Society vs Individual

[toastywombel]

People often have different beliefs on which is more important, although I think society's needs is the most important, is there anything genetic that could explain why some people prefer the society's needs over the individual's needs or visa-versa?

[JillSwift]

Heehe! I think asking which is more important individual or society is like asking which is more important the heart or lungs.

 

You're not going to do well if you remove either. Likewise a healthy in-group requires healthy members, and vice-verse.

 

There is some evidence suggesting that we evolved social behaviors as a part of ensuring individual survival. After all, a group does do better than an individual, as in a group individuals can specialize their skill-set. The more prosocial behaviors in a group, the better the group is at acting in tandem.

 

Thus, the better the individuals do.

[toastywombel]

I see your point on the close relationship between the individual and society and how if the individual succeeds the society succeeds visa-versa. But I was more going for, what motivates an individual to have/consume so much that he/she hurts society? While other individuals do everything they can to ensure the betterment of society.

[JillSwift]

Call it an ongoing dynamic between individual survival and prosocial behavior.

 

Human minds are flexible enough that we can be taught/learn to act on learned behavior over instinctive behavior. A person could easily learn that collecting as many resources as possible has more and better rewards than being more altruistic. Similarly, a person can be greatly rewarded for being very self-sacrificing.

 

Plus there's abnormal psychology too - personality disorders that make it impossible for a person to connect socially or even inter-personally.

[toastywombel]

I see I see, yeah many disorders do lead to anti-social behavior, do you think all anti-social behavior could be linked to a genetic disorder?

[JillSwift]

I see I see, yeah many disorders do lead to anti-social behavior, do you think all anti-social behavior could be linked to a genetic disorder?

Not really. I think most behaviors - pro- or anti-social - have a certain predisposition genetically, but are in the end largely environmental and learned. Though that there may be the possibility of a genetic predisposition in individuals that drives them to antisocial or prosocial behavior, those would be statistical outliers.

[toastywombel]

I would agree. Genetics could cause a pre-disposition towards anti-social behavior, but environmental learned traits probably decide whether a human is more anti-social.

I notice from my experience that a single child is usually always more selfish than a child with siblings because they never have to share, that would be a learned trait.

Also I could see how someone living in an environment where everyone around him/her does not meet that persons needs. The person then would have to rely on only themselves to achieve anything, that then could lead to a distrust of society by that person.

[JillSwift]

I think you'd find this book fascinating. Though it focuses mainly on violent antisocial behaviors, it's quite illuminating the effect environment has on the mind from birth.

[toastywombel]

Thank you for the suggestion I will most definitely will read it!

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I noticed on ebay how it suggested another book along these lines its called High Risk (children without a conscience). Do you know anything about that read? It looks very interesting as well.

[JillSwift]

I noticed on ebay how it suggested another book along these lines its called High Risk (children without a conscience). Do you know anything about that read? It looks very interesting as well.

Eh - that one is based on older data and has a something of an alarmist bent.

[toastywombel]

I see, well thanks for the suggestions