A key justification for our system remaining a win or lose system of punishments and rewards is the way our human nature is widely perceived as making us selfish, greedy, unmotivated to contribute and generally anti-social . On a societal level the way we mischaracterize our social nature has many damaging effects. It’s a common assumption that the only reasons people cooperate is to further their own self-interest, and to avoid the negative consequences they might suffer as a result of not cooperating. This has a significant effect on how we respond to people who harm others.
Rather than understanding such personalities as somehow damaged and functioning in a diminished capacity, the popular belief is that people who harm others are failing to contain the natural anti-social impulses to which everyone would succumb, had they not been well disciplined as children and fearful of punishment as adults. The assumption is that the person who has swindled another out of their savings, or has been sexually violent is simply acting as would any other person, if they thought they could get away with it.
This however is utter nonsense. If anyone reading this believes the reason they do not transgress against others is because they fear the consequences should they be caught, try the following thought experiment: Imagine you were assured immunity from all external consequences, legal or otherwise. What rampage of plunder, rape, and violence might you actually embark upon? Although there is disagreement among researchers, it is broadly accepted that the number of people who are unable to feel concern and empathy for others is statistically very small – estimated to be as low as 1% and usually no higher than 4% of the general population. If you are among the vast majority of people you would be disinclined to act in ways that were harmful to others regardless of not being concerned about consequences.
This proposition is not entirely theoretical. Many of us have had the experience of finding a lost wallet, or seeing someone leave their cell phone at a cash register, or in the case of a cash transaction, receiving too much in change. In these everyday situations getting away with keeping something of value that belonged to another would be easy. While some people wouldn’t have a problem with that, they constitute a small emotionally unhealthy minority. Given the way our intensely individualistic culture can pit us against one another, the frequent extension of everyday kindnesses is a powerful testament to our highly social nature.
Healthy people know that it feels wonderful to be that person who saves another from the panic that ensues upon the realization of having lost a wallet or phone. A healthy person also knows they would be upset with themselves if they hadn’t acted with caring and kindness – like returning the over payment of change to that cashier who may have otherwise lost their job because of it.
The misapprehension that a person who acts harmfully to others is perfectly healthy contributes to our anger with such people. Believing that at their core everyone is corrupt makes us expect the worst from each other. Such misanthropic thinking is critical to the justification of a criminal justice system that is filled with cruelty and an economic system where most wealth and power is concentrated among a relative few.