Faith in Humanity

[Beefcakes]

After reading numerous articles and threads here on the Escapist, I have reason to believe that a majority, if not a large chunk of Escapist's have either lost faith in humanity, or just generally don't like everyone in .

But have you ever seen something or read something that made you think, "Wow, maybe humanity isn't doomed after all," or "Well I didn't expect person from to do something like that!", and forced you to re-evaluate things?
I personally have little experience in said area, but I'd love to hear stories from others out there who have, as humanity seems a little more doomed to me everyday...

 

[YukoValis]

Now my question would be WHY do you feel this way? what was said which lead you to this conclusion?

 

[Scorched_Cascade]

I'm going to quote Ben Elton here I'll put it in spoiler tags because it is from a pivotal moment in one of his books please note that while the names look silly if you read the book you'll understand why everyone has names like that.

Spoiler: Blind Faith by Ben Elton

T: "Thinking about it will change nothing. I'd rather burn for ever than become what you are, Sandra Dee".
SD: "And whats that?"
T: "Inhuman"
SD: "Then I'm proud to be inhuman becuase humanity is shit".
T: "It isn't and you know it. You've read enough books to understand that. Humanity encompasses the highest and the lowest that nature has to offer. I'd rather die still believing in the highest than become what you are. You're the lowest, far lower than a bully like Princess Lovebud; compared to you, she's an angel"

I fully reccomend reading this book by the way; its set in a post-flood world a few years into the future where cult of celebrity and "me, me, me" tpe thinking has run rampant. It also has a very strong "1984" feel to it and, as always with Ben Elton's books is packed full of satire.

 

[Beefcakes]

In reference to people on the Escapist losing faith in humanity? Being the lurker I am, I was around for the quite large thread of people telling stories about how customers there work, are stupid, incompetent, or just plain lazy, and although it may have been a while ago, i still remember it for its sheer popularity. Possible linkage to come.

In reference to myself and my interaction with people in everyday-to-day life, I go to school. I could end that sentence there, and need not say more. But i will! People are generally lazy, un-intelligent and have an aura as if to say "I'm better than you, and I don't need to prove it."

Now, my exposure to the immediate area may be great, but I don't interact with people in different schools, towns, states, countries, often, and thats the reason why I asked about the good things people do, so as to stop myself from hating society.

Happy?

 

[PersianLlama]

Nope, I'm a cynical pessimist.

 

[Scorched_Cascade]

I realise I posted above but I decided to clarify in case of any confusion on what I was trying to say (and if I added this to the post above it would make a fairly impressive text wall so new post it is).

I have never lost my faith in humanity. As the far more elequent Ben Elton put it "Humanity encompasses the highest and the lowest that nature has to offer" so to accept one is too accept the other. I regularly volunteer with St John's Ambulance (first aiders) willingly giving up my time to first aid and I regularly help out with RAG (Raising and Giving) as they do various events and fund raisers for charities. It is when doing these that you see that people do need help and you meeting others like yourself that do things purely for the sake of helping others and its gives you hope.

To summarize; Have you lost faith in humanity? What are you doing that helps others so much that allows you to be so judgemental of others? Have you ever tried helping people or restoring other's faith in humanity?

 

[Dele]

Nope, I'm a cynical pessimist.

Is that not a synonyme to "losing faith in humanity"?

 

[rossatdi]

I'm a cynical optimist but I agree with the Ben Elton quote. Humanity is the up and the down.

As long as one person is willing to defend one innocent from injustice without agenda or hope then humanity is worth it.

 

[Zac_Dai]

Its a cliché of the internet said by people who just like to ***** and moan and focus too much on the negative.

Humanity is actually making huge progress, take for instance human rights, the fact that only in the last 50 years women have been treated as equals to men compared to the thousands of years of oppression has to tell you something.

Technology and scientific knowledge has rapidly increased improving the quality of lives for a lot of people. Medical knowledge has nearly eliminated the threat of most diseases with only Cancer still posing a problem.

You may even go on about how everyone is stupid and society is being dumbed down but thats illogical considering that it wasn't long ago when Education was for the rich and illiteracy was rife.

Plus think about all the acts of kindness that go on everyday, which never get reported by the news because it doesn't sell as well scaremongering.

There is still a lot of crap in the world, mainly the non west but even there its gradually improving and as there populations strive for a better life.

I could go on and on.

 

[Gahars]

An optimist?

On the Escapist?

We'll have to take care of that

 

[Nazulu]

I wouldn't say the end of humanity but the it's the young generation that pisses me off. Plus there are no more talented people in media these days, everything is just getting worse, technology gets better and creativity is dying.

I hope I am wrong though and a genius will just pop his/her head around the next corner!

 

[RufusMcLaser]

(basically, it's better than it used to be.)

I agree with everything he said.

 

[James Raynor]

Humanity is actually making huge progress, take for instance human rights, the fact that only in the last 50 years women have been treated as equals to men compared to the thousands of years of oppression has to tell you something.

We just oppress the gays now.

 

[Souplex]

The movie Idiocracy restored my faith in humanity by making me realize there was a solution to the problem. *Readies shotgun*

 

[Baby Tea]

Humanity is actually making huge progress, take for instance human rights, the fact that only in the last 50 years women have been treated as equals to men compared to the thousands of years of oppression has to tell you something.

What it tells me is that humanity is prone to oppression of one group or another. If it isn't women, it'll be something else (Lately? I'd say many religious groups, and STILL some ethic groups).

The nature of humanity isn't volunteering and helping those in need (Though those are great things, don't get me wrong), it's dominance, control, power, greed, and just as carnal as it was years past.

You say we've made great steps in eliminating discriminations and educating. Well I say nature abhors a vacuum, and when we remove one group from the iron sights of humanity's hate and bigotry, another takes it's place.

 

[Galletea]

The fact that people were actually queuing to vote in the States made me feel a bit more hopeful.
I don't think we'll be seeing much of that here in the UK though.

 

[TheThanatos]

The fact that people were actually queuing to vote in the States made me feel a bit more hopeful.
I don't think we'll be seeing much of that here in the UK though.

Well it's between Brown and Cameron. Neither of them are exactly inspirational. Ill be voting for whoever gets the conservatives out of my area. Or monster raving loony party.

As for OP Im a hopefull cynic, I often expect the worse out of humanity, but I want the best.
If anything humanity makes me angry for not trying hard enough.
Theres alot of things that piss me off about society and people. But for a simple case in point of good people, last winter I hit a patch of ice while breaking on my motorbike to slow down for a round a bout. If you dont know anything about bikes, breaking on ice=very bad. I promptly lost the front end, and crashed my bike, Oh and tore some ligament in my left shoulder.
As soon as I had stood up and dusted myself off an old couple came out of there house, promptly offered to take me to hospital and store my bike until I could retrieve it. These people had no reason to help me, no way of benefiting, (I did buy them an expensive bottle of whiskey ), and yet they went out of there way to help me.
Stuff like this are what keep my faith in humanity.
And to quote Spider Jerusalem, "Things get better one winter at a time, so if your going to celebrate something, then have a drink on this: The world is generally and on balance, a better place to live then it was last year."
As much as stuff pisses you off people, it is changing, IT TAKES FREAKING YEARS THOUGH!

 

[dnv2]

I suppose I should be wishing for a Zombie Apocalypse right about now?

*Destroys the stairs and barricades himself in*

 

[Evilbunny]

When Barack Obama was elected president of the united states, and huge numbers of people who were once disenfranchised by the electoral system came out to vote, I felt a feeling of pride and hope for humanity. It was like at the end of the dark knight, when the clock struck midnight and neither of the ships blew each other up and batman said to the joker, "This city just showed you that it's ready to believe in something good." It made me feel all warm inside.

 

[Good morning blues]

The reason lots of people think that humanity is shit here is because there are an awful lot of teenagers with poor social skills hanging about on this forum trying to look "cool" and "mature." Amazing things happen every day, both good and bad, but few of us ever look beyond our immediate surroundings for them.