DaedalusHKX's Journal: Myth of Man The Killer Ape... is it true? Or a "hobgoblin"?

From the Article (from Eric S. Raymond's website, off his user page):

Human beings are not natural killers; very, very few ever learn to enjoy murder or torture. Human beings, however, are sufficiently docile that many can eventually be taught to kill, to support killing, or to consent to killing on the command of an alpha male, entirely dissociating themselves from responsibility for the act. Our original sin is not murderousness -- it is obedience.

Myth of Man The Killer Ape and its effect on humanity does a brilliant job of putting the major hobgoblin of the last 1000 years into the proper viewing frame of reference.

Interesting, but

[RM6f9]

I disagree. I think rather that all that is required for most men to be killers is a perception of absence of consequence together with a desire to compete successfully - the church says "ego te absolvo", and thousands rush off to slaughter the infidel before the infidel slaughters them - the fuhrer says "lebensraum", and thousands rush to take it - no, most men of morals will not kill because they were told to do so, but, give those other men who already have a taste for blood a rationalization and protec

Milgram

[benhocking]

I'm guessing you haven't heard of the most famous Milgram experiment [wikipedia.org], have you?

No

[iminplaya]

Our original sin is desire. Pure, simple desire. We are born as animals with the same primitive desires as any other life-form. And the vast majority cling to those desires until the very end. We aren't natural born killers, but we can learn, and we can unlearn. We live on an animal planet. So far we blend in pretty good. All our behavior patterns match. We're just moving a little faster. Where? Who the hell knows? I'm just a tourist.