Things to make one lose faith in humanity, ongoing

[Veritas]

On another board I'm on we're having the discussion about the decline of the human race and the degradation of the earth that keeps occurring due to our influx of technology.

 

Here is one of the links we were discussing.

 

http://au.news.yahoo.com/queensland/a/-/latest/6535110/mum-encourages-daughter-to-assault-girl/

 

[Veritas]

Oh yeah, i'll put up something for gaining faith in humanity also since the media doesn't like to show both sides of the coin that often.

[CRed05]

Yikes

[RyM3rC]

It might go a long way if we just stiffen the penalties for things like this. If she knew she would be taken out back and beaten to death, or dismembered or something, she wouldn't have done it. I'm just sayin.

[sol740]

While I will not argue that there is still much evil left in this world, even in todays relatively, scientifically-enlightened climate, to use the phrase "decline of the human race" is to ignore thousands of years of raw, and more often than not, brutal human history. We are as a global culture, more empathetic, more forgiving, more able and willing to help each other than has ever existed and that is directly related to technology, not in spite of it.

 

Of course worthless pieces of shit will always exist as given example per the link.

[RyM3rC]

Not to stray too far off topic, but I'm a little curious as to how you credit technology with the things you mentioned? Through greater education, awareness, or something else perhaps?

[Veritas]

Earth itself is paying for our technilogical advances. As we have became more "enlightened", our environment (by proxy of pollution and what not and yes, I do run a high flowing cat too) no, the damn world we live in is going to shit and you can see that in humans too. There was a reason why our brutal society sucked way back when - we didn't know better for the most part. We do now. People are increasingly concerned with only themselves and not anyone or anything else outside of their own little world and sometimes that is even skewed to for just me, me me.

 

I challenge your idealism of the world being more apathetic and more caring over the next five year span. Provided we're still living and bsing on this god forsaken forum (<3 ya ant). Lets just see how things go. Will it decline, increase or stay as it is.

 

I think personally the social climate is ever decreasing and stories like this are all too prevalent without the flip side being out there for us to see. You have to do some investigating but things still aren't equal, you have more bad then good. And I count apathetic action as being bad because the lack of action to me is the same as actively perusing something since you did nothing to prevent nor uphold said activities in question.

[Main3s]

While I will not argue that there is still much evil left in this world, even in todays relatively, scientifically-enlightened climate, to use the phrase "decline of the human race" is to ignore thousands of years of raw, and more often than not, brutal human history. We are as a global culture, more empathetic, more forgiving, more able and willing to help each other than has ever existed and that is directly related to technology, not in spite of it.

 

Of course worthless pieces of shit will always exist as given example per the link.

 

:nod::thumbup: THIS!!!

 

Throughout history there has always been pointless and wrongful behavior committed by people towards others. I think that what makes it appear worse today is that we have more access to it. If this had happened 20 years ago (and maybe something like this did) you would have never heard about it. The way we are all connected now a day is what makes it seem worse. But at the other end of the spectrum, try searching for good things; I’m sure you’ll get many great examples of people helping people….

 

Something that I experienced on a personal level that made me rethink things was on my road trip about a month ago. I traveled over 4,000 miles all down the east coast into the south and Texas and talked to a bunch of people. People in the small country towns and big cities, at bars, restaurants, gas stations and just walking around. Sometimes it was just for directions others times just to talk to someone new. I’d have conversations with complete strangers and I realized that people aren’t that bad. It’s easy to sit at a computer and watch this shit or turn on the news and hear about a murder or a father who pimps out his son for a balloon ride but I challenge you to get out in the real world and experience people first hand, then come back and tell us that the human race is declining. There’s good out there you just have to want to see it.

[Main3s]

Earth itself is paying for our technilogical advances. As we have became more "enlightened", our environment (by proxy of pollution and what not and yes, I do run a high flowing cat too) no, the damn world we live in is going to shit and you can see that in humans too. There was a reason why our brutal society sucked way back when - we didn't know better for the most part. We do now. People are increasingly concerned with only themselves and not anyone or anything else outside of their own little world and sometimes that is even skewed to for just me, me me.

 

I challenge your idealism of the world being more apathetic and more caring over the next five year span. Provided we're still living and bsing on this god forsaken forum (<3 ya ant). Lets just see how things go. Will it decline, increase or stay as it is.

 

I think personally the social climate is ever decreasing and stories like this are all too prevalent without the flip side being out there for us to see. You have to do some investigating but things still aren't equal, you have more bad then good. And I count apathetic action as being bad because the lack of action to me is the same as actively perusing something since you did nothing to prevent nor uphold said activities in question.

 

You have to want to see it! How many people slow down to look at a car crash? How many people slow down to look at someone helping a stranger push their car out of the street & into the gas station? Does that mean there is no balance becasue you don't want to see it?

[RyM3rC]

Well there are plenty of good people and most strangers will come across that way provided you are courteous and polite. You have to look beneath the surface to see who they really are. I'm a fairly judgemental person, and I can think of a few people who "are perfectly nice and pleasant" that I know are actually convicted child rapists, wife beaters, etc. Even if they get caught, they do their time and they're right back out here walking among us. Doesn't mean they can't be nice.

[Main3s]

Well there are plenty of good people and most strangers will come across that way provided you are courteous and polite. You have to look beneath the surface to see who they really are. I'm a fairly judgemental person, and I can think of a few people who "are perfectly nice and pleasant" that I know are actually convicted child rapists, wife beaters, etc. Even if they get caught, they do their time and they're right back out here walking among us. Doesn't mean they can't be nice.

 

Very true. But when you (or in this case the OP) talk about the human race declining and loosing faith in humanity that's a pretty big generalization that society as a whole is going to hell. From what I’ve experienced personally I can’t disagree more. The problem is what we choose to see and how we choose to respond.

[Veritas]

You have to want to see it! How many people slow down to look at a car crash? How many people slow down to look at someone helping a stranger push their car out of the street & into the gas station? Does that mean there is no balance becasue you don't want to see it?

 

I have only seen it done a couple times. Most of the people will continue to drive by. Trust me, Its happen to me plenty of times and there's only a select few who do things of that nature.

 

I keep my eyes open plenty, I have to with my line of work. The balance is skewed and not in the positive direction either. For every positive thing you can mention, I can give you a decent amount of counter-points for the same thing.

 

Also, a lot of where my issues come from are the up and coming generation. Kids that are tiny today and the people from say 9~16. These kids get to see the sterling examples of people like this persons mother or the father who executed his son in sight of his entire neighborhood. These things leave lasting, unchanging impressions on kids and people in general. It's disturbing and a lot of folks are growing completely desensitized to it all and in a lot of cases that's due to the lack of caring.

[Main3s]

I have only seen it done a couple times. Most of the people will continue to drive by. Trust me, Its happen to me plenty of times and there's only a select few who do things of that nature.

 

I keep my eyes open plenty, I have to with my line of work. The balance is skewed and not in the positive direction either. For every positive thing you can mention, I can give you a decent amount of counter-points for the same thing.

 

"The world will be the world through the eyes that view it"

 

If you see it as declining then that’s what will happen. I on the other hand have a different view. I know there are plenty of rude & nasty people out there just like you know there are plenty of good & kind people in the world. It doesn't make you wrong or me right. It's YOUR view. You chose to see more of the bad; I choose to see more of the good.

 

Oh wait, could that be an example of the balance we are supposedly lacking?

[Veritas]

"The world will be the world through the eyes of who views it"

 

If you see it as declining then that’s what will happen. I on the other hand have a different view. I know there are plenty of rude & nasty people out there just like you know there are plenty of good & kind people in the world. It doesn't make you wrong or me right. It's YOUR view. You chose to see more of the bad; I choose to see more of the good.

 

Oh wait, could that be an example of the balance we are supposedly lacking?

 

No, that's not the balance im talking about. But alas everyone is entitled to their opinions. If people took a more active role in their community and those not linked to them, there wouldn't be people going on mass murdering frenzies and folks that knew them saying "Oh he seemed so well adjusted and normal!" without some sort of a red light going off and people being concerned with whats going on in that person's head.

 

Go to any major or minor news site, newspaper what have you and try to pick out the positive articles and compare them to the negative. Which will come out on top?

 

Why will it come out on top? Why does that type of story sell instead of the opposing sides?

 

Also let me make clear that I don't think EVERYONE in the human race is horrible and bad. Obviously that's not the case, my fear is that we're on a decline and there's a lot more people who aren't cool than who are or at least the tables are switching slowly but surely.

[Main3s]

No, that's not the balance im talking about. But alas everyone is entitled to their opinions. If people took a more active role in their community and those not linked to them, there wouldn't be people going on mass murdering frenzies and folks that knew them saying "Oh he seemed so well adjusted and normal!" without some sort of a red light going off and people being concerned with whats going on in that person's head.

 

Go to any major or minor news site, newspaper what have you and try to pick out the positive articles and compare them to the negative. Which will come out on top?

 

Why will it come out on top? Why does that type of story sell instead of the opposing sides?

 

Not to seem like a dick (because I think we're actually having a pretty good discussion) but might I ask what you do to help your community?

 

And I agree, I work in the newspaper & broadcast business and having a bloody front page with a headline that reads “WAR” gets attention. Sex sells and violence sells. Why? I don’t know I’m not a psyche major. Could it be that people are naturally curious and if they’re not use to seeing something then they look more into it? Does seeing stuff like that change people? Yeah, I’d imagine in some ways even if you don’t know it directly it does affect people. Does it affect everyone in a negative way? Absolutely not.

 

Boy A gets raped by his father when he’s 5, 6, 7 years old. He grows up and starts toughing other little boys and as a generalization is a bad person.

 

Boy B gets raped by his father when he’s 5, 6, 7 years old but grows up and decides to help troubled kids overcome issues like he went thorough and as a generalization is a good person.

 

Both experienced horrible things but are affected differently. All this bad that you can show me at the drop of a hat from the news stories doesn’t mean that only bad will come of it.

[Veritas]

Not to seem like a dick (because I think we're actually having a pretty good discussion) but might I ask what you do to help your community?

 

And I agree, I work in the newspaper & broadcast business and having a bloody front page with a headline that reads “WAR” gets attention. Sex sells and violence sells. Why? I don’t know I’m not a psyche major. Could it be that people are naturally curious and if they’re not use to seeing something then they look more into it? Does seeing stuff like that change people? Yeah, I’d imagine in some ways even if you don’t know it directly it does affect people. Does it affect everyone in a negative way? Absolutely not.

 

Boy A gets raped by his father when he’s 5, 6, 7 years old. He grows up and starts toughing other little boys and as a generalization is a bad person.

 

Boy B gets raped by his father when he’s 5, 6, 7 years old but grows up and decides to help troubled kids overcome issues like he went thorough and as a generalization is a good person.

 

Both experienced horrible things but are affected differently. All this bad that you can show me at the drop of a hat from the news stories doesn’t mean that only bad will come of it.

 

Your initial question isn't cock like at all.

 

I donate to the local salvation armies, I assist random people I see on the street or in the stores if I can if they need help with something. I've organized a recycling drive thing that Im getting my community manager to approve for my apartment complex. I'm in healthcare so I can actually make a difference regardless how minimal as well to people on a very basic, human level.

 

To your examples of the abusive child and the path they take, I get that. I'm a living example actually. Ever had your mother stab you at 11 years of age due to giving her a "bad look"? It is how you deal with these situations but anymore we keep seeing ill-proportionate responses to people reacting QUITE negatively to those situations.

 

And not everyone has to be a saint either, but I'll give you an example. I was in krogers last week on wednesday I think and this pregnant lady had 3 kids and obviously pregnant, was married and it was middle of the day so more than likely her husband was at work so he couldn't be there to help. Now there's this huge ass turkey at the bottom and a big thing of dog food below the cart and the rest of the cart has the two smallest kids and her like 7-8 year old on the side. It was in the u-scan lane and everyone else saw her too. I promptly went over without asking, got the turkey out from under the car and the dog food too and put it up easier for her to have it to scan. She was very appreciative and thankful. I lost my place in line but whatever.

 

Why didn't someone else also go to do something? I waited for a minute to see if anyone else was going to step up and they didn't so I did. Things like that astound me because they're so easy to do and people just could not be bothered.

[iwishiwascool]

Just watch "Love, Actually". You'll change your tune right quick.

[sol740]

I can see your points, but would put forth the counter argument that a 5 year span is nowhere near the amount of time needed to make an assessment of a cultures incline/decline, but that the data needs to be more or less examined over a generational set of years. Seeing as how incline has been the ever popular choice since basically the renaissance I don't see that changing anytime soon.

 

Of course there is (and always have been if you research enough) psychos that snap for whatever reason and go on a killing rampage, or demagogues that want to kill a particular racial/national group of people for "whatever" insane reason, and nothing will change that. However from a general, statistical, and objective view technology has increased our ability to farm, get drinkable water, communicate, treat disease, have a light turn on when we interface a tactile switch, things we all take for granted. In the coming years science looks to perfect ways to create more food supply, more energy through more efficient means, genealogical science to help prevent disease in the first place as opposed to treat, slow aging. Sadly most of us will be too dead to benefit.

 

Most importantly no matter how far we progress there are always going to be total fucking assholes that seem to exist just to fuck up everybody else's fun and that sucks. Our current justice system, while imperfect, is still almost historically unheard of in terms of rules, and general fairness of the precedings.

 

Also pertaining to self-centeredness, I suggest you read the Monkeysphere as it simultaneously makes light of, and seriously addresses several key issues that are simply part of our overall survival make-up. Of course even that is just the neological tinkering of a series of actual studies based on our neocortex.

[sol740]

Please, don't let me post anymore ... cause I start to do shit like ^^^

[Veritas]

Thanks sol, I like the article.

 

Also this is supposed to be this type of a discussion. I like playing devil's advocate to prompt some good interchanges.

[Veritas]

And no, do continue. I'm putting my door handle in or attempting to and dropping my responses here and there, so don't be shy ;D

[Main3s]

Veritas, I'm not quoting you again... but as for the helping out that you do and the examples you gave they kind of contradict your "Loss of faith in humanity". If you can do that stuff and have people see that then there is still good in the world. Yeah things like murder and the mother cheering on her teen as she beats up another girl are all bad examples. BUT don’t you think more people can relate to the small, helpful jesters like helping a mother lift something heavy from the bottom of the cart VS seeing a story about murder on the TV. I can only speak from my point of view, but when I see little things like that in my everyday life they have a larger affect on me because they’re more…within reach or reality I guess. As appose to the stupid mother cheering on her teen. Yeah on a good vs evil scale a girl beating up another girl is more evil then you helping a prego mother is kind. But It’s all in how we can relate and how it impacts us.

[Veritas]

super gtp my issue is you DON'T see nearly enough of it, the positive influence, around today. I just don't see the positive examples in the day to day that often at all anymore. Be courteous like holding open a door and what not, you see fewer and fewer people doing that. It's all just this turn towards self in my eye sight.