"Basic human nature": what is it?

[Fierlin1182]

My English teacher reckons it's the seven deadly sins.

I think it's something to do with wanting to be appreciated, make someone's life that bit better.

What about you?

 

[Royd]

I would say that it's a tendency toward laziness and mediocrity. Why work hard to do something right, when so-so will get you by.

Once you figure out that you can make $10 doing a half--- job, why take an extra few minutes to do it correctly?

 

[Tanichca]

Human nature really applies to each persons basic need for food, shelter, and companionship, and the fact that we would do anything for these necessities.

 

[SillyChicken]

I also think there is also the need for power and control by some, and the need for others to be lead or to follow or scavage off others.

When you get a group of people together, there will always be someone that works harder or is smarter and gets the good pieces and those who sit on their haunches or aren't willing or able to fight, and they get the scraps. Kinda like a pack of wolves.

 

[AquaEyes]

"Human nature" is that which can be found in people (not necessarily each and every, but by and large) regardless of culture. There have been some comparative studies which have listed features of cultures around the world, and sought to find those features that are common to all (or mostly-all...some cultures do their darnedest to go against human nature). Some things I can think of off-hand are:

In-group versus out-group relationship differences

Concept of kinship and preferential treatment to kin over non-kin (a subset of the above)

Seeking pleasure over pain

Desire to understand phenomena and influence future outcome

Seeking social acceptance (not necessarily from "everyone" but perhaps within a selected sub-group...in other words, we care what our friends and family think about us)

Seeking companionship

Language acquisition and utilization

Competition

Social rank

 

[punk-a-doodle]

What Aquaeyes said. Along with some other animals, such as elephants, we have a capacity for compassion and altruistic behavior. People like the Dalai Lama encourage us to embrace those two unique aspects of our nature. That is on a general level though, and we also have a greater capacity for reason/problem solving/and thus manipulation than many. In general, what spans across all cultures can be considered basic human nature.

 

[Fierlin1182]

We're watching City of Joy in geography:

A person really has three choices in life: to run, to spectate, or to commit. Not sure as to the meaning of the last one.

 

[magicpigeon]

To err.

 

[Fierlin1182]

Quote:
Don't remind me.