Oh shut up. If human nature is based on greed because you see people taking more than they need, then it's equally if not more based on mutual aid, since you have doubtlessly also seen people sacrifice their own desires and needs for the love of others. Why is one human nature, but not the other?

Where is greed in open source? Where is greed in volunteer work?

[–] PilferJynx@lemmy.world -1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

You've missed the point. The structures of our society is emergent from human will. Greed is a blunt word for an aspect of collective human will. I didn't imply it was the only one, ya dummy.

[–] irmoz@reddthat.com 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Then a society based on cooperation would also be an expression of human nature, and a much better one.

[–] PilferJynx@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I apologize for calling you a dummy. It was just a response to you telling me to shut up. I wholly agree, society based on on cooperation and the nurturing of that cooperation would be great. We should identify and implement changes to our human nature to foster such a ideal. We need trust and transparency and the removal of our levels of separation for a start, I think. I dunno, what are your thoughts?

[–] irmoz@reddthat.com 3 points 1 year ago

I apologise for saying to shut up. I just feel strongly that us humans cannot be defined by greed. I agree with transparency and the removal of artificial divisions, such as race, nationality and class. And i also believe the only way we can achieve this is with a worldwide revolution. I believe such a thing is totally possible, but exceedingly unlikely.

[–] tocopherol@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

The structures of society are created by human will, but the structures in place and the interactions they require also shape our values as cultures. Capitalism is a system in which by owning capital, wealth and the means of production, a capitalist derives profit from the workers who are the producers using the tools and facilities owned by the capitalist. To be successful in this, or to raise yourself above the working class, you must own capital and use it to derive profit to increase your capital further, or else other capitalists will take your place in the market.

Capitalism and market based economies have only been a part of the global structure for a small minority of the total time that humans have created societies. There are thousands of years we have very little information of, making it difficult to derive what sort of social structures were in place in different societies.

In the absence of pressures like poverty and economic competition, people help each other. When someone trips in front of you, the vast majority of people will be concerned and help them up. I truly believe altruism is a core aspect of 'human nature' as much or more than greed.