Whether it’s people being shot in Plymouth, the situation in Afghanistan, the latest IPCC statement, or another global, national, or personal matter, there are plenty of reasons to feel humans aren’t a great species. As that bleakness can grind one down, I thought I’d share a little Taoist-inspired pondering that reminds us the people we encounter are fundamentally good.
I am fundamentally good. Not necessarily perfect but definitely fundamentally good.
I am not the chosen one of a prophecy or other unique supernatural being. I am unique in the sense that only I have developed my natural capabilities in response to the life I have lived, but I was born no more or less special than anyone else.
Hence, because I am fundamentally good and was born as an ordinarily special human, all the other ordinarily special humans are fundamentally good too. So, even if there is a chosen one out there (and thus the possibility of an actually evil chosen one), statistics indicates everyone I meet is fundamentally good.
Davetopia 
Individually, perhaps, and by some particular set of standards, but collectively our species has had negative effects on the planet we all depend upon.
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Definitely agree many human societies have caused vast amounts of damage to humans directly and to human-amenable environments. My point was that humans are fundamentally good: i.e. their imperfections are learned responses and systemic limitations rather than intrinsic evil.
There is no part of human nature that requires humans pollute and destroy and so those behaviours can be changed. It will almost certainly be hard to do, but seeing that fundamental goodness can be a source of strength when it seems hardest.
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That is a hopeful outlook, Dave.
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