COMMENTS:
No because it often suggests to me that the sheeple were too dumb to think for themselves.
I would say yes, because i dont belive the human ape has a "conscience" as such that other animals dont have. People often say our conscience is what seperates up from the animals, but i think we are just animals as well. We are just more intelligent and have the mental brainpower to envisage the consequences of our actions.
Inevitably, throughout history, people have been as good as society requires them to be. Whenever a situation arises where the individual is in a powerful enough position to break the rules and not suffer the consequences they inevitably have, and do. Whether they be kings, generals, invading soldiers etc etc, whenever society loses the ability to restrain mans animal instinct it inevitably comes out teeth and claws. Thus peoples behaviour is inevitably influenced by the shape of the society around them, and the laws and social constraints that society contains. Not by some inherent moral instinct, impervious to time and place and circumstance. Thats just a ficticious oil that we use to massage our delicate egos.
98% of our DNA is the same as a monkeys we are told, so why do people expect us not to act like monkeys?
Of course, im talking in generic terms. All humans have different capacities as far as sadism and masochism are concerned. One mans meat is another man poison as they say, but we are ALL animals
Mostly people say that as a way to tell someone that they should put it in the context of the times in which they are thinking of.
It would make no sense to say that the British of 1400 did something that is outrageous by today's standards.
It is a good point, not meant as an excuse, but as a matter of clarification.
Sometimes there's nothing else to say - a lot of things did happen because nobody knew better.
by Kiki on Sat Jun 25, 05 1:30pm
[+]
Yes: it's the gradual progression of human intelligence and intellect
- a verrrry slow process..
although it has quickened somewhat in the last 20 yrs.
but don't fool yourself it was always like that!
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