Defying Human Nature

By Julie A. Ferraro | FāVS News Columnist

For many, many years, I’ve had a problem with the term “human nature.”

What bothers me most is how — depending on who’s speaking or writing – the concept is used as a justification or an excuse for certain behavior. “It’s just human nature to [fill in the blank].”

What is human nature, exactly? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary offers this definition: “The fundamental dispositions and traits of humans.”

That’s … kind of vague.

If we look at animals, for instance — including mammals, fish, lizards, birds and insects — their inherent traits are to find shelter, food and water. They survive by procreating, protecting their mate and offspring by marking territory and defending themselves against predators.

Human beings can be observed as sharing many of those same traits. Our brains, of course, transcend mere animal instincts because of our evolved intellect: the ability to reason, to calculate, to create art in its various forms and to innovate. We are gifted with talents, the capacity to learn more than just rote responses to repeated conditioning and to acquire the wisdom of experience.

In my recent dive down a rather philosophical rabbit hole, though, I’ve realized that “human nature” is often blamed for our species’ more unsavory performance. Allowing anger to fuel our response to opposition, for instance. If someone, or a group, does not agree with the viewpoint or beliefs of others, wars have been waged throughout history to quash or eliminate those segments of society. 

The wholesale treatment of women by some factions as “inferior” can be attributed to the idea of human nature. The presumption that certain races are “uncivilized” and must be inculturated to conform with the majority or how those who prefer to live honestly with themselves, or choose a simpler form of life without amassing wealth and power are marginalized, has robbed humanity of so many facets of our uniqueness!

The list of horrific tragedies attributed to human nature is practically endless: ethnic cleansing, genocide, deportation of immigrants as “undesirable,” inadequate treatment of those with disabilities — when, in actuality, the impetus for such disgusting decisions lies more with the animal than the human, or just plain greed on a massive scale.

Legislation providing common sense gun control is defeated by public officials time and again due to the claim, “It’s human nature to defend yourself against attack.” If, however, the proponents of this ideal stopped to really think in an intelligent and reasonable fashion — rather than taking money from the corporations who profit from unbridled human aggression — they’d realize violence begets violence, and that chain reaction must be stopped.

Just as the cycle of physical, emotional and sexual abuse of children and the vulnerable, another historical legacy, must end. It is not human nature for an adult to victimize a youngster on any level. What that innocent takes away from the experience is soul-crushing agony that lives in a corner of the mind through the years, and colors how he or she then treats their own offspring. 

It is human nature to think before we act, and to take responsibility for those actions, not merely lash out on instinct or do what feels good in the moment. Too many human beings have never learned how to properly deal with life’s challenges, or have been devastated by deep-seated wounds to their self-esteem, being branded “unworthy” of the love and respect due to every creature on the planet.

That’s not what God intended when the spark of humanity was lit within us. The “fundamental dispositions and traits” with which we have been endowed — and which we should share with others on a daily basis — are love, kindness, understanding and a sensitivity that allows every individual to fulfill their potential without interference or judgment.