The
Story behind Human Nature
Human
nature is celebrated extensively. It gets used as a good excuse to
cause inconvenience to others, or to tolerate excesses, or for
something else, if it pleases one. However, a hard look reveals that
all the failures of human race is due to it. And what about the
instances of success? Well, suffice to say, all those who have
achieved great success, other than the instances where brute
superiority did the trick, did deviate from the paths that would have
been the natural ones, then. Hence, it won’t be incorrect to say,
one needs to go beyond the limits set by one’s nature, to achieve
success. If so, doesn’t this call for a rethink about human nature.
What
is human nature?
I
feel, currently we think of humans to be differing greatly from all
the other forms of life. But, do they? As far as the functions
essential for the maintenance and progression of life is concerned,
there is no great difference. Both are well-equipped to perform all
such functions, each following its own style and extent. But on
closer look, there is a difference. One’s nature, for all other
species of life, support unfettered growth. For humans, unless they
keep their nature in check, they will be meeting their doom, very
soon. And humans perpetually are busy doing something, where, each
one will be busy with something that is in consonance with their
nature. All this points to a big difference. And this difference is
the one, which has come to known by the term human nature. This I
think needs some explanation, since a few questions arise instantly.
What is it? How did humans acquire it? What effect does its have on
the fortunes of human race? And, What is the optimum way of handling
it?
How
do machines acquire a nature
Let
me start with inanimate objects. I think mainly owing to its
environmental particularities of use and the personal priorities of
the user, one can say, things acquire a sort of personality. To
mention an example, think of a kitchen, a workshop, or some such
place having many knives of the same type. For a particular use, one
will be relying more on a specific one. And, because of this, it
could get used more often, fortifying its position as an apt knife
for a particular need. In some time, each piece of implement shall
acquire certain peculiarity of its own, which incidentally can be
noticed in its rate of wear or the frequency of replacement. When a
necessity arrives, the chosen knife shall be the one, where the
particular peculiarity is apt for the need.
Things
are a little more clear when we deal with more complex objects. Think
about putting to use, a machine, an instrument, or some other
expedient. Say, a mechanism to pump water.
As
we install it, we shall be learning of many requirements necessary to
put the particular pumping system to work satisfactorily. Like
appropriate fittings, joints, and connectors to fabricate and match
various elements of installation, provision of electrical power,
incorporation of safety devices, or protection from weather. As a
result of which, quite a few devices, systems or equipment shall form
a part of this installation. And to this, some more will get added
up, as and when we face bottlenecks, both while installing it and
during the run-in-period thereafter.
Thinking
in a similar manner, each and every living being acquired its nature
while growing up in its environment, which, over many generations,
the environment being more or less the same, becomes attached
permanently. However, it is susceptible to changes, domestication,
for example. We can say, it is not at all difficult for a living
being to be freed of its nature, provided, we feel the need.
How
Machines are Freed of its Nature
Over
a period of time, these issues shall be getting sorted out, which
shall be rendering many of the elements that have become a part of
the installation, redundant. What normally happens in a well run case
is that we would strive to utilize some of these redundancies,
sometimes as spares, sometimes for improvisation, or for selling as
scrap. However, when the machine undergoes a planned overhaul, we
discard all these and bring the machine to its specified consistency.
This in fact is the main purpose behind an overhaul, which is an
essential part of all systems, machines, or other such entities.
How
do Humans Acquire a Nature
Something
similar is true, in the case of human race too. In our long journey,
which we now imagine as one from the state of a primate-like being to
the relatively civilized ones of today, human race must have added
quite a few particularities, whether of lifestyle, of behavior, of
ambition, or of outlook. (Even if it began with an intelligent
design, situation need not be much different) We continue to cling on
to these, though none are relevant, and quite a few are rather
dangerous, as far as the needs, desirability, and living style in our
current environment goes. But, quite non-intuitively we have been
hanging on to these. Labeling these as the unquestionable elements of
human nature, we make it rather everlasting.
In
fact each of these elements are snippets of whatever was the current
events of significance, some time in the past. These would have been
serving an actual purpose then. And later, even after getting
replaced, these continue to remain with the human society, joining a
vast kitty of abstractions. And does not leave us, even when
situation demands so.
Why
we are Never Freed of our Nature
As
mentioned, many of these would be the ones that got discarded at
opportune moments in the past, when external or internal forces made
our forefathers view some part of the current living style as
superfluous, inconvenient or dangerous. And remained with the human
society, though redundant. But, unlike the way mechanical elements
got treated, there was never a planned attempt to identify and
eliminate the redundancies of life. On the contrary, later
generations started holding these in very high esteem.
In
fact, it is worth noting here, how, while dealing with machines, the
full range and power of human intelligence always come to fore. We
very well know, everywhere, some form of routine repair is necessary,
at intervals based on the conditions and circumstances of use. Note
also, how we take pride in our ability for identifying the cardinal
as well as for overlooking the insignificant. But all these are
missing, when we deal with our own fortune!
The
result is: we have successfully added another abstraction called
‘fond memories’, which made it all the more attractive to hoard
these for no reason. Not only that there is no gainful use, but also
the time and effort spent on these, effectively put a brake to the
forward momentum, the human race would have acquired.
Consequentially, there is a delay in identifying, receiving and
responding to fresh input. In short, we are in a vicious circle.
Because of the hoarded memory, fresh input gets colored before we
have a chance to react. Hence, our reaction is incorrect, which lead
to unsavory results, and we go back to our memory.
And
the Way Ahead..
I
think what is happening is, unlike all other species of life, humans
are in a continuous process of learning their response to inputs.
Memory, in fact the past responses stored therein, makes it easier to
form a fresh response by providing an easy guide, a reference, or a
standard. The same becomes rather difficult, when the input, and
consequently, the desired response, are changing fast. Or, in a fast
changing world, it adds to the constraints, one is already in.
Therefore, the race needs to undergo a planned overhaul at certain
intervals and shed much of the stored responses, such that human
nature always is in sync with the current realities.
I
find it rather amusing that we haven’t thought about this earlier.
By now we know. Unlike other forms of life, humans have to inculcate
and develop necessary routines, patterns and other requirements, and
changes in habits, for the very need of staying alive. But why is
that, here we overlooked the need to do away with the old ones? When
we know that clearing the unwanted or the excess is an essential need
to maintain the health of machines, or of the domesticated animals,
why didn’t we institute in our life, a regime to discard old and
unwanted experiences. Which will result in a lifestyle that shall
also release mankind from the influence of the past?
I
think we are just following whatever we have come to observe among
other forms of life. But all the elements that are unique to humans
have so far not received the attention it deserves. Therefore, the
current understanding of human nature is grossly inadequate, to say
the least. Though many of the behavioral patterns we proudly brandish
may happen to be helpful to us, it is limited to functions and
activities we share with other forms of life. (Even then, one cannot
be sure that there isn’t a better way, unless one makes an attempt
to find one!)
Human
race needs to go back to the plotting table, and come up with fresh
ideas about how to live, and originate human nature.
