Cultural Conditioning

            Cultural conditioning is a substratum of the more empirical term, nurturing.  As the brain evolved producing the phenomenon of mind, it affected specific conditioning that results in certain expectations.

            Neurologists, biologists, psychologists, economists and philosophers have debated which has the most influence over human behavior, nature or nurturing.  It is generally agreed that when certain emotions like hate, love, jealousy, envy, revenge, avarice and aggression are present in every race and culture throughout the world they must have a genetic antecedent.  However, how a culture treats emotions such as anger greatly influences individual behavior. 

            For example, there are four great religions that have evolved from the Bible that consider themselves God’s chosen; in chronological order they are the Hebrews, Christians, Muslims and Mormons.  Each faith has its own idea about how conflicts and emotions should be dealt with.

            Which came first, Al-Qaida or the Koran?  Did hatred preempt the doctrine or was it the other way around?  We are all capable of hatred but in the case of Al-Qaida did a doctrine give fanatics an excuse to hate, or did a doctrine that vilified infidels encourage hate?

            A doctrine that states one group is chosen over all other groups will inevitably induce resentment and conflict.  The Catholics and Protestants warred over doctrine (Thirty Year’s War) so have the Sunnis and Shiites.  Where ever the Mormons have gone there has been conflict.  From the Mormon point of view they have always been innocent or justified.

            Since the Civil War, we Americans seem to have risen above engaging in organized violent dispute with each other over ideology.  Yet there is still conflict, like between the haves and have nots, liberals and conservatives.  I don’t think there is any question that conflict is part of the human condition. 

            To be ranked among the chosen, even if it is an illusion, can bolster one’s self esteem; or it can arouse conceit, arrogance and pride.  To be chosen is to be superior, better, even infallible.  If you are more favored and deserving than those other guys then you can make up your own rules.  If you are living life on a higher plain than the plebeians then you are justified in transcending mundane ideology.

            In the Middle Ages might made you right but now days America has a Constitution that has established an ideology that conveys the notion that a Catholic is no better or worse than a Protestant, Muslim or Mormon.  The Constitution doesn’t prevent you from thinking you are superior or even pretending or acting as if you are superior.  It’s when hubris results in violating the rights of others that the Constitution or laws of the land intervenes.

            Some religious people demonstrate their superiority or righteousness by deprecating non believers.  It’s a defense mechanism of the mind.  Narcissism is carrying this tendency to the extreme.  The narcissistic personality can do no wrong.  It is always the other guys fault.  Even when the narcissist does something wrong he is justified.  We often find this personality type in positions of authority like politics and religion. 

            Mormon fundamentalist groups are examples of group narcissism where the illusion of being God’s chosen, which is nothing more than “mental gymnastics,” distinguishes one group from another.  From a biological perspective, this is the mind’s way of helping promote dominance and survivability for the replication of genes and ideas.

            From Mother Nature’s point of view there is no such thing as good and evil, there is only survival, meaning natural selection or survival of the fittest.  And Mother Nature is only interested in species, not individuals.  With that preface in mind, which form of mating is best for the human species?  Polygamy, monogamy, homosexuality?