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A Cruel Paradox: Decoding Humanity’s Inherent Tendency Towards Meanness
In the grand cosmic theatre, our human saga unfolds, brimming with moments that oscillate between the sublime and the lamentable. And in this perpetual performance, a baffling paradox persists: why, given our capacity for love, compassion, and empathy, do we often default to meanness?
The world, a reflection of our collective psyche, paints a picture that is at times profoundly unsettling. From the schoolyard bully to the internet troll, from the spiteful colleague to the callous world leader, cruelty appears to be an enduring theme in our human narrative.
As a pessimistic philosopher, I find solace in dissecting discomforting truths, and this inquiry is no exception. The insidious question lingers: Why are we inherently mean to each other?
The exploration of our cruelty necessitates a journey into the primitive corridors of our psyche. Here, meanness is not just a random whim but a product of our evolutionary heritage. Survival has always been a fierce competition, and our ancestors learned early on that those who dominate often survive. Thus, our capacity for meanness may be an unpleasant relic from a time when cruelty could equate to survival.
