Nature vs. Nurture

Is empathy innate? Is it something we are born with? Something we are taught? This question came up briefly during our Out of the Silent Planet Socratic seminar this week, and inspired me to ponder it myself.
Someone mentioned that humans are biologically programmed to be selfish, that we need to think of ourselves first in order to survive. Although this is true when speaking of human relationships with other species, we are actually born with a natural motivation to help those around us survive. In essence, we are born with "selfless genes." It's simple biology: in order for a species to survive and continue to pass their DNA to the next generation, altruism must be displayed among the organisms. This is the reason one meerkat stands guard in watch for predators while his fellow companions eat. Like us, these animals are biologically programmed to help and care for one another.
So if we are born with genes that make us instinctively empathetic and selfless, why does human society so often display acts of cruelty and selfishness? The answer can be found with a quick google search. When given a choice between helping someone else and helping ourselves, we choose the one that most benefits us. If giving a homeless man a dollar on your way to work fills you with pride and happiness, odds are you're going to do it. But if you need that dollar to buy yourself lunch that day, are you still gonna give it away? Are you going to let yourself go hungry so someone else doesn't? Probably not.
Not only does biology play a role in this tug-of-war between selflessness and selfishness, but so does the way we are brought up. Some are taught to be ruthless, to "crush the competition," or "step over anyone in order to get themselves to the top." This truly seems to be the case in modern day, especially in school and work settings that are full of people desperate to earn their own success. Others, however, are taught to be charitable and compassionate. Our environment, our goals, and our own perception of society all greatly affect the way we treat one another.
To answer the initial question: yes, empathy is something most of us are born with, but it is also something we must be taught in order to act on. A corrupted society creates a corrupted person. It takes a whole lot of self-reflection and inner-peace to combat those feelings of "me, me, me." But hey, who said selfishness was always a bad thing?

Fact or Opinion

"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not a truth." -Marcus Aurelius

 What proof do we have that anything we believe to be true is actually true? Every fact we have come to accept, every piece of scientific evidence, every spec of proof, is fragile. Fact has no meaning in relativity to the universe, it is simply speculation. 
Let's say I made the statement that solid objects aren't able to disappear into thin air. I have never seen it happen, nor has anyone else. Science backs up my conclusion. But if one day I witness an object in front of me vanish. What then? My prior beliefs have suddenly become meaningless and false. The idea that objects can't suddenly disappear is my opinion, but there is no way to prove it is truly fact. 
When speaking on the topic of perspective, the same concept applies. The way I see an object or person can never be truth. This is because, no matter how I see it, there will always be someone who see it differently than me. The contradiction of two perspectives destroys all hope of something ever being universally true. The very definition of truth states that it is something "that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality." But the question is, who defines fact? Who defines reality?

Personal Philosophy: The Pursuit of Happiness

I am, and always have been, a believer in the the idea that although our lives do not hold any one true meaning, they have the ability to be fulfilled through a lifestyle full of love and positivity. It may sound cliché and overly-optimistic, but I truly don't see a point in living a life of dull routine that lacks the stimulation we need to be truly content with ourselves and our surroundings. Our purpose as human-beings is not simply to survive, but to also flourish. Happiness, quite literally, translates in Greek to "human flourishing."'
It is not only our personal happiness that brings meaning to our lives, but also the happiness we emit to those around us. I, personally, feel satisfaction whenever I do something kind, even if it is simply smiling at a stranger on the street. I want to do that throughout my life, find ways to spread love to others, because what is happiness if there's no one with whom you can share it with? What is living if there's no one with whom you can share it with?
So, simply, I want to be fulfilled and satisfied on my death bed. I don't want to look back and remember all the risks I did not take or all the people I didn't reach out to. I want to fill my life with excitement and positivity and surround myself with wonderful people. I want to embrace the downs as much as I embrace the ups. Because honestly, all that matters in the end is the memory. Life simply becomes a thing to look back on, and I want to be content when I do that.