Tipping the Fulcrum

You know, sometimes it's hard to have faith in the world when you read shit like this:

The Hot Zone: Child Bride

I mean, I've been reading heart-wrenching stories in which people do horrible things for a REASON (like Canada's thousands of seal pups slaughtered for their pelts)... hell, even terrorists have a purpose for which they're fighting. And that's hard enough to swallow... but cruelty for the simple sake of cruelty? Yeah, that's part of human nature, too... and that's downright disheartening. I know that the point of this story is to celebrate the perseverence of good over bad, but still. One can't help but feel horror for the existence of the bad in the first place.

I've always believed that not only the human race as a whole, but each individual person, is equally capable of great good and great bad (and everything in between). Our experiences and our choices determine the extent to which each shade of the spectrum forms our lives. And for the most part, I think it's been a pretty even draw throughout the course of human history. I've had discussions with friends who are convinced the world's goin to hell in a handbasket... that it's much worse now than it's ever been. But just read a little bit of history, and you'll have people insisting we don't know how good we've got it right now.

I honestly dunno. I seriously doubt human nature has changed that much. Only our implements of joy or destruction. And you know... whenever I wonder if that balance will ever be tipped, I never once really believe it'll slide over to the better. Unlike our optimistic president who has such a great vision for the future. I have to give him that much, though I don't agree with his methods. Me? I just wonder when we'll eventually destroy ourselves. Or our habitat. So I guess my best hope is that we'll be able to maintain the balance.

Damn, have I really gotten this friggin cynical?