Essay Database

Human Nature and Socialism Isn't socialism contrary to human nature? Aren't people inherently selfish? To my mind socialism is more in line with human nature than capitalism. Part of our human nature is the possession of needs that can only be met through cooperation and reciprocal relations with others. These include both emotional needs and the need to self-actualize or achieve. So 'enlightened selfishness' requires cooperation and mutual regard. Capitalism generates dog eat dog behavior. …

…of human nature but rather something neurotic and self-destructive. The same goes for the complementary desire of some people to be treated as doormats. Such disordered behavior is fostered by capitalism. Firstly there is the direct effect of the dog-eat-dog workings of the system and the alienated nature of labor. Then there is the indirect effect through the impact of other people's neurotic behavior, particularly that of parents, who have been deformed by the system.