Friday, January 14, 2011
The Hobbian Way of Life (Otherwise known as the right way)
Ladies and gentlemen, I am sad to say that our journey together is coming to an end. I believe that this is a perfect ending point because I have thouroughly expressed my ideas on human nature, the Sundanse Boys, and our government. Even though I have shared my thoughts with you, it most likley we will not change our human nature and will keep on living life like we do today. We will all still be greedy and selfish, the only thing that is different is that you will now be aware of it. If you still think that humans can be altruistic then you have been seriously mislead at some point during your life, and do not understand what I have been saying. Overall, I hope that you have learned something new about how humans really act, when they are not masking up their true emotions. Thanks for following my blog!
Sincerely,
Sincerely,
Thomas Hobbes
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Favorite TV Shows/Movies
To watch and episode click here: House Recently, I have discovered the TV show House. I have realized over the last couple of nights that I have been watching it, that our philosophies are very similar, in that, he doesn't think that people do things just out of the goodness of their heart; it will always benefit them in some way.
Movies are never completely realistic. They always stretch the truth to some degree. For example in Bruce Almighty, Bruce ends up being unselfish, and a loving caring guy. Movies always have happy endings, but this doesn't always happen in the real world. Instead of people changing from selfish to altruistic like they do in movies, they just stay selfish. Its just the way human nature is unfortunately.
Understanding
Philosophies of leadership are determined by beliefs about human nature.
This famous quote demonstrates the idea that the way that humans act, determines how they should be lead, and what type of leader they need. Because of ones human nature (selfishness and greed), we need a stronger type of government that has more order built in, because the more faith that the government has in the citizens, the less order and structure the government needs. For example, there are two groups of teenagers. One, who enjoy school, and learning, and the other, who barley come to school at all. This would obviously change the way that they were taught. With the first group, the teacher could be more relaxed and easy going, but with that second group of students, the teacher would have to be more strict and set up a firm system of rules. Different types of leaders believe different types of philosophies, which affects how they lead. I, believe that human's are self centered, so I think that our type of government should be a dictatorship, because with out this type of government, there would be no order and everybody would become savages.
If you believe that all students are like the students on the top, you would teach differently than if you believed that all students were like the students on the right.
The governed have a responsibility for their governance.
This quote portrays the message that the citizens of a country (otherwise known as us) have a responsibility for the type of government that we have. For example, the citizens of the United States have a responsibility for what kinds of laws are passed, who they elect for president etc. I don't think that we should have democracies, because this gives the governed too much power, and I think that one party should get absolute power. Because of the belief that humans are selfish and greedy, the government (which in my opinion should be a dictatorship) isn't likely to give any rights to the citizens, so the citizens mask their true identity by appearing altruistic. The governments around the world should be aware of this and make sure that they aren't fooled, because that will get them into a lot of trouble.
An example of this quote is that citizens should be educated on what is going on in their country (for example, reading the newspaper, such as the guy on the left),so they know that the government is being honest with them, and not trying to trick them into believing false information.
Human Nature does not determine our actions; it inclines us towards certain actions.
Our human nature pushes us one way, to be good or bad, but it doesn't necessarily mean that we will go that way, we can always change our path. Immediately when I think of this quote, I think of a road, with the directions of human nature. Everybody in the world has a goal that you want to reach, and the same is true when you are on the road. Your human nature pushes you a certain way, but you can always switch roads. There is always a shorter way to get to your destination and because of our selfish nature, we will always take it, even if it harms others. However, even though we are all greedy, we cover up our true emotions because we want people to think we are the opposite. This allows us to get what we want faster. There are so many different paths to choose from, but you will never see people choose one that will only benefit others. It is a shame, but that is just how life is, and nothing can change it.
This famous quote demonstrates the idea that the way that humans act, determines how they should be lead, and what type of leader they need. Because of ones human nature (selfishness and greed), we need a stronger type of government that has more order built in, because the more faith that the government has in the citizens, the less order and structure the government needs. For example, there are two groups of teenagers. One, who enjoy school, and learning, and the other, who barley come to school at all. This would obviously change the way that they were taught. With the first group, the teacher could be more relaxed and easy going, but with that second group of students, the teacher would have to be more strict and set up a firm system of rules. Different types of leaders believe different types of philosophies, which affects how they lead. I, believe that human's are self centered, so I think that our type of government should be a dictatorship, because with out this type of government, there would be no order and everybody would become savages.
If you believe that all students are like the students on the top, you would teach differently than if you believed that all students were like the students on the right.
The governed have a responsibility for their governance.
This quote portrays the message that the citizens of a country (otherwise known as us) have a responsibility for the type of government that we have. For example, the citizens of the United States have a responsibility for what kinds of laws are passed, who they elect for president etc. I don't think that we should have democracies, because this gives the governed too much power, and I think that one party should get absolute power. Because of the belief that humans are selfish and greedy, the government (which in my opinion should be a dictatorship) isn't likely to give any rights to the citizens, so the citizens mask their true identity by appearing altruistic. The governments around the world should be aware of this and make sure that they aren't fooled, because that will get them into a lot of trouble.
Human Nature does not determine our actions; it inclines us towards certain actions.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Lord of the Flies
Personally, I think that the end to the Lord of the Flies was one of the worst endings that I have ever read. It was completley unrealistic! One minute, Jack is chasing Ralph around the island trying to kill him, and the next, they are getting rescued and everything is okay. It was interesting how at almost the exact time that Jack was going to kill Ralph, the adults showed up and saved him. This could relate to my philosphy about government. When two parties are having an argument, a third party should show up and intervene. Ralph and Jack would be considered the two parties here and the third party would obviously be the adults, because they come and demand all of the power, and from this point on in the story, they control all of it as well. In my opinion this is what should've happened: Jack and his warriors were chasing Ralph throughout the woods, trying to capture him, so that they could kill Ralph to gain all of the power. Jack sets part of the island on fire, trying to surround Ralph, but the fire spreads too quickly for them, and the whole island ends up on fire. Finally, with help from the fire and his men, Jack is able to corner Ralph. They talk a little bit, and discuss power, and eventually Ralph gives in and says that he will help Jack and be on his side, because he is trying to save himself (every action people take is to benefit themselves of course), but in Jack's mind, it is too late for this. He thinks that if he lets Ralph go now, Ralph will eventually gain all of the power back, and he doesn't want this to happen. Jack takes his spear, and stabs him. Eventually, Ralph falls still and you know that he is dead. Because of Jack and Ralph's human nature (selfishness and greed), Ralph, Piggy and Simon are all dead now. In my opinion, this is how the story should have played out. The ending that it has in reality, is much too happy for this type of book.
In The Lord of the Flies, the boys demonstrate that without a civil construct, human nature is inherently evil.
The story of the Sundaneses boys' was truly amazing. It was incredible that they could survive all that time, not knowing when they would next eat, or if the people standing next to them would be alive in the next week. Although, even though it seemed like throughout their long walk they were protecting each other and were becoming selfless, they would still put the well-being of themselves before the well-being of the others. It is human nature to do that, and nothing can change that. For example, when they were crossing the river, they didn't try to stay behind to help the others. They just tried to get across as fast as they possibly could so that they wouldn't get eaten by the alligators. They watched people die, but none of boys that survived and were safely across, tried to save them. They might have wanted to, but because they put their own lives first, they didn't. Everybody who has heard of these boy's experience believes that they learned to care so much about each other that they would do anything for them. Nobody really sees what happened here. These boys cared about each other because they wanted to survive. If they had all decided to go off on their own, not one of them would be alive today. I still strongly conclude that no experience that we have will change our human nature of selfishness, not even this astounding journey.
In The Lord of the Flies, the boys demonstrate that without a civil construct, human nature is inherently evil.
The story of the Sundaneses boys' was truly amazing. It was incredible that they could survive all that time, not knowing when they would next eat, or if the people standing next to them would be alive in the next week. Although, even though it seemed like throughout their long walk they were protecting each other and were becoming selfless, they would still put the well-being of themselves before the well-being of the others. It is human nature to do that, and nothing can change that. For example, when they were crossing the river, they didn't try to stay behind to help the others. They just tried to get across as fast as they possibly could so that they wouldn't get eaten by the alligators. They watched people die, but none of boys that survived and were safely across, tried to save them. They might have wanted to, but because they put their own lives first, they didn't. Everybody who has heard of these boy's experience believes that they learned to care so much about each other that they would do anything for them. Nobody really sees what happened here. These boys cared about each other because they wanted to survive. If they had all decided to go off on their own, not one of them would be alive today. I still strongly conclude that no experience that we have will change our human nature of selfishness, not even this astounding journey.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
The condition of man... is a condition of war of everyone against everyone.
My name is Thomas Hobbes, and I am an English philosopher. I have come to the conclusion based on my research, that humans care only about oneself, and will do anything to protect themselves. I believe that every action that we take will always benefit us in some way, even if it is very small. We may think that we have friends who are on our sides, who will protect us, but this is a lie. Every man is for themselves in our world. When we begin our lives we have nothing. No property, no laws, and no morality. I believe that this should be the state of nature. However, I do consider there to be one natural right - the right to protect oneself using any means at one's disposal, including violence and slaughter. Of course this philosophy of mine influences the government that I see fit for our country. I feel that if two parties are having a difficult time coming to an agreement, that a third party should be involved, and should be given all of the first two parties power and with that power, make a decision. This third party has to promise not to abuse this power. This is my social contract. I realize however, that this third party will most likely abuse this power, which would eventually lead to a dictatorship, but I still trust that this type of government would be better than an anarchy. Overall, in my opinion, mankind is greedy and selfish, and not one person is an exception to this. The resources in our world are becoming scarce, and every human will do whatever they possibly can to survive. My most important point to you, is that people don't care about anybody but themselves, and we will do anything to become the best.
This selfishness can be traced through all stages of a humans life. As young kids, we see this quality in our parents, uncles, teachers etc, and it makes us think that this is how we should act as well, so we do. For example, in high school, you see acts of selfishness everywhere that you look, even on the basketball court. There are kids on the team that every chance they get, they will drive to the hoop, or shoot, even if they could have passed it off to get a better look. They do these things to make themselves look good. This player is doing this to help only themselves, and because of this, their team will suffer. This is only one example of selfishness that goes on during high school years.
As time goes on, you will enter college. Here, the competition to be the best is stronger than it was in high school, so one will become more selfish, to succeed. For example, at the University of Michigan, a graduate student named Postdoc Vipul Bhrigu worked in a lab. He sabotaged the work of Heather Ames, a graduate student who was working in his lab, in order to get ahead of her. Before this had happened, his professor had made it clear to him that he wasn't progressing as fast as he should be, so he ruined her work to make him look better. As I said in my first paragraph, humans will do whatever they possibly can to become the best. In this case, he ruined the work of another. Eventually, they did catch him, by looking through security tapes in the lab.
If you would like to read this entire article, here is the link.
http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100929/full/467516a.html
This self-interest can can be seen throughout college and into your adult life as well. An obvious example known throughout the world is the tolerance of Jewish persecution during World War II. Many "regular" people looked the other way when the Jews were mistreated and even killed during Hitler's reign in Germany. They did this because they wanted to survive. As I said before, humans only have one natural right, which is the right to protect oneself using any means at one's disposal, including violence and slaughter. This exactly what they did. They killed millions because they wanted to survive. Those innocent people didn't do anything wrong, yet nobody dared to protect them, because they wanted to protect themselves instead. Some people even helped to murder these people, so that they wouldn't die.
I am not saying that I like how humans are selfish, and greedy. I am just saying that that is how we are.
This selfishness can be traced through all stages of a humans life. As young kids, we see this quality in our parents, uncles, teachers etc, and it makes us think that this is how we should act as well, so we do. For example, in high school, you see acts of selfishness everywhere that you look, even on the basketball court. There are kids on the team that every chance they get, they will drive to the hoop, or shoot, even if they could have passed it off to get a better look. They do these things to make themselves look good. This player is doing this to help only themselves, and because of this, their team will suffer. This is only one example of selfishness that goes on during high school years.
As time goes on, you will enter college. Here, the competition to be the best is stronger than it was in high school, so one will become more selfish, to succeed. For example, at the University of Michigan, a graduate student named Postdoc Vipul Bhrigu worked in a lab. He sabotaged the work of Heather Ames, a graduate student who was working in his lab, in order to get ahead of her. Before this had happened, his professor had made it clear to him that he wasn't progressing as fast as he should be, so he ruined her work to make him look better. As I said in my first paragraph, humans will do whatever they possibly can to become the best. In this case, he ruined the work of another. Eventually, they did catch him, by looking through security tapes in the lab.
If you would like to read this entire article, here is the link.
http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100929/full/467516a.html
This self-interest can can be seen throughout college and into your adult life as well. An obvious example known throughout the world is the tolerance of Jewish persecution during World War II. Many "regular" people looked the other way when the Jews were mistreated and even killed during Hitler's reign in Germany. They did this because they wanted to survive. As I said before, humans only have one natural right, which is the right to protect oneself using any means at one's disposal, including violence and slaughter. This exactly what they did. They killed millions because they wanted to survive. Those innocent people didn't do anything wrong, yet nobody dared to protect them, because they wanted to protect themselves instead. Some people even helped to murder these people, so that they wouldn't die.
I am not saying that I like how humans are selfish, and greedy. I am just saying that that is how we are.
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