An example of our innate compassion?

I really had no idea where to put this.

I'm often slated on here for my rather flowery ideas on life. Lots of people disagree with me but I genuinely blame society for most things wrong with the world and the people in it. I'm nearly convinced that if we could turn back the clocks and do it all again then humans could harness their innate sense of compassion and desire to share thus creating a better world.

Anyway, I'm not stupid enough to use this as proof but this video gives weight to the idea that those who are not yet influenced by the evils of society can and do live in harmony:


www.youtube.com...

Ok I know... Where does the evil originally stem from? Humans = society, so humans = evil. I also know there are cases of monkeys murdering each other, can't find the video now but it is pretty harrowing.

I also know we can not fully compare humans to apes, I know this.

reply to post by and14263



It's always nice to meet people like you. Let the cynicism and criticism (which you mention in your OP in relation to your posts) flow over you. Stay the way you are .. we need more of you

I've witnessed many instances of compassion in animals. Less so in humans, sadly

But I try and so do others I know .. so human compassion exists and I believe it will continue as long as there are humans

For example, when I brought my new-born twins home, I placed them in those springy deck-chair shaped things (made for infants) while I ran around getting things organised. The twins were thus side by side, separated by perhaps 12 inches.

I turned around to look at them for a moment and as I did, I saw the girl twin reach out her arm to her brother, who was crying. As she did so, he looked to her and stopped crying. People will say it's not possible and that it was simply a random gesture, but I was there and I know that she was reaching across to comfort her twin. They were only ten days old and had been separated whilst in the hospital nursery

reply to post by St Vaast

Nice story. Don't get me wrong, I can be as abrasive as the next man but these are my general philosophies.

reply to post by and14263


F&S.

Firstly it must be said that Humans are apes; we are part of the 'great ape' lineage with Gorillas and Chimps.

Secondly Humans, monkeys, chimps, etc. share common reptilian ancestors before the time of the Dinosaurs and part of us from that time still exists - the R-Complex. Territoriality, competition, greed, and eye-for-eye impulses are products of our reptilian ancestry and are behaviours more useful for solitary individuals

Compassion and social cooperation are more recent, mammalian developments useful to social individuals that need a sense of fair and justness for the group to better function. It's innate but it's not quite as innate and powerful as our older, more primitive impulses.

The "Evils" of humanity aren't really something localised just to us because they stem from something visceral that we share with our simian siblings. What you hate about society is our evolutionary baggage.

[edit on 17-9-2009 by Welfhard]

I don't see why you'd get any flack for having 'flowery ideals', although I suppose some people can be a bit sharp.

S&F for showing compassion and working together in the animal kingdom though, things like that need to be shown more often in this world. Maybe man could learn something