Anarchist wrote:You pointed out earlier that infants are naturally selfish, but later are Taught to put others first,while some remain selfish and ussually end up abusing those who are not.
No I didn't.
Though I agree with that statement to a certain extent, and a VERRY certain extent.
I think that infants are selfish at first because they're brains haven't developing cognitively yet. The psychologist Kohlberg (think he was the one, anyways) agreed with me. They are not so much taught as much as simply developed. Morality is a fairly inborn trait, in the opinions of many psychologists, it just takes awhile for the brain to cognitively develop to achieve its final stage of unconventional morality.
Anarchist wrote:if everyone were selfish they would not be interested in "protecting" others from their own actions
That might be one effect of universal selfishness, but another would be disregard for one's own actions in relations to other. If everyone was completely selfish, as you're suggesting, what's to stop anyone from killing each other to get what they want? What you're proposing is a very Darwinistic society in which the strong survive and the weak die, like animals. I like to think we're a bit above that level.
Anarchist wrote:An example of this is Christians who feel it is their responsibility to convert the world in order to save us from the punishment of hell, if they were more concerned about saving themselves they would be less annoying and intrusive to all of us.
An oft-cited example. And one that Jesus Himself pointed out. "You hypocrites! Remove the wooden beam from your own eye before you remove the splinter from your brother's!"
Anarchist wrote:This is not something everyone is willing to do, but to those who are open to it end up better understanding themselves and those around them.
I'd be more than willing to be absorbed in myself and be totally selfish for the rest of my life. That is, if I didn't have a moral problem with doing so.
Anarchist wrote:Changes in philosophy have occured countles times throughout history and they will happen again.
Point out to me one example of an event which completely revolutionized morality. Revolutionized as in... turned it completely around.
Anarchist wrote:Extreme Means are due to lack of insight into the root of the problem.
But they're necessary. For what you're proposing to be accomplished (i.e. a return to the feral instincts and selfishness of our neanderthal ancestors) we'd literally have to blow ourselves back to the stone age.
Anarchist wrote:A revolution does not require bloodshed, just a mass movement of people no longer willing to accept the system. Take the end of capitalism for instance violence is not required, all that needs to happen is financial collapse. There are many ways that this may occur, we are on the verge of a collapse due to unequal distribution of wealth as we speak. Not to forget the resources and overpopulation factors.
Economic factors have nothing to do with the topic at hand. You're proposing a shift in the human psyche. It would take a helluvalot more than another economic crash to do that.