Some of you who read the works of writers like Machiavelli, Schopenhauer, or Robert Greene may not just bulk at the amorality of their works, but also their dim view of human nature. Some of them use language that crosses the line into outright misanthropy.
Sun Tzu wrote that to win a battle, we need to see ourselves, others, and the environment for what it is. Only then can we come up with an appropriate strategy.
If you deny the nature of yourself and others, then your strategy itself will be flawed. The only texts that have helped me take control of my life were those that explain human nature, both its positive and negative aspects. Other texts may provide strategies how to deal with people and even our nature, but offer no insight over why we have problems with our human nature in the first place. In most cases, they avoid the reasons for humanity’s shortcomings.
Steven Pinker uses the terms Tragic vision and Utopian vision in his book Blank Slate- the denial of human nature. These two terms encompass the two poles of philosophy on human nature, and underpin the differing political views that come through dealing with human condition.
The tragic vision states that humans are “limited in their knowledge, wisdom and virtue, and all social arrangements must acknowledge these limits” (p. 287). Despite all advancements in civilisation, human nature and its inherent selfishness have not changed. “Traditions such as religion, the family, social customs, sexual mores, and political institutions are a distillation of time-tested techniques that let us around the shortcoming of human nature. They are applicable to human today as when they were developed, even if no one can explain their rationale.”
The Utopian vision envisions human nature as infinitely malleable. Goodness or badness in a person is not an inherent trait but formed by outside influences, either sociological, cultural, or political. Shortcomings in our nature are due to shortcomings in our upbringing or society. Even if we were born with certain innate traits, these can be changed according to society’s demands. Every human is different based because of their different experiences, and there are no universal human traits because of this.
Steven Pinker approaches the subject of human nature from an evolutionary psychology standpoint. Though his view of humanity is not as dark as the purist version of the Tragic vision, he highlights how many of our traits, both good and bad, were inherited, and much of it can not be avoided. I advise you to read the book to truly understand our basic nature and how to deal with our collective shortcomings.
Sermons on strategy 