Discussion What separates man from monster?

[sinister]

See, the problem lies within the question itself. To ask what separates man from monster assumes they are distinct. But are they? The line blurs when humanity's darkest truths reveal that the monster is merely a reflection of man. The cruelty, the fear, the hunger for dominance are these not human traits? Perhaps the question is not what separates them but why we cling to the illusion that separation exists at all.

Look at history, at the wars fought in the name of power, belief, or revenge. Is the massacre of the innocent not monstrous? Is the exploitation of the weak not akin to a predator stalking its prey? Humanity's capacity for violence often surpasses that of any beast, for unlike the beast, man kills not just to survive but to fulfil desires greed, hatred, even the hollow satisfaction of proving superiority.

Consider the way humans destroy not only others but themselves. They poison their minds with envy and their bodies with indulgence. They dismantle their environment, carving mountains and seas to satiate fleeting comforts. Monsters consume; humans devour. The difference is that humans can mask their hunger with words like 'progress' or 'justice.' But underneath lies the same primal instinct: survival at any cost.

Even love, the one virtue humanity clings to as proof of their goodness, carries shadows. Obsession, control, jealousy, love too easily turns into possession. Monsters may claim territory; humans claim hearts, bending others to their will under the guise of affection. What is this if not monstrous in its core?

So, when you ask what separates man from monster, understand that the answer lies in this truth: there is no separation. Humans are monsters, thinking, feeling, dreaming creatures who can rationalize their every cruelty. The question you should ask instead is this, why do we fear the monster in the dark, but not the one in the mirror?

 

[Tig]

I think you hit the nail squarely on the head friend.
We all have the Man/Woman inside of us just waiting for the Monster to come out by whatever excuses feels right at the moment.
It's just part of the "Human Condition",
No rhyme or reason, we as Humans need to evolve into something better, seems the Monsters are winning though.

 

[Forever Sleep]

I absolutely agree with you. I just think humans have gentrified a lot of behaviours. We also have a whole ton of rules- religious, civil, etiquette etc. to try and curb some of our most antisocial behaviours because presumably, those in power realise what chaos we'd be in if we were all given free reign. The mere fact we have strict prohibitions kind of shows that we are aware that we are fully capable of heinous acts.

Still- the other question I suppose is why we recognise them as heinous. Some animal behaviours are heinous- surely? Predators toying with their prey. Insects that lay their larvae on living creatures so that their young will hatch and devour the thing alive. We don't see that as quite so malicious though because we blame that on their instinct and lack of knowledge that what they're doing is 'wrong' or that it creates suffering.

What is true human nature though? It's hard to know really. Along with our backstabbing, exploitative side, we've also realised that living in groups is beneficial to all of us. So- altruism is also part of our nature in a way. Although- it's debatable whether it's true altruism if it's a case of people giving in hopes of receiving.

Interestingly though, I think we do vary person to person. Some people do seem far more 'monstrous' than others. Not sure whether that's down to nature (genes) or, nurture (upbringing and environment.)

 

[ScaredOfMachines]

Humans are monsters, there's nothing really separating us. Humans have free will, and instead of using that to better ourselves we continually make decisions that drag us down and hurt others. We fall to greed easily and end up committing crimes towards ourselves that people can only have nightmares about. It's easier to pretend we have some decency than acknowledging we've failed to be better than that in every way.