Will humanity ever be able to overcome that tribalistic instinct of "us vs. them?"
The way I see it that instinct is the cause behind so much suffering and injustice in the world.
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The way I see it that instinct is the cause behind so much suffering and injustice in the world.
All the Great Apes (probably, definitely), including us, have an instinct and built in skill at identifying snakes.
Researchers did experiments with both humans and other apes where they were shown progressively less obscured images of different predators and without fault we and our relatives were able to identify the snakes faster than any other creature.
This means that the instinct to find, and kill snakes goes back millions of years. Yet now when I encounter a snake my instinct is to move it to a safer spot so it doesn't get hurt or hurt me.
I think that if we can get over such a deep rooted instinct, we can get over the 'Us Vs Them' instinct too.
Wow, good argument. But did you really overcome the instinctual fear for snakes, or do you winch first, before rational takes over to tell you to move the snake to a safer place?
If wincing is all that happens before treating others with respect and rationality, then I'd call that a success.
Touché
When I see a snake my first instinct is to try to touch it. We don't have them in my country, so it feels like meeting a magical creature.
Man I already posted it in my own comment in this thread, but you should read the lyrics to this song from rapper Eyedea of Eyedea & Abilities. Dude joined the 27 club over a decade ago, such a bummer.
But the vast majority of people don't.