Humanity has spent millennia casting shit on itself since immemorial times , especially since we learned that accumulating more things than others could give us certain advantages, even when that meant destroying those around you. Fortunately, things have always tried to change for the better, because, from time to time, some people raise their voices to point out those things that, although they are in the naked eye nobody wants to look.
Even science -our Western science and sometimes biased-sells to us the idea that man tends to individualism, selfishness, and ambition, all of this under the argument that at very early stages of our species our survival depended on this characteristic.
Important Note: Ethics (from lat. Ethĭcus, and east from Greek ἠθικός ēthikós; the form f., From late lat. Ethĭca, and east from gr. Ἠθική ēthikḗ1) is the branch of Philosophy that studies the right or wrong of human behavior, morality, virtue, duty, happiness and good living. In addition, it has as its focus human actions and those aspects of the same that relate to the good, virtue, duty, happiness and life performed. -Wikipedia
When you think about it a bit, it has a lot of logic, because we all tend to react in a selfish and individualistic way when a situation of life and death comes to us. Ok, they're right, but not all.
And what about the fact that for millions of years we live in tribes? Did not we realize that evolution is more feasible in group?. Even today, almost all the cultures that make life on the planet recognize the role of family / teamwork / collectivity in what our civilization refers to.
In spite of all this, society has molded us as beings that are not altruistic, cold, selfish ... Everyone looks at their own and others can go to hell. And the worst thing is that we see it as something normal, especially when we are talking about money.
Well, what do you think that person will do when making the right decision means losing or not making money ?. Yes, you guessed it. Absolutely everything will be worth shit and go to for what will guarantee their share of the cake.
Of course, it is people like that who dominate this world, and that is what explains that everything goes so badly. That is why 20% of the population consume 80% of the planet's resources. That explains the great inequalities in the world that we do not give a shit about. That explains everything...
I want to clarify that I do not believe in a "Perfect" world -which in itself would be boring- full of Saints who do not make a mistake, but if I believe that, in the moment of truth, in things that matter, we need to grow Much more, it is imperative to elevate our consciousness to a state in which our disaster as a species is not nearly assured.
It looks cliché and quite trite, but it is a palpable reality. Just this past month (July) was one of the hottest in history, and that does not have to do with what we have just shit on sustainable development ?, does not have to do with what it's worth a damn make the decision Correct ?. What turns out to be important is if something gives us money. In short, science is advancing at an accelerated pace, while societies seem to regress and here is the result.
Let us change, please, we urgently need collective introspection to advance to balanced altruism. Listen well -or read- BALANCED ALTRUISM!.
All images used under Creative Commons
Originally published in Spanish
My name is Efraín. I am a Venezuelan medical student and technology enthusiast. I fervently believe that we can build a better world with the help of science. I invite you to follow me, weekly I will be writing about various topics that surely may interest you..