Philosophy in Life

(Outline)

The notion that human behavior is essentially egoistic, that fundamentally we are all out
for ourselves, is deeply ingrained in Western thought. The idea that not only are we inherently
selfish but also that aggression and hostility are part of basic human nature has dominated the
Western culture for centuries, under the influence of philosophers likes Thomas Hobbes.

We are all made to seek happiness. And it is clear that feelings of love, affection,
closeness, and compassion bring happiness. I believe that every one of us has the basis to be
happy, to access the warm and compassionate states of mind that brings happiness.

The subject of human affection or compassion isn’t just a religious matter, it’s an
indispensable factor in one’s day-to-day life, so we can infer that our fundamental human nature
is one of gentleness. And if this is the case, then it makes all the more sense to try to live a way
of life that is more in accordance with this gentle nature of our being.

Now if our essential nature is kind and compassionate, you’re probably wondering as to
how we can account for all the conflicts and aggressive behaviors that surround us.

We can’t ignore the fact that conflicts and tensions do exist, not only within an individual
mind but also within the family, when we interact with other people, at the societal level, the
national level, and the global level.

So looking at this, some people conclude that human nature is basically aggressive.
Nonetheless, it is still my firm conviction that human nature is essentially compassionate and
gentle; that is the predominant feature of the human race.

Anger, violence, and aggression may certainly arise, but I think it’s on a secondary or
more superficial level; in a sense, they arise when we are frustrated in our efforts to achieve love
and affection. They are not part of our nature as human beings.

So although aggression can occur, I believe that these conflicts aren’t necessarily because
of human nature but rather a result of the human intellect—the misuse and unbalanced human
intelligence.

Now on looking at human evolution, compared to some other animals, our physical body
may have been very weak. But because of the development of human intelligence, we were able
to use many instruments and discover many methods to conquer adverse environmental
conditions.
 As human society and environmental conditions gradually become more complex, this
required a much greater role of our intelligence and cognitive ability to meet the ever-increasing
demands of this complex environment.

So I believe that our underlying or fundamental nature is gentleness, and intelligence is a

later development. And if that human ability, that human intelligence, develops in an unbalanced
way, without being properly counterbalanced with compassion, then it can become detrimental.

But it’s important to recognize that if human conflicts are created by misuse of human
intelligence, we can also utilize our intelligence to find ways and means to overcome these
conflicts.

When human intelligence and goodness are used together, all human actions become
constructive. When we combine a warm heart with knowledge and education, we can learn to
respect other’s views and rights. This becomes the basis of a spirit of reconciliation that can be
used to overcome aggression and resolve our conflicts.

No matter how much violence or how many bad things we have to go through, I believe
that the ultimate solution to our conflicts, both internal and external, lies in returning to our basic
or underlying human nature which is gentle and compassionate.

So let us reflect on what is truly of value in life, what gives meaning to our lives, and set
our priorities on the basis of that. The purpose of our life needs to be positive. We weren’t born
with the purpose of causing trouble or harm to others.

For our life to be of value, we must develop basic good human qualities—warmth,
kindness, and compassion. Then our life becomes meaningful and more peaceful— even happier.