onlooker wrote:Human instincts are powerful of that I agree with you. Evolution is slow, that I also agree. What I think you may not understand it that unlike animals who are subservient to our instincts, we are not. We can think and rationalize and thus override our instincts. We can chose higher virtues over primitive urges. It is true that is has not been common in our history but they're are examples. The American Indians had a culture which integrated family values with tribal values. The Spartans of Ancient Greece, had a warrior like culture that had a strong sense of responsibility and self-sacrifice. The point being that Culture is what allows for humans to unite in specific ways that may or may not emphasize selfish primitive urges. Or that may emphasize cooperation over competition. Culture can encapsulate a family and also a country. Thus you have Capitalism as a mode of culture that encourages these primitive reactions and that is so pervasive now in the US. In other poorer countries you will see something different, you will see people helping others even non family members as witnessed by reactions to Natural disasters. So, the manner in which humans seek to organize and run their affairs to a large degree determines the group dynamic of that group of humans. I know you would probably disagree but I believe we are capable of transcending our primitive nature and evolving into beings with a more refined intellect and a more virtuous and benevolent nature towards each other and towards Nature.
Well, I would agree that some people are capable of overcoming instincts - about 1% of the population at large, and only after they have had a university level education and have bought into the planetary goals we have been talking about. But there will never be enough of these people to make a difference - educational standards are decaying, not improving.
Pragmatically, you might be right about what we should be doing, but there is simply no chance whatsoever that this will happen.