Aristotle described human beings as rational animal. We apply reason and logic to every aspect of our life. The rationality that we have been gifted with is involuntarily guided by virtues or morals. These guides are what that forms the basis of ethics. These ethics that drive our conscience and our actions are absolute entities. As Albert Einstein has quoted,"Relativity applies to Physics, not ethics". There is not more than one perspective of defining the morals and principles that humans possessed by default. Scientifically, Charles Darwin in his book 'The Descent of Man' has explored the concept of origin of human morality. He explained that how a refined moral sense, or conscience, could have developed through a natural evolution process that began with social instincts rooted in our nature as social animals. This idea was widely accepted among famous sociologists of that era that further implemented the ideas in a school of sociology named Social Darwin.
As early humans, our species was prone to many dangers of the world. The sole aim that bounds us together was the instinct of survival. Our ethics made us altruistic towards our fellow humans as well as living beings who were our allies in our survival. Our frail bodies housed brilliant minds and used it to climb on top of the food chain and cement our status as the most advanced species on the planet. But the hunger of power did not end there. Herbert Spencer, a leading sociologist, who had firm belief in Social Darwinism, gave the phrase - `survival of the fittest`. This aptly describes the humans that we have evolved into in the 21st century. To become the ruler of the society that we have inherited and are a part of, the competition has increased. More plans and conspiracies have developed over the centuries to gain power or overthrow the ones in power, making it an eternal vicious cycle that has crept into our society. The ethics that showed us the direction remain the same, but are corrupted by the desire to be on the top and make the world dance on our tune. And what better way we can achieve this by feat other than becoming a politician.
Love ,
Aashima
Comments