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Originally Posted by Baraka_Guru
I don't think we can cherry-pick who is human and who isn't based on one's actions. Ted Bundy was human. He was an extremely miserable human, but a human nonetheless. A human being is certainly capable of doing what he did, just as a human being is capable of doing what Leonardo da Vinci did. We as a society like to trick ourselves into thinking that the most terrible things are beyond us--that we are incapable of such things--therefore they must be inhuman things.
Moreover, I do not believe we can pinpoint the boundaries of humanity by measuring the "authenticity" of our bodies, externally or internally. Our humanity doesn't reside in our brain. Knowing our bodies are temporary, why place the stock of our humanity in it? I think there is more to it than this. We gauge humanity not by our physical dimensions but by our actions and experiences, both good and evil. It is for this reason that we are still moved by both Ted Bundy and Leonardo da Vinci.
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I have heard estimates that our society has developed about as far as a 10 year old when it comes to mature judgement, empathy and the strength/ability to hurt/do good. We can see glimpses of what we may eventually be. We can also see where we are able to either destroy ourselves or transform ourselves into some horrible cripple of a race which tears itself down more than it builds on it's gifts. We know that the most terrible things are well within our capabilities. The key is how to choose what to do, and what not to do, and how to make those choices in such a way as to ensure positive possiblilities remain probable.
This is different from destroying in the name of belief or commitment. Someone once said that just because there has been a belief held by so many for so long, it still can be wrong. Beliefs such as religeon are very powerful and soothing when we are faced with the idea of our own death. They are still wrong, and terrible in their twisted power to warp people. I wouldn't want that warping to be the impetus for judging whether or not someone is human. That leads to genocide, or the apocalypse as created by men. A ten year old will hurt others out of fear, immaturity, self interest or as a result of programming. That child also can choose to bring gifts to others with their heart, out of love, foresight and a desire to do good. That child can be our society choosing to grow wiser and better in spite of our capacity for being inhuman to each other.
This is why I think we Can "cherry-pick". Because we can choose to be humans or act as animals. The dangerous animals need to be put down, or put away, until the day when eventually we will develop the tools and resources to truly heal some of them. I agree that we gauge humanity by our actions. Inhuman actions by healable humans are one thing. Inhuman actions by inhuman "people" are another.
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Originally Posted by Johnny Rotten
Are you saying that a person's humanity depends on their moral or ethical state of mind? Most times, psychosis is a result of brain damage, chemical imbalance, abuse, or a combination thereof -- but I think you bring up an interesting twist.
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As I said, inhuman actions by healable humans are one thing. Inhuman actions by inhuman "people" are another. If they can't be cured or quarantined, then they ought to be put down as we do with crippled animals.
Again, please don't confuse these sorts with those who are caught up in untenable situations. I think a combatant who behaves in a beastly manner is different than a Bundy. You can help most of the child soldiers in Angola. You cannot help Charles Ng. It is the scale of the problem that daunts us. We can forgive ourselves when we have had a chance to grow up a bit more.
btw, the good done in the name of religeon is wonderful. I just wish we were able to do good without the trappings of that superstitious albatross of religeous thought that bows the back of our collective societies.
I don't judge the level of humanity in anyone by the amount of hardware wired into their wetware. That is a different conversation.
My 2 cents, anyway.