> I propose that humanity is, deep down, a
>selfish race. Some individuals are without a
> doubt more altruistic than others, but I believe that at least a grain of selfishness is > embedded in the psyche of each and every
> human being.
>
> Somehow, the majority of humanity manages
> to suppress this deep-rooted selfishness,
> and we have this thing called "civilization."
> And I thought, what keeps
> people from just doing whatever they want,
> whenever they want? What keeps "might
> makes right" from becoming our everyday
> philosophy? Civilization, I suppose. We
> suppress our selfish nature for the good of all.

Or perhaps we form civilisations because our selfish nature recognises that forming civilisations is the best long-term strategy for staying alive and passing on our genes. Suppressing our selfish nature for the good of all isn't really suppressing it, it's just taking selfishness to a whole new level.

Having just got back from the movies, though, I can tell you that the REAL best long-term strategy for staying alive is probably to have mutant healing powers and adamantium claws you can shoot out of your knuckles. Woo HOO, that's what I say.