Civilization and Human Nature

The human animal in its natural state has the capacity for both good and evil acts, choices primarily dictated by survival. With no interest other than self-interest at stake, humans in their natural state are not constrained by the boundaries of the social contract. When human beings form a society or civilized existence, the social contract typically exists to protect the interests of all over the interests of the few, thereby limiting self-interested acts. Some argue that civilization reflects an essential goodness on the part of human beings by the fact that its very formation is for the collective good of its inhabitants. Others argue that civilization is necessary to control the natural tendency of human beings toward destructive behavior.

Frans De Waal maintains human beings are capable of exhibiting altruism and kindness without external constraints and disconnected from genetics as the cause in "The Ape and the Sushi Master." In contrast, Malcolm Gladwell argues that human beings are greatly shaped by social constraints that are required to control negative impulses in human behavior in "The Power of Context." After reviewing these two texts, it is clear that while civilization does undermine the more negative impulses in human nature, civilization itself is an example of the essential goodness or kindness of human beings.

There is no denying that civilized society serves as a mechanism to control the more negative aspects of human b

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rent that he argues controlling context through greater enforcement efforts was critical in eliminating the crime wave. However, by citing the efforts of those involved in leading the reduction of crime, he is actually showing the essential goodness in human beings. New York City Police Department head William Bratton selflessly devoted himself to cracking down on small crimes to send the message "more serious crimes" would not be tolerated are a sign of the extension of goodness to others (Gladwell 184). If it were not for people who are essentially good, there would be no efforts to protect others from crime in civilized society. In contrast, De Waal maintains that humans inherently have an essential kindness or goodness they extend toward others that develop or evolved in a social context but is now distinct from those factors that shaped it. De Waal (685) argues scientists often explain altruism as "short-sighted selfishness" because it is genetically dictated, but the author maintains "genes have no self" and cannot possible be "selfish." In this manner, the acts of kindness and altruism extended to others in civilized society are an essential component of human goodness that persists, despite its distance from the forc

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