Humanity

[lunamoth]

What is humanity? Is there any quality or set of qualities which define us as human, apart from the obvious physiological traits that differentiate us from other animals?

Imagine you live in a city under siege, no supplies in, no help on the way. Food has long run out, disease is rampant, sanitation abominable. Are there choices one can make in such a situation that preserve 'humanity,' or not?

 

[sojourner]

"Drink the wine, eat the dogs, and use the paper for wadding."

 

[sojourner]

A quote from "The Patriot." But seriously, it's nice to be nice when it's possible. It's very hard to be nice when the chips are down. If we remember Jesus' teachings about servitude and selfless giving, we can come closer to humanity and higher human behavior when the chips are down.

 

[Willamena]

What is humanity? Is there any quality or set of qualities which define us as human, apart from the obvious physiological traits that differentiate us from other animals?

Imagine you live in a city under siege, no supplies in, no help on the way. Food has long run out, disease is rampant, sanitation abominable. Are there choices one can make in such a situation that preserve 'humanity,' or not?

Good questions. To me, "human" means the capacity to shape the world in idea, word and deed (e.g. my cat does this, and so displays human qualities).

Humanity is preserved by consciously being --by all those being conscious. Without those, there is nothing to preserve but artifacts.

 

[Charity]

Preparation and planning are a good start. Always keeping a surplus of food on hand, would be an excellent start....A generator for your own home and lots of matches or lighters to burn the garbage. Keeping a box of medicines and bandages might be a good idea....If this is a local happening hang on until help arrives, if it is a national event, death will probably be eminent. The end of humanity I guess :sad4:
I really don't want to be a pessimist, but it sort of looks like the cards would be stacked against us.....

 

[lunamoth]

I really don't want to be a pessimist, but it sort of looks like the cards would be stacked against us.....

But remember, there's humanity outside the gates of the city. Or is there?

 

[lunamoth]

So, inside the city under seige, a group has formed and armed itself, and is taking anything it can get for food from anyone who has any.

Do you join the group?

What do you do?

Does it make a difference as far as 'humanity' is concerned?

 

[sandandfoam]

Viktor Frankl said that what he regarded as the most human of human phenomena is the "will to meaning".
He survived a situation worse than the one you describe - he survived Internment in Auschwitz.

 

[lunamoth]

Viktor Frankl said that what he regarded as the most human of human phenomena is the "will to meaning".
He survived a situation worse than the one you describe - he survived Internment in Auschwitz.

I would really like to read some Viktor Frankl soon. What title do you recommend?

Can you apply his experience to the above situation?

 

[sandandfoam]

I would really like to read some Viktor Frankl soon. What title do you recommend?

Can you apply his experience to the above situation?

'Recollections' is my favourite. But you have to read 'Man's search for Meaning' too.

 

[lunamoth]

'Recollections' is my favourite. But you have to read 'Man's search for Meaning' too.

Thank you. I'll look those up next trip to the library.

So, do you think the best thing to do in the seige situation would be nothing?

 

[Runlikethewind]

I beleive that in situations such as the one described humanity is often saved by the few. You get a few good people in that city under siege who refuse to give into resorting to any measures to stay alive, who do the best the can to remain moral and decent and help out the struggling people in the city and it is their stories that survive and that we tell years later. Its like the guy at Auschwitz who retains his humanity that we talk about years later. The ones who turn into animals are forgoten. I think its something along those lines. If I where in that city I would do my best to remain moral and as truly human in the best sense of the word that I could. And if I ended up being killed by some roving mob out for food then I would only hope that my story would survive to enlighten future generations.

 

[Popeyesays]

Read Dies the Fire, by S. M. Stirling, a brilliant SF novel where suddenly electricity stops working, so to for gunpowder and other explosives, cars won't run, planes glide down from the sky when their engines shut down. It well shows how fragile modern society is.

Regards,
Scott

 

[oldcajun]

What is humanity? Is there any quality or set of qualities which define us as human, apart from the obvious physiological traits that differentiate us from other animals?

Imagine you live in a city under siege, no supplies in, no help on the way. Food has long run out, disease is rampant, sanitation abominable. Are there choices one can make in such a situation that preserve 'humanity,' or not?

The concept of good and evil is a human thing.

I've always kept emergency supplies for my family. Of course, that means nothing if you can't physically defend your family and supplies from those that did not prepare.

 

[Sunstone]

The concept of good and evil is a human thing.

Let me get this straight. You want to define us by our failures? OK. Well, in addition to the failed concept of good and evil, we also created the failed concept of a flat earth.

 

[lunamoth]

Well, in addition to the failed concept of good and evil, we also created the failed concept of a flat earth.

What do you mean Sunstone?

 

[Sunstone]

What do you mean Sunstone?

Good and Evil seem to me to be primitive concepts. I see them as something suited to children under the age of 13. I mean that quite seriously. It is a fact known to developmental psychologists that children are unable to grasp much in the way of moral complexity before the age of 13 or so. Hence, children younger than that tend to think of things as either good or evil. That is, they think dichotomously. Part of what it means to be a functional adult is to have matured beyond that sort of narrow, black and white thinking.

In a way, thinking of things as either good or evil is analogous to thinking of the earth as flat. The earth looks flat. Hence, the first notion we might have of the earth is that it is what it appears to be -- flat. But as we grow up and gain knowledge and experience, we come to understand that the notion the earth is flat is far too simplistic to be true.

So, too, as we grow up -- as our brains develop and form -- we outgrow the notion that things are either good or evil.

 

[Tau]

What is humanity? Is there any quality or set of qualities which define us as human, apart from the obvious physiological traits that differentiate us from other animals?

Imagine you live in a city under siege, no supplies in, no help on the way. Food has long run out, disease is rampant, sanitation abominable. Are there choices one can make in such a situation that preserve 'humanity,' or not?

Humanity in the strictest sense refers to the collective species of homo sapiens sapiens.

What seperates humans from other animals are the social contracts unique to humans, but they are often thrown out of the window when people are scrabbling for survival, baser instincts take control.
Not in all cases of course, for some the consideration for others still outweighs their own personal concerns for safety/survival, these people are labelled 'heroes' and are seemingly few in number.

 

[Tau]

The concept of good and evil is a human thing.

I've always kept emergency supplies for my family. Of course, that means nothing if you can't physically defend your family and supplies from those that did not prepare.

Which is why everyone should always be prepared.

 

[lunamoth]

So, too, as we grow up -- as our brains develop and form -- we outgrow the notion that things are either good or evil.

Should right and wrong also be thrown on the dust pile, or are they still OK?