Evilness Of Human Nature

Studies have shown that people tend to act more decorously when they are under the impression of being observed. This insinuates that human nature is more bad and devious than good in general. Over the decades, various philosophers such as Jean Jacques Rousseau and Thomas Hobbes have argued over the nature of humanity. Even though this question remains unanswered, there is paramount evidence throughout history to surmise that human beings are inherently malicious and immoral. The purpose of this essay is to analyze and substantiate the evilness of human nature. By taking examples of historical events, Xunzi’s teachings and various research studies, this essay seeks to provide valuable insight into the vile behavior of most human beings, while

Xunzi said that people are selfish, and without standards of conduct, people would only perceive situations that would benefit them. Standards of conduct are most often disremembered during times of chaos and hardship. During these times, our inner survival instinct prevails, evidencing that we do not have an ingrained moral instinct. Instances exemplifying Xunzi’s convictions are riots and illegal activities in poor neighborhoods. In April 2015, the whole city of Baltimore rioted. As protestors and police clashed and chaos ensued, the people of Baltimore, thirsty for violence and self-interest, looted stores and attacked people. Countless were injured in these attacks and the city lost millions. In chaos, standards of conduct were abandoned, and people resorted to vehement and destructive conduct. Today, in underprivileged neighborhoods all over the world, gang violence and illegal trade prevails. These are people, who are less fortunate, resort to iniquitous and illegal practices to earn their daily living. To survive, many people in such areas steal, cheat, lie and even kill. Morality is a delicate artifice that easily breaks down, as survival takes precedence. Survival is after all the ultimate objective of all organisms. Survival instinct is primal to us, and is the sole aspect inherent to our nature. But this same

Superficially, babies seem sweet and innocent, with no inclination to do bad or selfish things. However, this notion has been refuted by researchers such Dr. Vasudev Reddy, from the psychology department of University of Portsmouth, who have studied the demeanor of babies. Their research suggests that babies, even before learning to walk or talk, learn to lie, seek attention, steal and create prejudices. Studies have also shown that babies are easily bribed. From personal experience, I often bribe my niece to stop her from crying. Videos of myself as a baby show my own nefarious behavior. Each time I was unattended, I would shriek until someone embraced me. Moreover I would steal toys from my brothers, and behave in a defiant manner. Even if this cannot be categorized as evil, the selfish and deleterious behavior of newborns is apparent. Though it may be acceptable to think of babies as untainted and blameless, babies too act in a manner to safeguard their interests and are far from altruistic. Xunzi mentions that without teachers, those unrestricted with their emotions resort to self-centered and malicious behavior. This statement is reinforced through the examples of the reprehensible behavior of babies, who have not yet been exposed to society, yet still exhibit deceitful