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what is human nature?

by simone devi-jhingoor

Human nature as I understand it is this conscious and unconscious need to operate from a place of ego. According to Eckhart Tolle, “ego is a false sense of self”. It is who we think we are: the story and narratives we create about our selves for us and for others. The more we experience pain and suffering in the form of trauma from those who are closest to us – partners, friends, family members and colleagues – the more we find evidence to believe this story about who we are. Examples are: “I am not loved” or “I am not good enough” or “I am not worthy”. This image or perception of our self is what shapes how we show up in the world. And often this is not from a place of power, truth and authenticity but from a place of falsehood – from our ego. We internalize this image or perception and allow it to impact the way we relate to others.

This “false sense of self” coupled with living in an inequitable and consumer driven world does not help. Instead, we dive deeper into our ego, which feeds our desire to survive at all costs. We strive to feel worthy and alive through the material possessions we attain in our life – a fancy car, high paying job or a big house – and we are then motivated to have more of these things at the expense of what truly brings us joy. Now, I am not saying that it is terrible to have material possessions that we can enjoy – as long as we don’t feel like these things are the only way we will be happy. If we are operating and aligned from a place that is our highest sense of self – our values, vision, passion and purpose – than we can feel the most fulfilled and joyful.

how does change happen in the context of human nature?

Change happens in the context of human nature when we are able to build our self-awareness to recognize the ways that we are holding generations of trauma in our bodies, minds and spirits. We begin to recognize how much pain and suffering we have experienced over time that then impacts how we physically show up in the world and relate to people in our lives. Once we begin to build this level of self-awareness, it is the first step to beginning a life-long journey of healing to release trauma and all the false images of our selves that we no longer need. We are able to move through the world from a place of love and not ego. We can work on disrupting patterns that hold us back and instead, focus on aligning ourselves to operate from our highest sense of self, which is from a place of vision and purpose. And we are also in more choice. We no longer need to find evidence to support a false image or perception of our selves, because we are in our true and authentic power.

human nature

by jaritza geigel 

It’s knowing the difference between wanting you and needing you. That when I feel I need you that’s just the loneliness talking telling me to run back to what I used to understand as safety but knowing it will only cause the same harm it did before.

It’s being unused to letting go even though I feel lighter; clearer. It’s reminding myself everyday that our plans can change and it can be a good thing. It’s not taking what’s in front of you at face value and wondering if you’ll take the leap to see the layers beneath the surface.

It’s choosing to stay in the same state of survival that you’ve learned through your adolescent experience or deciding to make some real shifts so you can move into action that propels you further in your life.

Human nature is when you look for others to fill in the gaps of what we feel are missing when we should be looking internally within ourselves.

It’s when a man says he down to be your friend after you turn him down, but doesn’t reach out because we both know what he wanted to hang around for. It’s reminding myself in those moments not to take it out on the rest of the humans of the world.

It’s understanding that the world doesn’t revolve around any one individual and so we all impact one another.  The only thing you have control over is yourself and how you want others to experience you. It’s also accepting people change and not always when or how you need them to.

It’s having my heart catch up to what my mind has accepted and acknowledges.

One thing about human nature that is definite is that whether it’s for better or for worse people change.

how does change happen in the context of human nature?

by elena conte

Human nature tends toward suffering because of the illusion of a separate self. This takes on many different forms in small and large ways.  At the same time, the tendency toward suffering is the layer that interferes with us accessing the perfect, inherent goodness of every person. So, human nature is also perfect, inherent goodness.

Change is the process of waking up to that inherent goodness through compassion for “self” and “other” and manifesting it in community and in harmony with nature — experiencing that we are not really separate, but completely interdependent.

Change comes from within, and through the way that we are transformed and transform others in the power of relationships.  As we strengthen our ability to know and love ourselves, our ability to love and know others is enhanced, and from there collaborations are built that form communities, organize ourselves, and create institutions that support the values of justice we want to see in the world.

There are counter forces that are deliberate, and rooted in the deep, unexamined and unhealed suffering of the perpetuators of violence, greed, de-humanization of the “other”, environmental degradation, etc. There are parts of all people that have the ability – and inclination – to cause harm to others. There are lots of ways, personal and political, to wake people up and interrupt those processes.  Reconnecting with one’s humanity and helping others to do the same are at the heart of the “waking up” process.

what is human nature?

by rae leiner

What is human nature as you understand it? How does change happen in the context of human nature?

As I understand it, human nature is a core pattern of behavior that is somewhat developed from early childhood and on going through adulthood but also informed by primal behaviors inherited from human evolution.

I believe there are arcs of human behavior that are influenced by human nature and these patterns range through all human experience, for example the fight or flight pattern or survival of the fittest.  That human nature has evolved over time, has helped to inform emotional intelligence and behavioral patterns.

I feel as though there are layers to human nature that are influenced on a physiologically level, that biologically we carry information that informs aspects of our knowledge, wisdom and informs our trauma.  I also believe that trauma is passed on from generation to generation, that physiologically we are informed by knowledge that sometimes we don’t know how to access but is ever present and presenting itself to us.  A lack of connection to the knowledge influences us on a psychological level, either allowing us choice or limiting our choice.

I’m not sure if human nature changes, there is something about it that feels instinctual and primal even.  I do believe that it does inform behavior and that patterns of behavior can change more so than human nature.