Understand Human Nature
Five hundred years ago, philosophers and scientists were sure Earth was stationary and at the center of the universe. In 1543, Copernicus challenged their world view. Rather than consider the evidence, the leading thinkers and teachers of the world ridiculed his work, calling it heretical. It took almost 100 years before they would accept that Earth was just another planet rotating around the sun.
This snapshot in history reveals an unpleasant though inescapable truth. Although the privileged, intelligent, and educated are typically responsible for advancing the sciences, sometimes the experts get it wrong. When they do, they tend to hinder progress (often for long periods) by discouraging those who would dare to challenge the accepted view.
If history has taught us anything, it should be that other truths are waiting to be discovered. They have been overlooked largely because false assumptions interfere with the process of investigation and analysis. If we are to uncover these truths, we must be willing to reconsider accepted beliefs — even those cherished and long held. After all, if there is anything we have learned for sure, it's that some things of which we are certain are surely wrong.
One premise that warrants questioning is of enormous importance; it is our understanding of human nature. If the accepted view were correct, the trillions of dollars spent on our social problems should have solved them long ago. The reverse is also true. If we have been applying the wrong view of human nature when making public policy and constructing social programs, we should expect public policies to be ineffective and social programs to fail.
The following analysis is the most important on this website. It is the key to saving America. Although a bit lengthy, it is the centerpiece of the Patriot Party.
After more than seventy years of trial and error, the evidence is in. Despite spending trillions of dollars on America's social problems, we have yet to solve even one. In fact, every negative condition has worsened. Following the logic, society's wholesale failure in resolving our nation's problems indicates that the prevailing view of human nature must be wrong.
Five hundred years ago, the experts were divide over the relationship between the Sun and Earth. The establishment believed Earth was a fixed object at the center of the universe. Those that dared to consider the evidence knew otherwise. They knew that Earth was moving. It was rotating around the sun just as were the other planets.
If we were among the new thinkers of that time, we might have asked, "Is Earth stationary, or does it move around the sun?" Similarly, we can test our understanding of human nature by asking the right question.
Are human beings predisposed to seek greater heights,
or simply become comfortable?
Our question identifies and contrasts two opposing views of human nature. It is our general nature to self-elevate and seek a higher level (one befitting a human being), or it is our general nature to do only what is necessary to resolve our discomfort.
Like the choice between a stationary or moving Earth, only one view of human nature can be correct. Like discovering that Earth is not at the center of the universe, we are about to discover the view of human nature that is wrong. Like discovering that Earth revolves around the sun, we are about to learn the correct view of human nature.
Imagine attempting to construct a high-rise building while applying the formula 1+1=3, and then hoping it will be strong enough to stand long into the future. Similarly, nothing could be more important to us individually and collectively than determining the true nature of human beings. Our view of human nature affects everything we say and do. As a civilization, we simply cannot (and will not) survive long term embracing the wrong view of human nature.
The two views of human nature are not variations on a common theme. On the contrary, they are as opposite as the difference between up and down, east and west, and flat or round. We can better compare the two views of human nature and demonstrate their ramifications by imagining that each view is printed in a book, and that we are holding one book (one view of human nature) in each hand.
The view of human nature in our left hand
The book in our left hand claims that human beings are born with an "elevated essence." This elevated essence causes human beings to be predisposed to rise above the animals and perform as civilized beings.
An opposable thumb, walking upright, a sophisticated language, an expanded consciousness, and the abilities to feel love and compassion, to choose right from wrong, and to contemplate the future free us from being slaves to our animalistic tendencies.
According to this view of human nature, because we are not bound to our animalistic tendencies, the essence of human beings is not "animalistic" like the animals, but rather "human," an elevated essence. The evidence of this is demonstrated by our many inventions and accomplishments in the areas of art, music, movies, medicine, technology, games, puzzles, mathematics, our mastery of the sciences, and all the other traits and characteristics unique to our species.
Implications
Our elevated essence (called "human") affects us much like a spring. Because of the spring-like characteristic intrinsic to human nature, we are predisposed to "spring up" and perform at a higher level. If we don't spring up, it must be because we have been hindered by one or more "negative social influences." These negative influences explain why some people do not rise up and perform as expected. Hindrances — such as bad parenting, deficient education, drugs, poverty, and wayward friends — weigh us down as if we were carrying heavy luggage. The weight from enough social hindrances eventually counteracts the natural spring-like characteristic of human nature.
The accumulated hindrances weigh on us, continuously pushing us downward. These social pressures compress the "spring" within us, suppressing our will and spirit until we find ourselves at the level of the animals. At our lowest level, our essence changes from "human" to "animalistic," causing us to behave and perform poorly.
Essentially, the view of human nature printed in the book held in our left hand attributes bad and unproductive behavior to the unfortunate and sometimes overwhelming circumstances and conditions that corrupt an otherwise elevated being. According to this view of human nature, failure is not the fault of the individual, but rather negative social forces and influences.
The view of human nature in our right hand
The book in our right hand claims that human beings are not born with an elevated essence. Instead, the natural essence of human beings is "animalistic," just like the "lower" animals.
Despite our opposable thumb, our ability to walk upright, the development of a sophisticated language, an expanded consciousness, and our abilities to feel love and compassion, to choose right from wrong, and to contemplate the future, our natural tendencies and inspirations affect us the same way they do every other animal species. Our many impressive achievements and demonstrations of culture and technology only disguise our similarity to the animals with regard to essence.
According to the view of human nature in our right hand, human nature is not like a spring in which we are predisposed to rise up to greater heights. Instead, human nature acts on us more like gravity in which we are only inspired to seek the fastest way to resolve our discomfort. Just as gravity pulls objects downward to their lowest level, human nature predisposes us to do only what is necessary to become comfortable, just like the animals.
This doesn't mean we aren't capable of a higher level of performance. It means only that, if we are to perform at a higher level, we must make a conscious effort to overcome the innate downward pull. If we blindly follow our natural tendencies, our essence remains "animalistic", just like the animals. We change our essence to "human" only when we consciously reject our animalistic inspirations.
Implications
This change in essence from "animalistic" to "human" is always temporary, lasting only for as long as we question our animalistic inspirations. Moreover, changing our essence to "human" is just the first step if our goal is to perform admirably (at an elevated level). To rise up and achieve a level in society befitting a human being, we must also choose empowering behavior over behavior designed solely to resolve our discomfort.
As human beings, we are capable of choosing empowering behavior because of our expanded consciousness. Our expanded consciousness serves us like a mechanical crank, enabling us to "crank" ourselves up to a performance level above the animals. It takes effort and determination to raise ourselves above our persistent animalistic ways. It does not happen automatically as it would if human nature were like a "spring."
In summary, according to this view of human nature, human beings are more like the animals than we want to believe, and the spring-like characteristic of human nature is a myth. Rather than an automatic innate "spring," we have available to us a "mechanical crank." If we do not question our animalistic inspirations (check our feelings) and then choose empowering behavior (use the crank), we will default to our natural "animalistic" state.
To change our essence from "animalistic" to "human," we simply must question our animalistic inspirations (check our feelings). To perform admirably, we must then choose empowering behavior (use the crank). See Chapter 14 in The Essence of Man for an in-depth analysis.
Labeling the two views of human nature
Although we have never before been exposed to such a clear distinction between the two opposing views of human nature, society has been wrestling with these ideas for decades. After many years of debate, the view of human nature printed in the book in our left hand has become known as the Left View. Similarly, the view of human nature printed in the book in our right hand is known today as the Right View.
To sidestep the political implications, we must work with alternative labels. The new terms should be apolitical, familiar, and reflect clearly the view of human nature that each represents. To achieve the goals of neutrality and comprehension, we have coined the term "Spring-Gravity Theory."
The foundation for the Spring-Gravity Theory was established in Volume 1 of the Humanology® series. A More Perfect Union (Volume 5 in the Humanology® series) demonstrates how applying it will resolve America's social problems.
The view of human nature described by the book held in our left hand will henceforth be referred to as Spring Theory. The term Spring Theory represents the spring-like characteristic of human nature that supposedly is automatically and continually pushing us upward, predisposing us to perform admirably.
In contrast, the view of human nature described by the book held in our right hand will henceforth be referred to as Gravity Theory. The term Gravity Theory implies that human beings are forever subjected to a continuous downward pull as we seek the fastest way to resolve our discomfort, predisposing us to perform poorly.
The figure below summarizes the two views of human nature. They are featured side-by-side for easy comparison. It should be noted that Spring Theory is synonymous with the Left View (of human nature). Likewise, Gravity Theory is synonymous with the Right View (of human nature). To help facilitate understanding, we will alternate the use of these synonymous terms.
Analogy
Imagine that every creature (human being and animal) is riding in his or her own elevator. The individual elevators are capable of up and down movement, but no electricity is available to propel them.
Both Spring Theory and Gravity Theory claim that the animals reside at ground level in the town called "Animalistic." Regardless of their size, their brainpower, or whether they are predators or prey, all animals are relegated to living in this one vast town located at ground level.
The difference between Spring Theory and Gravity Theory is only in the place where human beings are thought to reside. According to Spring Theory, human beings reside in the elevated city called "Human." The elevators of human beings are powered by a hidden intrinsic spring, forever pushing people upward. Unfortunately, the weight of negative social conditions and circumstances (like "luggage") works against the "spring" that would otherwise lift the elevators with their human occupants. With enough "luggage," the elevators of human beings can actually be pushed down from the elevated city "Human" to the lowly town "Animalistic" where the animals reside.
In contrast, according to Gravity Theory, the hidden spring does not exist and human beings are not predisposed to rise up. Instead, Gravity Theory claims that human beings are predisposed by nature to reside in the town "Animalistic" with the other animals. However, our expanded consciousness (unique to human beings) enables us to change the place where we live. The "mechanical crank" on our individual elevators is always operational. However, unlike the automatic "spring" presumed by Spring Theory, the "crank" in Gravity Theory requires effort.
If we choose to utilize our individual "crank" to achieve a higher level, we can rise up to the elevated city "Human." If we don't use the crank, our natural tendencies will cause us to slide downward until we reach "Animalistic," where we will remain and perform poorly.
Implications
The books we hold in our left and right hands predict different results when society removes social hindrances. According to Spring Theory, human beings will be predisposed to rise up and perform at a level above the animals. According to Gravity Theory, people will not rise up if they are comfortable. If human beings are comfortable, they will follow the path of least resistance to maintain their state of comfort. Only if cranking the elevator promises to resolve their discomfort will human beings do the work and use it.
Summary
The books we hold in our left and right hands describe opposing views of human nature. The view of human nature in our left hand (the Left View of human nature) is called Spring Theory. According to Spring Theory, the essence of human beings is thought to be (1) intrinsically different from the animals and (2) elevated. According to Spring Theory, the natural essence of human beings is "human" not "animalistic," making human beings an elevated species automatically, without effort.
In contrast, the view of human nature in our right hand (the Right View of human nature) is called Gravity Theory. According to Gravity Theory, the essence of human beings is identical to the "lower" animals. According to Gravity Theory, the essence of human beings will remain "animalistic" unless we do something to change it. Only when we question our animalistic tendencies do we become special, changing our essence to "human."
The change of essence to "human" is temporary, lasting only for as long as we question our animalistic tendencies. Moreover, changing our essence does not guarantee that we will perform at a higher level. In fact, changing our essence is only the first step. If we are to achieve a level in society befitting a human being, we must also choose empowering behavior. We must continuously crank our (individual) elevator if we are to perform as responsible and productive human beings.
Ultimately, the view of human nature to which we ascribe is determined by what we believe to be the natural state of human beings. According to Spring Theory, except for brief moments of weakness, human beings are thought to be in control of their inspirations (animalistic tendencies). According to Gravity Theory, unless we work hard to manage them, our inspirations will control us as they do the "lower" animals.
Conclusion
By definition, there can be only one correct view of human nature. If one view of human nature is correct, then the other view must be wrong. Because the population is divided over this issue, we can conclude that millions of people are walking around believing in a false reality. They are as wrong today about the general nature of human beings as were our ancestors about Earth being the center of the universe.
All human beings are motivated only to become comfortable. As such, the difference between those that perform admirably and those that perform poorly is only in the height of their goals. Those who self-elevate and perform admirably do so only because they are not yet satisfied. They are motivated to rise up because doing so will resolve their discomfort.
According to "Spring-Gravity Theory," the reason why some people don't rise up and seek a level befitting a human being is not because they are evil or lazy. Likewise, the reason why some people rise up and perform admirably is not because they are well-adjusted or high minded. The sole difference between those that perform poorly and those that perform admirably is in the level of their goals.
Those without goals or with minimal goals will be lazy and unproductive. Those with lofty goals will strive to achieve them, making them appear to be ambitious. Both groups of people (the lazy and the achievers) are self-serving as their primary motivation is to resolve their discomfort and become comfortable.
As such, when society establishes minimum standards of comfort, it guarantees that people without elevated goals will become dependent on society. Thus, social programs must be designed according to Gravity Theory in which they must be void of all measures of comfort, insuring only survival to those they serve. In short, the only way society can motivate those with low or modest goals to self-elevate is to insure they do not become comfortable.
Gravity Theory (the Right View of human) is correct and Spring Theory (the Left View of human nature) is wrong. The ramifications of this conclusion are enormous. Beyond explaining why America cannot resolve its social problems, we now know how to fix them. We need simply to dispel the myth that Spring Theory is correct, and then apply Gravity Theory aggressively when making social policy and constructing public programs.
Finally, there is hope for America, its citizens, and the world. That hope resides in Gravity Theory. The Patriot Party will inform the media and educate the citizenry accordingly. Moreover, if given the opportunity, Patriots will apply Gravity Theory aggressively, resolving America's social and financial problems.