Misanthropy

Misanthropy

The general hatred, mistrust or disdain of the human species or human nature.

At most points in history, a person could easily claim hatred and disdain for their species. Primarily due to the malicious and stupid actions of their fellows. These days, having a misanthropic viewpoint has a certain ironic twist. Oh sure there’s the same ever-present disparity and unfairness that has abounded throughout the course of history. But now, and especially here in America, at the top of all the first world nations, life has never been better for such a large number of people. The irony is that the same elements which provide us with such prosperity are the same which lead us closer to our downfall.

What are some reasons for disdain of the human species? How about our penchant for tragedy. As with most tragedies, the ending here has been foretold. I’m speaking of course about how our modern day soothsayers: the scientists, the analysts, the experts, have predicted large amounts of what tomorrow will bring. Unfortunately, the stories they tell are dire:

• There will be mass extinctions
• There will be peak oil
• There will be dramatic climate changes.

It looks like the world is bound for tragedy. As a people, we have all the right characteristics of the tragic hero: hubris, ignorance, and perceived strength. Day by day we continue on a path which may bring about our demise, and the predictions keep getting worse.

To be a misanthropic person is to be aware of all these issues but to be dwarfed by their scale and virtually powerless to initiate positive change. This isn’t a tragedy about individuals, it’s a tragedy on a much grander scale. Individuals are not actors in this drama. Why? because the problem isn’t individuals, it’s people.

• It’s people in the way a large business isn’t an individual, it’s a collective of people.
• It’s people in the way a government isn’t an individual, it’s a collective of people.

Unfortunately, people can’t solve issues like this. That’s because people don’t make hard decisions. People aren’t smart. People don’t have foresight. People aren’t altruistic. So why care for them?

Because people are made of individuals. Individuals can be any of these things.

Without sacrifice, without intelligence, without foresight our options are the status quo, or at best gradual change. It is up to individuals to act as they believe is right, for sacrifice is a personal decision, and intelligence is an individual’s trait. We need action by individuals because unfortunately the status quo isn’t good enough.

Once the scale of our modern day issues is grasped, there are two options. To play or not to play. Take the red pill or take the blue pill. To take the blue pill is to live your own life, free from the macro drama that’s unfolding. To take the red pill is to be aware of the scale of our issues and try to positively change the world anyways. What do you chose? Either way, people suck, but I know some damn awesome individuals.