Let's Change the World!

Is Utopia a Human Possibility?

             We attribute our habits of aggression and competition to "human nature", a genetic inheritance from hunter-gatherer ancestors. Like Ayn Rand, we believe competition encourages progress. These perceptions bring us to the brink of extinction. Our demise would be unfortunate because humans are clever, courageous and imaginative, but if we are to survive we must answer the sixty four dollar question. Can human nature change?

            Centuries of inhumanity "prove" humans are brutish and nasty, but perhaps we need not be as bad as we think. "Self image psychology", a popular theory, says the sense of self motivates individual behavior. Feelings of inferiority cause hostility, anger, addiction and, in extreme cases, suicide, murder, or madness. Since a perception causes behavior, changing perceptions changes behavior. This lifts us by bootstraps, but there's a kind of logic. When you see yourself as untalented, you don't attempt the great American novel.

             Collective inferiority, the notion human nature leaves much to be desired, also motivates behavior. Those who think the worst of us, do anything to distinguish themselves from that despised mass. Their efforts "to better themselves" create hierarchical social orders. Nationalism, collective reaction to collective inferiority, distinguishes groups. We say, "I am American, English, French, German or whatever" rather than admit all humans are alike. We see captains of industry, hedge fund operators, powerful political leaders as "superior", but in the end their humanity prevails and they die.

             If eternity doesn't persuade you, it is increasingly clear free market capitalism cannot regulate rapidly evolving technological societies. We make technological mistakes. As technology becomes more powerful, errors become more dangerous. The problem isn't that we make mistakes. That's inevitable. The problem is we can't stop making the mistake because capitalism ties us to the status quo. When we need jobs, it doesn't matter that we build internal combustion engines. We need work although the evidence is unmistakable our work damages our health. Utopia is no pipe dream. We may not survive without it.

             Critics oppose utopia because they see each human as different. They confuse identity with equality. We are NOT identical. Not only do we come in different colors, sizes, and abilities, a growing consensus believes the alteration of brain protein is the way we remember. Different experiences, by altering different proteins, make each of us unique. We are equal in that we are human. The distinctions we manufacture are vain, irrational attempts to prove we are different, when we can't be anything other than human.

             What I call collective image psychology takes us far from present practice. In a world where we perceive everyone as decent, we cooperate rather than compete because we don't want to distinguish ourselves from a humanity we admire. This is not to say humanity is "good". A history of inhumanity proves otherwise. Collective image psychology merely says our perception of human nature turns us into the species we think we are. It will not be easy to see ourselves differently, but the idea we are alike and not so bad is more than wishful thinking. Our "accomplishments" turn to dust just like us.