What is the Human Condition?

Never confuse the human condition for human nature. The first is real, the second mostly used as an excuse for personal failings, of self and others.

The human condition is a consequence of the evolution of consciousness. The pain associated with it results from conflicts between the necessity of providing for the body and the higher ethics we’ve developed to make life bearable. Modernity has brought with it ever greater conflicts due to our membership in complex, nested and overlapping sub-groups. These include family, neighbors, residents of our town, village, city, etc., fellow citizens and other residents of our nation, other nations around the world, professional societies, clubs, and more.

So-called “human nature” is a distorted epi-phenomenon arising from the sequence of difficulties that the powerful have created and manipulated for their own gain.

Humanity has not yet figured out exactly what real human nature is, but surely there is a strong component of co-operation and helpfulness.

Without that, we would not have thrived as much as we have.

Merwegon the Great