Quote:
Originally posted by ThurgreedMarshall
Of course, you can have well behaved children or adults who don't give a shit about anything or anyone, but I doubt this actually occurs in nature too often.
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How would you know? You have no basis for judging what anyone else gives a damn about other than by their behavior.
"Good" behavior doesn't occur in nature EVER - it is a social construct, not a natural one, and it can be learned only through social interaction with others, who reinforce "good" behavior and penalize "bad." A natural inclination to respect others (if it exists at all) doesn't somehow program you to express thanks for favors, or cause you to sit still and not yell at the opera. The dirty looks & other punishment you get when you screw up does that. And even someone who doesn't care about you can want to avoid your censure, understanding that it is advantageous to do so. That is why sociopaths are often well mannered and charming: the disjunction between how they feel and how they know they are expected to act is great enough that they don't confuse their interior life and their expressions & behaviors to others.
I am actually of the opinion that forced conformity to social behavior expectations leads more often to actual feelings consideration and respect for other people than the other way around. But I always thought the noble savage thing was crap. I think that just reflects a fundamental disagreement we have about human nature, though.
