Is the human species inherently Barbaric, how is it we can change from a caring people to a murderous hoard?

Question

Example: In the former Yogoslavia, other than minor arguements, as a whole they got along before the 1990s.
After the break up, "well" we all know what happened then!
If you don't you need too!

Please save your history lessons for the political page, Yogoslavia is just a simple example of how fast the tide can turn!

Answer 1

Your question assumes that we were ever a caring people. It's not a safe assumption.

Much more likely, we have been butchering anyone other than "us" (however you define "us") ever since we first learned to throw a rock. The only exceptions would have to be when we were united against a common enemy, or when we were so brutally oppressed that we could barely venture out of our homes, let alone kill anyone.

Answer 2

Well, Yugoslavia isn't a good example of this. The only reason people didn't kill each other then was because it was ruled by a very strong-willed communist dictator. When he died and communism fell, all the different ethnic groups started declaring independence and all the hate that had been kept under the surface came out.

A good example of what you're saying would be a suicide bomber. Profiles of these people show that they are normal people, many with families, good jobs, and education. They just got caught up with these authority figures that they respected and trusted and believed, and were encouraged to do what they did. The same is true for Nazism in Germany during the 30's and 40's.

An experiment done in the 50's I believe is also a good example of this. Experimenters asked a subject to sit down infront of a machine that would deliver controlled electrical shocks to another subject in another room. The subject infront of the machine would ask a series of questions and if the other subject got the answer wrong he would have to shock him with increasing intensity for every wrong answer. It got to a point where the shocks the initial subject was delivering were strong enough to hurt or kill the 2nd subject, and when the first subject asked if he could stop, he was told by the experimenters (the authority figures) to continue. And he did until he was told to stop. In reality, the shocks weren't real and the other subject was just acting, but it proves that under the right circumstances a normal, peaceful human being can do some very bad things.

Answer 3

The human species is basically an animal, with animal survival instincts. It takes the development of a society to refine that instinct into including the survival of the family, the tribe, the community, etc.

So, to answer your first question: We already have made that change. We just have to make that change more inclusive, to include survival of the nation, the region, the planet.

I find it interesting that you characterize Yugoslavia's past as having nothing other than "minor arguments." There are a lot of dead WWII veterans that might have wished to argue the point. And, oh! Didn't WWI start in Sarejevo?

European history goes back a little more than the fifteen years of your existance.

Answer 4

Yes, the human race is naturally barbaric. In early human days, this barbarism helped us to flourish. With that said, social evolution teaches us this is not always the best way to go. Us, as animals, fight this barbarism feeling ever day; they way other animals don't. But similarly when other animals can't breed or eat in the territories they are residing in, they will go and try to "take-over" others territories--Just like humans. In Yugoslavia, before the break -up, it had become over-crowded, short-age of food and water, etc. They ended up exterminating people, or basically, they de-populated. This, although a grave atrocity, is basic animal behavior.

Answer 5

We are inherently sinful and we cannot change ourselves.
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to God the Father unless He comes by Me". It is God who changes us through belief in Jesus Christ. The two great commandments to man are to Love God with all our heart and strength and mind and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
You just can't have one without the other.

Answer 6

As a general rule (with exceptions), men are more want power without compromise and are not very good diplomats, preferring violence as a means to resolve disputes, while women are more nurturing and willing to resolve disputes through rational thought processes and compromise.

Before I get jumped here, read again above... WITH EXCEPTIONS.

Answer 7

we have become an uncaring society. as society advances so does the uncaring for our fellow brothers and sisters. to many have become lazy and only out for number one, ourselves. we must love our fellow human beings and care for all. God's love is the way back from all this hatred and dishonor. his love could change the world if the world would only accept him and his love.
blessed be

Answer 8

Since the beginning of time to the present, aeons of wars,conquest,indocrination,sexes,differences, philosophy's,colonization,genocides, racial,religions,stereotypes,superiority. led a caring and unique human types to self destruction.

Answer 9

You are correct in that we are capable of incredible acts of kindness and grace as well as horrendous acts of cruelty and injustice.

What we are can be summed up as this. We are, in all things, amazingly passionate.

It is our passions that are our great strengths and our great weaknesses.

Answer 10

we like to fight it is how humans got to the top of the food chain.