33: Is war our basic human nature

Some people maintain that a life of peace and a life of war are not something we individually choose. They believe every infant mind is born ready to fight within a war of all against all for their individual survival. Our basic human nature is claimed to be a constant state of war. Scientific evidence is often cited to prove that humans are naturally aggressive, violent and intolerant of others. Human beings certainly are capable of living a life of war and currently do.

If our basic human nature forces us into a life of war, then how do so many people manage to live a life of peace? Do these people have magical powers allowing them to overcome the forces of nature? Obviously, our basic human nature must also include elements of peace. Survival has been achieved peacefully throughout history. We don't need scientific evidence to prove that humans are naturally caring, intelligent and heroic. Human beings certainly are capable of living a life of peace and currently do.

If we really want to put a label on our basic human nature, we should look for something shared by every human being. The human species has the ability to think about life. Since we can think, this rare quality partly defines us as a species.

A life of war shouldn't be labeled as our basic human nature. War is just one possible reaction to our ability to think. Many people think about life and choose to react peacefully. We all have the ability to choose between a life of peace or a life of war and that is why it is such an important decision to make.