Of Devolution and Misanthropy

People who know me will say I’m a happy person. I have an engaging personality, I converse well with almost anyone and I’m pretty easy to get to know. So it really wasn’t a surprise that one of my best friend’s got more than a little mad at me a few months ago when I referred to myself as a misanthrope. I mean seriously, me? Well, I haven’t been able to find a more adequate adjective as yet.

Let me expound. According to Wikipedia Misanthropy is the general hatred, distrust or contempt of the human species or human nature. A misanthrope or misanthropist is someone who holds such views or feelings. I’m pretty sure I qualify. My friend’s adamance did however force me to delve a little deeper though and so I managed to get a better handle on who I am.

My current and prevailing challenge has always been with the manner in which we interact as human beings in groups. Don’t get me wrong. I get along well with people. Individuals. Sometimes even small groups. There are people who I call family or friend and love beyond reason. But as a collective, humans (humankind) are amazingly hateful. History and current events do not provide a defence. Race relations, gender relations, class relations, country relations, religion all provide horrifying evidence of the depravity of human nature. We don’t seem to have evolved at all. Literature, movies, music actually seem to show a marked devolution of the species. In the 21st century, with all the information available to us, with so many boundaries removed, we are still unable to see past skin colour, gender identity, race and class and just exist peacefully.

I do not understand how racism still exists. I do not understand how the colour of a person’s skin can have an impact on how they are treated by others. It makes zero sense. We are conceived and birthed in the same manner, have the same basic internal makeup, our skin carries out the same function. We eat, we breathe, we sleep, we bleed. But there are still persons who believe they are somehow better, superior, because they are lighter in complexion than others – that somehow that lack of pigmentation makes them smarter, stronger, better, worthier than others. Their bodies and brains function no differently. They are unable to do anything that sets them apart from other human beings. They are subject to the same physiological deficiencies as everyone else. But somehow believe that they are superior… So they speak vile, hateful things, encourage and commit heinous acts of violence.

I do not understand why we are still at odds as men and women. I do not understand lying, cheating, manipulation, using sex as a weapon. I do not understand homophobia anymore than I understand xenophobia. I do not understand why we are still so hung up on sex and who has sex with whom, how and when. I do not understand why women envy other women to distraction and why our men have been allowed to become so mentally and emotionally fragile.  The very concept of love outside of familial and platonic relationships appears to be endangered by the constant battles between the strong, independent female and the philandering, manipulative male. Dating and relationships have become a contest to prove who needs whom the least and who can prove their individuality the most. The basic human need for companionship and physical/sexual/emotional contact seems to have been stifled by the abject fear or being described as too ‘needy’.

Worldwide, abject poverty continues to exist in countries where persons are also able to live in opulent wealth. Unemployment, lack of access to proper healthcare, education and nutrition continue to plague more than half of the world’s population. The haves look down at the have nots even though many of the haves did and continue to do horrifying things to obtain and increase their wealth.

Wars are constantly being fought because one set or subset of people believe that they are better than another. We kill, maim, oppress, subjugate and exploit each other in a continuing power struggle that does nothing to advance civilization. Religion and theology continue to divide rather than unite and the minds, hearts and spirits of empaths such as myself are constantly bombarded by news of hate and death.

So yes, I distrust humanity, yes I have little faith in the collective people, yes I have contempt for humankind.

So yes, while an ignorant, arrogant, misogynistic, philandering, xenophobic, rapist(?) is on the brink of being elected as the leader of the free world and people of colour continue to struggle for respect and equality and a fanatically religious group continues to reign terror and murder innocents, I can’t find a better adverb to describe my relationship with humankind than misanthropic.