Human nature, like an unfathomable ocean, is constantly sought by many thinkers, but it seems that they can never fully understand its mysteries.
We are often confused about how complex human beings are, and what is the essence of human nature
If we trace the thoughts of the ancient Chinese sages, we can find that there are roughly five views on human nature: the theory of sexual goodness, the theory of sexual evil, the theory of human nature without good and no evil, human nature has good and evil, and human nature is different from person to person. Here, we focus on the first two points.
The first is Mencius's theory of sexual goodness. Mencius believed that human nature is inherently good, and he regarded the "unbearable heart" as the source of inner goodness in man, linking the heart with moral nature.
Mencius said, "The so-called compassion is common to all."Shame is common to all;Respectful heart is shared by everyone;Everyone has the heart of right and wrong. Compassion, benevolence;Shame and righteousness;Respectful, courteous;The heart of right and wrong, wisdom also. According to Mencius, these emotions are intimately linked to moral principles and are inherent in human nature.
He firmly believed that human goodness is innate and inherent in the depths of our hearts. Mencius linked the heart with nature, regarded goodness as a priori, and emphasized the inherent goodness of people.
Mencius's views represent a value orientation of moral idealism, emphasizing the element of goodness in human nature.
The other view comes from Xunzi, who holds the theory of sexual evil. Xunzi believes that human nature is inherently evil, and regards emotions as the evil factor in human nature.
He said: "The lover is also the nature of sex." Those who want it, love should also be. Xunzi sees emotions and desires as part of sexuality, and considers them to be part of human nature.
Xunzi's views are related to the ideas of the early Confucian school of "sexual pretensions", but he did not develop along the lines of emotionalism and naturalism. On the contrary, he firmly believes that human nature is inherently bad.
Xunzi pointed out: "The nature of today's people is born with good interests and obedience, so they compete for life and give way to death;Born with disease and evil, obedient, so the thief was born faithful and perished;Born with the desire of ears and eyes, with a good voice and lust, and obedient, so fornication is born and etiquette and literature are ...... dead"People chase fame and fortune, and will do whatever it takes for money and fame, even at the expense of morality and loyalty. His views emphasize the selfishness and bad elements in human nature. One person cheers for the graduate school entrance examination
Human nature is often selfish, and this is an eternal truth that cannot be ignored.
Xunzi emphasized that the temperament bestowed by the Mandate of Heaven is bad. If it is allowed to develop at will, it will inevitably lead to contention and violence between people, and cause social chaos and turmoil.
Another view is that there are both good and bad in human nature. Many people believe that the nature given to people by the Mandate of Heaven is clear and pure, and that evil deeds are often produced by the blinding of emotions and desires. The emotions and desires mentioned here encompass a wide range of human emotions and desires.
However, in reality, under the influence of utilitarian ideas, the ugliness of human nature seems to become more obvious.
Driven by the pursuit of profit, people often show a smile to greet each other, however, these smiles are often not genuine, but only to get what they need. Those who are of no use to them are often abandoned and forgotten.
In his Notes from the Basement, Dostoev describes a man in the basement who, while in his official position, deeply hated those who came to ask for help, but took pleasure in their suffering. These basement dwellers are usually ordinary people, but they derive satisfaction from the abuse of power.
This kind of plot seems to reveal the dark side of human nature, which may only need one moment to spread.
Sometimes, I like to go under the bridge alone and quietly admire the unfathomable flow of water. Alone, quietly listen to the sound of the murmuring of the river, and observe the reflection of the thick pillars in the river.
The water was deep and dark, and the roof of the cave was low, as if you were in a dark world. At this time, an inexplicable fear welled up in my heart, but it was accompanied by a wonderful peace, a feeling of silence.
This river, like human nature, is calm on the surface, but it is unfathomable underneath and cannot be seen by the naked eye.
In these moments, we often think about what Mr. Lao She was thinking in his heart many years ago when he experienced the darkest moment of his life and faced the cold lake water in the early morning.
We only know that in the end, Mr. Lao She chose to sink himself into the lake, which was the moment when the darkness of human nature finally swallowed him.
These ideas reflect complex reflections on the nature of human nature, but they also leave many unanswered questions. Human nature is still a field full of mysteries, waiting for more thinking and exploration.