Science Memes

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[–] Wandering_Uncertainty@lemmy.world 7 points 2 years ago (1 child)

It really is a matter of perspective.

You're saying that 10% of the population being awful means that a "huge number" are deeply broken.

So then 90% are being good! Mind, it doesn't take too many assholes to wreck things for everyone, but it is nice that the majority of folks really are trying to do their best. A sizeable majority, even!

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[–] stoly@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

10% of 8 billion is still many hundreds of millions. That’s a huge number. More: it’s a number we have to stop pretending is not a big deal and get to work to fix ourselves as a species.

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[–] Wandering_Uncertainty@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

Oh, no denying that at all. It is a problem, especially in aggregate.

When looking at the big picture, those rotten apples really do spoil the bunch and it can be depressing.

But also people can take that big picture awareness of problems and hate on people a little universally. Saying things like humanity is awful and a plague on the earth and maybe shouldn't exist. There's absolutely reason to see things that way.

But we are also a species that dolphins can approach for help when they're injured. Or that will fight tooth and nail to help a wild creature. Or who will sacrifice their own well-being, not just for friends and family, but for strangers. Who will take other creatures, like dogs, into our homes and hearts and love them with all we have.

We can suck as a species, absolutely. We need to fix it. But it's important to remember the joys of humanity, and not just the failures. Both are extreme, for we are a rather extreme species!