OT - altruism

Are people basically good, nice, helpful, and loving, or are people basically selfish, cold-blooded, greedy, and mean?

Are we basically nice but taught competition in our schools and taught mistrust and hatred in our churches?

Are we basically born sinners, taught discipline in our schools and taught love and compassion in our churches?

If we are all born good and taught good - then our society would be nice, good, kind - and it is not.

If we are all born mean and nasty and taught hatred - then our society would be a social wreak - but it is not.

What are we, as a species? Are we a blend of good and bad. Are some of our teachings from good people, and other teachings from bad people?

Here is an article about how helpful even very young babies are - so do some of us loose our niceness, or are we taught to be cold, competitive, and unfeeling?

(Good article by Nicholas Wade of the nytimes)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/science/01human.html

Because we can change what the next generation is taught. (Actually, we can now also change what genes the next generation has!).