Bad To The Bone.

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Sometimes I hear people talk about the natural goodness of human nature and think, that they must be talking about some other humans in a distant galaxy. I can find no evidence that people are born good. On the contrary, from birth humans display a natural response toward greed, violence, and indifference that borders on malevolence. For example, a young child of two shows a pension for theft from those who are weaker than itself, hitting and possibly injuring those who make the child angry, and laughter at pain ( schadenfreude). As you grow you are indoctrinated with morals, social code, and legal repercussions of actions, which eventually govern your thought process. Without these teachings the so called, "natural human" is a creature that makes even the most savage animal in nature seem benign. To commit a serious crime a person first must breach their moral code, which may or may not be strong depending on the individuals convictions. Next, the person must be willing to loose their life in respect to societies recognition and legal ramifications. Once an individual has forfeited this belief system the natural human animal fully emerges in all it's horror. However, there is one additional fail-safe that is liable to spur contention among readers. It is the punishment that may or may not come in the hereafter. Religion can ( but not always) serve as a last line of defense from committing a horrible act. When a person has nothing to loose and a total disregard for the laws of man, then perhaps the vision of divine punishment can serve as a finale barrier. In my view , we appear to be civilized by laws and code and not by some unknown fuzzy bunny hopping in are heart.

We seem to have a natural tendency to exploit weaknesses in others, even if it doesn't benefit ourselves. I agree that generally humans are selfish and greedy. But on a positive note I feel these tendencies came about only in the last few thousand years. I think for most of our history we were co-operative with each other.

I think the selfishness comes about with population rises.

The Third Chimpanzee, Jared Diamond.

Chimps kill, Bonomos are Pan Sexual, but we got the bad habits.

We were Created in the image of the Hairless Ground Ape God, who smites everything.

Along the way there were many other versions, we killed them, which is the only way to become the surving species.

Our closest relatives, Chimps and Bonomos, we call Bush Meat.

Our Rules, Do not get caught doing X,Y,Z. It is the same as not doing it.

What is strongly forbidden, the worst fear, is having sex with other species.

We can buy things from the Chinese Communists, but not date a Bonomo.

Killing most things is called sport, killing our species war, and it gets the best of everything.

Even in politics, we have Wars on drugs, misbelievers, that never work, but it is the highest involvment.

Insane hairless ground apes. If we spent as much on education we could be rich, perhaps less insane, but that would reduce war spending, and one thing the Hairless Ground Ape God demands, is the Smiting Machine must be kept oiled and ready.

Actually, our altruism and greed are not based on us! * They are strategies to perpetuate our genes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Selfish_Gene
* We are altruistic (sacrifice our lives even) to perpetuate genes. We are greedy to perpetuate genes. Actually, in this context we are neither altruistic nor greedy. Our personalities are simply genetic strategies!

My niece is 3, and I've seen her show instinctive gentleness and affection towards small birds and pets. Children are often careless, but that's largely because they don't understand at first that they are capable of hurting others; when they understand that they have caused someone or something pain, they are often heartbroken.

If she had crushed the bird, she wouldn't have gotten to pet it and interact with it any more. Her parents and I would have been sad, and so would she have been. We didn't have to tell her why she shouldn't want to break it. She got that part without us having to say anything.

I showed her a garter snake when she was about two, and she had no particular reaction to it besides mild curiosity. She's not as in to animals as I was, but I don't remember ever feeling anything towards animals in general (including snakes, frogs, and bugs) besides curiosity and affection. At some point I developed an utter loathing of ticks, but I think that can be forgiven.

I would assume most of that behavior is learned either from observation or punishment. The behavior would most likely not appear naturally since there is no survival benefit. Does a young child of two cry because he/she is remorseful of the pain inflicted or in hopes of avoiding the negative reinforcement from the caregiver?