Fri 4 Apr 2008
I recently read a book which included an argument that the story of human history was our desire to impose power and control structures over each other - men over women, the rich over the poor, etc. Since my Master’s work focused on this type of topic (the nature of power structures that society uses, and how they are changed), this argument really resonated with me.
What I found interesting was the statement in the book that we will not know our true nature as a species until we are free of these structures. Which lead me to wonder - is it not our nature as a species to create them? Can we ever be free of structures like these, or is it “hard-wired” into us, that we must create methods that give some group more power than others?
Posted by never used baby shoes
the story of human history was…
Silly. That’s like saying “moves are about big battles in outer space.” SOME movies are. SOME events — even many events — in history were prompted by attempts at domination. But not all. Many events were prompted by inventions, migrations, natural disasters, etcetera, etcetera. If you boil history down to a theme, you’re not longer looking at anything resembling the truth of messy reality.
Oh.. do humans have an urge to dominate? Of course. It’s one of many human (and animal) urges. It exists more strongly in some people than in others.
This question reminds me of the Daniel Quinn book Ishmael.
The story of human history was our desire to love and be loved. Believe it, live it, and it will come true.
Which led me to wonder - is it not our nature as a species to create [structures of power and control]?
I would tend to agree. Robert Jervis quotes Hans Morgenthau:
Andrew Schmookler provides a different argument, independent of assertions about human nature, in The Parable of the Tribes: