely something that we are born
with. There are many ways that we
develop these black and white perceptions about something that is much more
complex. Disciplines in the humanities,
such as film and literature, may influence people’s perceptions about “good”
and “bad” people. One would be hard
pressed to find characters in a film or novel that do not represent heroes and villains. The same can be said when reviewing major
religious doctrines: God represent goodness, the devil represents evil. Perhaps these influences are why so many
people try to squeeze others into a category of good and bad. It is also much easier to lump people into a
simplistic category than to truly understand root causes of bad behavior. Thus, in this blog I want to review what scholars
in the disciplines of social science have discovered about the people we have
labeled as the villains of our society.
Beyond Good &
Evil: Children, Media & Violent Times
This is an informative video about the media and the conditioning of t
he masses to think in terms of good vs. evil. Skip to 1:47-2:03
for an analysis
of what is really happening when we categorize people as good
or bad.
Through separation and
alienating of the “bad” characters, children
see them as the “other” and are
encouraged to hate this “other.” Furthermore,
these messages are seen as a means of polarizing the world
into “good” and “bad.”
(ChallengingMedia.
(2006, October 3). Beyond Good &
Evil: Children, Media & Violent Times. [Video File].
Retrieved from https://youtu.be/CggjBd7o-PM)
Are Humans Bad to the Core?
One question that has been
brought up several times during class discussions is, “are humans bad to the
core, or do humans choose to exhibit bad behavior?” Some may argue that there are a small number
of humans who really are bad to the core.
The problem with this argument, however, is that there is no proof that
humans are born evil. My findings over
this course have suggested that people can become
evil, but this is acquired over a lifetime of bad experiences. Rather than asserting that humans are born “bad,”
evidence in the social sciences suggests that it is humans’ situations that can
make them bad. However, since all humans
are in different situations, we must conclude that all humans have the
potential to become bad depending on their situation.
Children and Adults Who Murder Are Not Bad to the Core
A review of several studies
concerning children and adolescents who murder revealed that there are many
factors that can affect a child’s violent behavior. In particular, individual, familial,
environmental difficulties have a tremendous impact on the development of
violent behavior towards others (Shumaker & Prinz, 2000). Individual stressors that were analyzed
include psychological assessments. In
several studies, a high rate of conduct disorder (CD) was found in subjects
being studied. Childhood CD when
combined with ADHD was proven to be a “primary risk factor for adult
psychopathic tendencies” (Shumaker & Prinz, 2000).
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In the documentary Child of Rage, we learn about 6-year old
Beth.
Beth openly expresses her want to
kill her family. When asked why, Beth
simply says she was hurt by people and no longer wants to be around
others.
Beth who was severely abused and
molested as a baby, displays a lack of
empathy and incapacity to love
others. Was Beth born bad, or did she
become bad by circumstance?
Magid, K.
(Director). (1990). Child of rage [Motion picture]. Home Box Office.
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The analysis of this review indicates that violent children are not born “bad” to the core, but rather the presence of extreme conditions can give rise to extreme behaviors. The same can likely be said about adults who exhibit violent behaviors. In a study conducted on male serial killers, three common personal identities were found. The first was that they had an “inability to experience life normally due to personality or psychological problems.” (Henson & Olson, 2010) They also reasoned that their actions (killing) were beneficial to society. Finally, they victimized themselves, blaming society and circumstance for their behavior. Furthermore, the men were identified as “mentally unstable, emotionally stunted, sexually deviant serial killers” (Henson & Olson, 2010)
But What if Being Bad is in Our Genetic Composition?
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Are we very different from our closest living
relatives?
In Bad to the Bone: Are Humans
Naturally Aggressive? Agustin Fuentes
cites Archer’s study on the roots of
human aggression. He surmises:
“this is…evidence
that chimpanzees, and their closest relatives (humans),
are aggressive by nature. If this is true then domestic abuse, bullying,
and warfare are pretty much to be expected: it is just the way we
are”(Fuentes, 2012).
image:(Mosbergen,
D. (n.d.). Chimps May Look Cute, But Controversial New Study Says
They're
Natural-Born Killers. Retrieved December 7, 2015, from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com
/2014/09/19/chimpanzee-violence-study_n_5846746.html)
|
A counter argument to the
aforementioned ones provides further understanding about humans and bad
behaviors. This argument, proposed by
John Archer, may support the theory that humans can be bad to the core. Using approaches rooted in both the natural
and social sciences—particularly evolutionary psychology—Archer analyzes the evolution
of human aggression. In The Nature of Human Aggression, Archer
argues that the origins of human aggression can be found in our genetic
composition. He further argues that
because aggression is a basic human characteristic, as it is with many other
animals, “we should not…categorize it as abnormal or pathological behavior”
(Archer, 2009). Archer puts forth
compelling evidence of the nature of man.
His argument seems to give support to Hobbes assertion that all men are
born with the need to fight and create chaos (Hobbes, 1651).
How Have My Mere True Beliefs Changed?
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Image created by blog author.
(Book
– people of the lie. (n.d.). Retrieved December 7, 2015,
from
http://www.justice4you.org/recom_people_of_the_lie.php)
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Several months ago I
asserted my mere true belief that humans are not all bad, but rather we all
have a little bit of good in us. A
deeper inquiry into the theme has revealed that I may have been wrong. Perhaps all humans are born with a genetic
disposition to be aggressive. With that,
however, is also the capacity to love and have empathy for others. Therefore, we may all be born with the
ability to become aggressive, however our situation in life can still determine
our outcome.
References
Archer, John. (2009). The Nature of Human Aggression. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry,
32. 202-208. doi:10.1016/j.ijlp.2009.04.001
Book – people of the lie. (n.d.).
Retrieved December 7, 2015, from http://www.justice4you.org/recom_people_of_the_lie.php
ChallengingMedia. (2006, October 3). Beyond
Good & Evil: Children, Media & Violent Times. [Video File]. Retrieved
from https://youtu.be/CggjBd7o-PM
Fuentes, Augustin. (2012, April 18). Bad to the Bone: Are Humans
Naturally Aggressive? Retrieved December 7, 2015, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/busting-myths-about-human-nature/201204/bad-the-bone-are-humans-naturally-aggressive.
Henson, Jayne R. & Olson, Loreen N.
July–September 2010, The Monster Within: How Male Serial Killers Discursively
Manage Their Stigmatized Identities. Communication Quarterly, 58 (3).
341–364. DOI:
10.1080/01463373.2010.503176
Hobbes, T., & Gaskin, J. (1998). Leviathan.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Magid, K. (Director). (1990). Child of rage
[Motion picture]. Home Box Office.
Mosbergen, D. (2014, September 19).
Chimps May Look Cute, But Controversial New Study Says They're Natural-Born
Killers. Retrieved December 7, 2015, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/19/chimpanzee-violence-study_n_5846746.html
Prinz, Ronald J. & Shumaker, David M.
(2000). Children Who Murder: A Review. Clinical Child and Family Psychology
Review, 3(2), 112. doi: 1096-4037/00/0600-0097
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