If we had no guidlines to morals or behaviors you would/wouldnt be surprised at how animalistic we all are

[Surai]

If humans had no guidline to morals or etiquettes you would be surprised to how animalistic we would all act. there is a very violent nature in most seeded from our evolution. thoughts that are often felt, that feed thoughts and actions, you would be surprised to how vile and vicious actions many hold in just because there are reprocusions not only legally but morally and in reputation and view of others that hold this animal in all of us. We are very lucky to have a system thats condems but even then nature will crack through the seams no matter how tough you build it. i.e. wars, crime, violence, general deceitful. all of these exist and will continue to exist tipl the end of time not because we arent doing any better but because this is all we can do, its a daily reminder that we are just selfish animals. You dont do it so that the world is safe, you do it so that you are safe and are respected for your contribution or feel good cause you did so.

 

[krqnet]

this is something i think of a lot. i think it would be interesting to look into people and find their true desires beyond ethics and laws. would they do any good for others even if there was no benefit?

 

[darkenmydoorstep]

If humans had no guidline to morals or etiquettes you would be surprised to how animalistic we would all act. there is a very violent nature in most seeded from our evolution. thoughts that are often felt, that feed thoughts and actions, you would be surprised to how vile and vicious actions many hold in just because there are reprocusions not only legally but morally and in reputation and view of others that hold this animal in all of us. We are very lucky to have a system thats condems but even then nature will crack through the seams no matter how tough you build it. i.e. wars, crime, violence, general deceitful. all of these exist and will continue to exist tipl the end of time not because we arent doing any better but because this is all we can do, its a daily reminder that we are just selfish animals. You dont do it so that the world is safe, you do it so that you are safe and are respected for your contribution or feel good cause you did so.

Being an animal seems like it would be a much more honest way of living. Brutal, but honest.

 

[soonnotkoei]

humans evolved to be social creatures. the species realised very early on that being a lone wolf wont be very good for survival, so they formed groups. and living in groups necessitated basic etiquette and courtesy. so there was basically zero ways humans couldve made it without moral guidelines. these many years of evolution have basically hardwired etiquette and morals into our brains, so its somewhat unlikely that a person will do anything too out of the ordinary if there would be no repercussions. ofcourse theres things like murders, homicides, etc. but those things already happen often.

 

[darkenmydoorstep]

humans evolved to be social creatures. the species realised very early on that being a lone wolf wont be very good for survival, so they formed groups. and living in groups necessitated basic etiquette and courtesy. so there was basically zero ways humans couldve made it without moral guidelines. these many years of evolution have basically hardwired etiquette and morals into our brains, so its somewhat unlikely that a person will do anything too out of the ordinary if there would be no repercussions. ofcourse theres things like murders, homicides, etc. but those things already happen often.

See I think a lot of what we perceive as morality is actually just fear of god or punishment.

 

[soonnotkoei]

See I think a lot of what we perceive as morality is actually just fear of god or punishment.

exactly. even if suddenly all laws were lifted, i dont think the rate of, for example, murder would increase too much. this fear of god and punishment has been engraved into our brains over all these years of civilisation.

if there were no laws from the very beginning, and civilisation somehow managed to make it to today, things could be different.

 

[dragonofenvy]

this is something i think of a lot. i think it would be interesting to look into people and find their true desires beyond ethics and laws. would they do any good for others even if there was no benefit?

We'd do good for others in the expectation they'd do good for us. That's why the ancient humans lived in groups. Some built shelter, some hunted, some made weapons, etc. We humans would have gone extinct if we didn't cooperate. Those who stole food were thrown out because they put the tribe in danger. That's how our very rudimentary morality was formed. That didn't mean we didn't do despicable things to people, of course. But back then, I bet they didn't think it was bad.

The strong would prey on the weak. The weak would band together to protect themselves from the strong. Assuming no morality was allowed to form again, I wonder who'd end up winning.

 

[ineed2die]

It's better that way tbh. Everyone is way happier when we're all animals.

 

[oneeyed]

This reminds me of an episode of Star Trek (enterprise I think) where they find a Vulcan ship and the crew was affected by some compound and it wouldn't allow them to suppress their emotions so they became barbaric. Everyone out for themselves, murder, cheat, steal, whatever gets you on top.

 

[untothedepths]

dont believe that. humans have since for the longest time grouped up in whatever hiarchy there was/is. only difference is you have people telling you you dont deserve room/food/supplies if you have no job, thus, you deserve to die. its now that people live like fat pigs with extreme wealth they dont need. i dont doubt humans have very violent proclivities they do, i just dont think it would be some sort of mass anarchistic murderfest some think it would be.,

 

[wait.what]

We're pr

 

[Gustav Hartmann]

Living in a mass society requires human domestication. To a large extend this is an effect of death sentence. Most criminal were executed when they were young and this way obstructionists were taken completely out of the gene poole.

 

[Forever Sleep]

It's an interesting idea. I'm just not sure really. I certainly think some of us have our moral codes more deeply ingrained than others. Where that comes from though, I'm not 100% certain. I agree that the vast majority is upbringing though with punishment/ repurcusions if we stray off the rules- like you say.

However, I think Richard Dawkins, in his book 'The Selfish Gene' also said they we inherit altruistic genes. That, as a species we've realised that our chances for survival increase if we help one another to survive. So, perhaps we are in some ways naturally inclined to help one another also.

It's also not just fear of things like God and civil law/ punishment I would say. It's also common sense. If you steal candy from a baby and try to smother it to stop it crying, it's parents will likely beat the shit out of you! (Justifiably.) Commiting attrocities against others, especially violent attrocities caries a great deal of risk. Even animals will sometimes try to avoid fighting because they know that becoming injured will likely mean a death sentence. The person may fight back. They may have friends and family who fight back.

If there were no more laws, vigilantism would surely come in. How many peadophiles would risk acting on their desires if they knew the general population had free reign on what to do to them in retaliation? What would parents really like to do to the people who rape or hurt their children or partners?

It might actually be that there would be less severe crimes if people weren't so restrained in how to treat the criminals. Not that I'm advocating for capital punishment here! I'm just trying to imagine a lawless society.

Surely, people would group together to begin with? Safety in numbers. Also, share of labour. We can't all be specialists at everything. Then- they would look to protect themselves from people within and without their 'tribe'. So- laws basically. I imagine it's actually the majority of people who don't harbor criminal intent so naturally- they will group together.

Where we likely would start seeing problems is if some demographics of the population were viewed as inferior or ripe for servitude/ exploitation. Then, it would be whether those groups could gather enough strength to assert their rights.

Still, I'm not so uncertain that- even if humans were reset to before laws and religions existed, whether we wouldn't still end up with groups of people writing their own laws to keep people in order.

Plus, it's probably the very smartest criminals that work out that the real power and influence is at the top. They'll simply find a way to rule so that they can manipulate laws and people. Commit crimes themselves and, get away with it! (You can guess the multiple presidents I'm refering to...)

 

[Surai]

I look back and I realise you were right, it wouldnt become some murderfest. Fear of punishment would still exist because it threatens our survival. I realise now that humans just like animals only really want to survive comfortably. it doesnt matter if what we do is labelled "good" or "bad" by our human minds, if it allows us survive we will do it. If these morality and etiquettes were lifted which wouldnt make too much sense anyways because they tie into fear of punishment and consequences, humans would still group together they would protect each other they would those they must in order to survive etc etc, they would do whatever it is to survive whether it be both sides of the scale of good and bad. our minds can think of "good" and "bad" because of conciousness but our bodies dont care about morality as long as its getting what it needs to survive.

in short we would just do exactly what we have done in history and continue to do as long as we existed

i dont think it would be a possibilty for morality to not exist because consequences for actions must since it threatens our survival
I guess if consequences to actions did not exist in this universe then maybe horribleness is the case

 

[MatrixPrisoner]

If humans had no guidline to morals or etiquettes

"If"?

 

[JustA_LittlePerson]

Our "animalistic insticts" are the moral guidelines.

 

[beseechgod]

The way my nature has cracked through the seams is through self destructive behaviors.

 

[hereornot]

To be honest, nothing surprises me anymore, maybe someone with moral guidelines who doesn't sell out, maybe...

 

[LaVieEnRose]

Unfortunately in practice being a good person only matters as much as a given person says it does.