If there were no consequences or accountability

[Gaucho]

robbing a bank would be on my mind.

 

[AGR]

What habits are you thinking of? Because are weren't savage beats. Chimpanzees are not savage beasts. They have no rules or laws and they aren't maniacs, same with the rest of the animal kingdom. If there were no consequences, why would we be raping, murdering maniacs? I don't think much would change, people just would be more open about their "wrong" doings.

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chimps are one of the most vicious animals I have ever heard of,without rules I think we would live pretty much like them.

 

[AGR]

Really?

Hunter gatherer bands function without any codified rules or laws (although admittedly they have their own behaviour modifying cultural mores).

The fact that societies always gravitate towards cohesion indicates that altruism is built into our genes. We'd have died out in the palaeolithic if it wasn't.

I agree with Mikey,you can be sure that a lot of people died out in that time(paleolithic),from conflicts and etc.
Just look at european colonization,they came to south america,africa like there were no rules stoping them,look what happened.
Look when Japan took control of some countries and had nothing stoping them,or a lot of countries that were in this position of control,history pretty much proves it,it also proves that the best way to keep people in check is to have a reaction for their actions and that not always work,not saying that everyone would act like this.......

 

[Lea]

You don't even need to remove rules and laws to see this. Look at what the nazis did in WWII, or the even more recent events in places like the Balkans, or the mass rapes that take place in some African countries today. The thing is, there's nothing intrinsically evil about Germans, or Serbs or Africans. They're just like anyone else, which means that under the right circumstances that nice guy who lives next door to you could be pushing Jews into a gas chamber or raping the wives and daughters of his enemy into submission.

The veneer of society is perilously thin, and what lurks underneath can be far more unpleasant than we'd like to think.

That´s why I am sometimes so disgusted with people.. sometimes it seems to me like deep down everyone was a psycho. The infuenceability, spinelesness, slyness, lack of character.. I hate it so much.

 

[Pyrophosphate]

You don't even need to remove rules and laws to see this. Look at what the nazis did in WWII, or the even more recent events in places like the Balkans, or the mass rapes that take place in some African countries today. The thing is, there's nothing intrinsically evil about Germans, or Serbs or Africans. They're just like anyone else, which means that under the right circumstances that nice guy who lives next door to you could be pushing Jews into a gas chamber or raping the wives and daughters of his enemy into submission.

The veneer of society is perilously thin, and what lurks underneath can be far more unpleasant than we'd like to think.

The Nazis did what they did because there were consequences if they didn't. That sort of thing is not what people naturally do, it's what happens when the rules of a society don't agree with the hardwired morals humans have. When it's either you push the Jews into the furnace, or they push you into the furnace and then push the Jews in anyway, you just do what you're told. That all happened because people followed the rules of their society too much.

 

[bcsr]

It's unfortunate that the worst elements of society seem to make the biggest impression on people.

 

[BlackPuma]

Well, animals USED to have plenty of food. But because of our influences, we have killed off some natural predators of certain animals. So they produce waaaaay more than can be fed. Natural selection of things wouldn't really let this happen. Given ample space, animals can feed themselves and be healthy and get enough food. If there isn't enough food then some of the animals die off. That isn't cruel or a terrible life, that is how it SHOULD be.

Animals struggle because of things we have done to them. But by no means is our life much better than theirs because we have laws and regulation.

And where are animals CRUEL to one another? Cruel for no reason.

Crime came after we started to settle down. There is strong anthropological arguments saying that we were much, much friendlier before we started farming. Once we started farming, things started getting much worse, crime appeared and it got crazy.

I don't think we are savage beasts. I just... can't imagine that. Do people really think that if we had no laws, people would start murdering other people? I don't think that would happen. But maybe I am giving people too much credit. The most that would happen is we would openly steal. People already break the law, lie, steal, and cheat... even with consequences looming. People would still at the same way, just do it more often.

We have a fair share in the suffering of a lot of animals, there's no doubt about that. But I'm referring to the core nature of the animal. Meaning when they have space and enough food.

Take predators for example, that's a widespread branch that resorts to cruelty almost on a daily bases. Sometimes even devouring creatures when they're still alive. And not only predators, there are even plants that have cruel defense mechanisms designed to poison and/or kill. In matter of fact, the cruel is not only a part of nature it is a essential one, it keeps things fair amongst species.

While humans lived in the wild amongst animals in that past, and in essence it is possible, we're not exactly that kind of human anymore. We have since gained elaborate communication skills, great knowledge of psychology (and how to manipulate it), tried and proven wars tactics, and so on. If society had never happened, perhaps then no consequences wouldn't be such a big deal, but with what we know and can do in our modern age, where everyone is empowered, it's a disaster waiting to happen. And that's the pretends that I base this on. What would happen is regulation and laws were gone today.

It doesn't take everyone, a mere 1/4th would do. Things like extreme religion and the likes don't oblige to laws. Having the laws/regulation gone would give exactly those people the free opportunity to do whatever they wish.

You have to believe me when I say I'd like nothing more then utter and complete freedom, I hate having to work around regulations, permits and rules. But realistically it isn't achievable the way things are today.