Pride, greed and fear

Pride, greed, and fear are (some of the) basic instincts that drive us. Morals are the same as ethics, and they are another basic instinct. Politics, on the other hand, just refers to the balancing of the basic instincts between influential entities. In other words, I think the question is ill-posed.

Ok. Maybe that's so. But the gist of it should be clear. Is the world ruled by our ideals of greater good and moralistic values, as we would like to think, or do we let our egotistical natures come first?

One way to ask; is the conduct of USA on an international level a way to ensure good for all and higher moralistic values?

Maybe if you live in the US, but I think that it is safe to say that from some countries, US conduct seems to make sense only when you define the motives to be pride, greed and fear.

(Now, my own country is in the same boat as the US. It's just that people's general knowledge of Norway is rather lacking. In the interest of debate I chose to focus on a country many of us know somehthing about.)

Re: Pride, greed and fear


I disagree entirely. Plenty of people have died for their ethics- and aren't they viewed as heroes? Pride, greed, and fear may be prevalent in appearance but if you push hard enough, people will eventually stop giving and say enough is enough.

Of course, there is some of both, so it is hard to say which is dominant.

Yes, plenty of people have died for their ethics. These are the people who have overcome their pride, their greed, and their fear.

If you do not master them, your pride will bring you to your knees, your greed will consume you, and your fear will force your hand. You will be a puppet to your primal impulses, like an animal.

These days, I am inlined to say, very many people live their lives responding to these basic impulses; pride, greed and fear.

But as I said, it depends on how far you have pushed the people already, how well society and governments are doing, and what kind of threat is present. There is too much of an involvement from both to truly understand which is dominant.

I understand what you are getting at Foley, but it seems to be that it is a bit beside the point, since you speak of peoples, and I speak of individuals.

I don't know about that stuh. How do you figure that morals/ethics are another basic instinct? People are subject to their environment. It appears to me that many peoples morals are based on what they are taught, who taught them, and ultimately what they decide is right and wrong through experience. A baby does not know not to do certain things or say certain things until it is taught those things.

I've heard countless stories of four year olds meeting a friend of mommy's for the first time and saying something like, "Ewww mommy she's fat!" It's not meant as an insult, however it is still possibly going to hurt the feelings of the person on the receiving end of that comment. So through time that child is taught right from wrong or not taught it. Depending on their environment.

I tend to agree with cyracuz here in saying that "They rule those who do not seek to overcome them." Pride, fear, and greed are basic instincts that again, based on a persons environment can be overcome if they so choose. However, politics, morals, and ethics are "our" design to a certain extent. Ultimately we decided what our morals will be and whether or not they will be separate from our basic instincts.

So cyracuz you are right it won't work for politics morals and ethics to "attempt to contain the destructive powers of" our basic instincts unless those in the position to do so have chosen to overcome them. Which is highly unlikely considering the fact that the majority of "power seekers" in this world are driven by their basic instincts to seek out that position of power.

pride greed and fear are the things that motivate, empower and create politicians, who then pervert morals and ethics to advance their own agendas and sell them to the general public so the poll quetions are actually one and the same. IMHO.

If that's the case this world is in a sorry state.

Still, the current issue of global warming stands to confirm your honest opinion. I've heard countless stories of politicians and other interested parties who seek up scientists who think the whole global warming issue is irrelevant, then spend vast resources on giving these scientists a voice in the media.

The problem with addressing it with individuals is that individuals are very different. Western individuals would probably be driven by pride, greed, and fear- but look at the middle east. Most Islamic 'terrorists' are willing to die for their God- obviously driven by morals and ethics.

I see your point Foley.

Even further east there is also another way of life. But my statement holds true. Pride, greed and fear rule those who don't seek to overcome them, and even though there are peple who strive to overcome them, that doesn't disprove my statement.

Also, it is as you say, that most of us aren't driven by these instincts all of the time. But it is on those occasions when these primal drives take over that we most often need to heed our morals. When the heat is on is when it is hardest to take the right path instead of just the easiest one.