Core Development

Are Human Beings Inherently Evil And Destructive?

There are two fundamentally different schools of thought about the nature of human beings.

The view held by some psychologists, and the one that appears to be largely predominant in our culture, is that some of our basic “core” impulses are destructive, and that therefore they have to be restrained, disciplined, “sublimated”.

The other rather less commonly-held view is that destructive impulses or drives are not inherent in human nature but that they are, in fact, brought about by the thwarting of our natural impulses which are healthy and constructive.

This is the view held by Wilhelm Reich and the American and European Schools of somatic psychotherapy that grew out of his many years of scientific research.

This school of thought believes that life isn’t evil, that the unconscious isn’t a devil, and that all individual and social evils are man-made, made by interference with the life process.

Also that children, when allowed to be themselves, are peaceful, social and kindly.

The Fundamental Difference

The fundamental difference between these points of view is that the first one assumes that human beings are, at least in part, inherently evil and destructive.

Just think - if you hold this belief, can you trust people? Can you trust your own nature, if you believe that it is in part evil and destructive?

The other point of view, which I have found to be true, is that human beings are inherently constructive and cooperative and that destructive behaviour is the result of misunderstanding and the consequent attempts to control rather than support our natural impulses.

According to this point of view, it is the mistaken belief in the inherent destructivenss of human nature, and the actions that result from this belief, that cause destructive and violent behaviours which then make compulsive moralism and restrictive laws appear necessary.

In other words, our very attempts to control and destroy what we believe to be harmful are actually causing the behaviours that we are genuinely trying to avoid.

Donald Marmara