Human Nature

Generally, whenever the word” nature” arises in our mind, we visualize and enjoy flush of greenery, streams ,rivers flowing, mountains or hills, sunrise or sunset, birds, melodious birds music, cool breeze, calmness and tranquility every where. We feel complacent too. Human nature is the sum of qualities and traits shared by all humans. Human nature is not uniform. It is very complex. Only a few similar qualities are found among human beings. Basically, we could divide human nature into two categories namely good nature and bad nature. It is unpredictable. A man may smile and smile, yet be a villain. Appearances are always deceptive. It is very difficult to understand the human nature. We come across people who are always dissatisfied, always weeping. Even if fortune knocks at their door they are not happy. The law of diminishing utility does not apply to them at all - More apples you have less you want of it. Of course, there are people who are happy with two square meals also in this world. Shakespeare brings out the unpredictability of human nature very well in the following lines in his play “Hamlet”. "Frailty, thy name is woman!-- A little month; or ere those shoes were old With which she followed my poor father's body Like Niobe, all tears;--why she, even she,-- O God! a beast that wants discourse of reason, would have mourned longer,--married with mine uncle, My father's brother; but no more like my father than I to Hercules: within a month; " Unless one does not come in contact with others and has dealings, one’s nature cannot be studied completely.

Generally a male issue inherits more qualities of their father whereas a female issue inherits more qualities of their mother. Of course, people who take care of them more or under whose guidance they grow imbibe their qualities into them. That is a female child brought up affectionately by its father inherits more of his qualities. Similarly, a male child brought up more affectionately by its mother inherits more of her qualities.

Even, knowledgeable acts according to their nature, all living entities are controlled by their own nature. More than words, it is deeds which speak more of human nature. It is deeds which reveal whether one's nature is good or bad. Human nature can be seen, heard, or talked about too. It is that one which is imbibed in a human being. It is a part parcel of a human being. That is why it is said that one’s nature can never be changed easily. Further, those habits of a human being which become a part parcel of him or her are treated as their nature only. There is a proverb which conveys that those qualities which are acquired by us by birth would never leave even if we climb a hill. Human nature differs from person to person. Though, by and large men and women have similar nature, men are supposed to be more aggressive in nature and women are supposed to possess soft and mild nature by birth. It is very difficult to describe human nature. Some have nature which is worth emulating. Nature of some is intolerable. “Beauty is nature and nature is beauty” says a poet. This is true in case of human nature too. One can become popular or unpopular through their nature.

More than anything else our state of mind determines our nature very much. Our mind controls our nature. We could develop our nature, understand where we are wrong or where we are right, what is good and what is bad, understand others etc through a healthy mind only. Because of mind only sometimes human nature is worse than that of an animal. Some are moody; they are at times happy, at times angry, and at times depressed. Some are talkative; some talk a little less but do listening most of the times. Some have interest in knowing everything, some show interest in particular matters only, and some do not have interest in anything at all. Similarly some like everything, some like a few things, some have no liking at all. Some are sensitive to a remark they take everything to heart, some take everything lightly, others are thick skinned there would be no effect on them at all. It goes on changing from time to time .Man is circumstances made. Everyone comes across different circumstances in life. Everyone’s thinking is different. Many factors influence human nature. Our grand parents, parents, brothers, sisters, friends, teachers etc influence our nature. Whatever we see, read or listen influences our nature. Human nature could be molded in different ways by different methods. Human nature is not rigid. It is elastic. We are not what we were. He is not what he was. A child is innocence personified. According to environment in which it grows, it develops its nature. The company, opportunities and other factors influence its nature as it grows. This is very clear when we analyze the different attitude of people to the people in distress. It is the nature of a person that plays dominant part in realizing others difficulties. Human nature is not either totally good or totally bad. It is a mixture of both good and bad nature. The proportion of goodness and badness varies from individual to individual. As such, some are selfish, some are kind hearted and generous, some are harsh and miserly. The way they react to different situations in life is different. Selfishness makes them blind and lose their humanity too .Sometimes revengeful attitude makes the people very hard and they stand watching the enemy suffering even though they could realize others suffering .They do not go to rescue. If an individual is kind hearted good natured, the individual immediately realizes and rushes to help the person in difficulties, whoever the latter may be, their only concern would be that in what best way they could render help. If somebody realizes others difficulties and renders timely help, whether the latter would be able to forget it. Definitely they would not be able to. A friend in need is friend indeed. They would be always being remembered .A feeling of gratitude would arise in the latter. Some realize fast and some take time to realize There are other people who not only realize the difficulties but also could help but do not help despite a request being made .They do not shed crocodile tears even. Instead they laugh at the plight of needy .It might be due to previous grudge they bear to the people in agony or they might be sadistic. There are people who want to take advantage of others difficulties. They wait to usurp the properties of people in distress at throw away price. There are people, even if somebody is dying also who are not at all bothered. They are in their own world. They are either drug addicts or drunkards or heartless. That is why it seems elders say that people of different nature exceed their numbers. Some people’s nature is such that they cannot keep quiet. They have to do something .They always do tit for tat. Especially adolescent people who are not brought up properly or those who are not matured adequately belong to this category. Some people think that they are always right. It is impossible to mend such people. In a nutshell, we find different faces of human nature which are not alike.

Character and behavior are the two terms which we should be well acquainted with before embarking on our study of human nature. Character is always based on one’s habits. There is what is known as good habits and bad habits. One who has good habits is said to have a good character where as one who has taken refuge under vices is said to have a bad character. Our behavior would be judged from our movements in the society. That is how we behave in the society .Study of human behavior is known as Psychology. One’s behavior reflects one’s nature. We can make out what his or her nature is by closely observing their behavior. How one treats others. We can know others nature by dealing with them. Study of one’s nature is tact. It is not easy. Our movements in the society depends on our education, our status, our culture, our dress, how we are brought up, circumstances that we have come across, our friends circle or company, our manners and etiquette etc. If all these factors are good .Our behavior would be acclaimed as good. On the other hand if we are harsh, notorious, rough and tough, if we have vices, if our company is not good, if we have no manners or etiquettes our behavior would be termed as bad. A good natured person can have bad character .Similarly a bad natured person can have a good character. A person may not be drinking wine or any alcohol but he may be involved in deeds which are hundred times worse than drinking. That is what great poet Fitzgerald says in one of his poems. Some people drink or become drug addict, or take refuge under some other vice just to forget their worries or some unbearable pain or loss. There is generally always a strong reason behind their addiction. Pity is that they are not aware of the harm that the addiction would cause to their health in particular. Ultimately, it is all due to circumstances Human nature is made up of innumerable qualities. We could either acquire or develop them. There could not be any qualities known as inborn qualities. Genes may only help us to acquire some qualities. Our heritage may only influence us. Any quality for that matter could not be developed overnight. It is a gradual process. Mix of qualities is also not the same for all human beings. It varies from individual to individual. Some qualities may be more in an individual but at the same time some qualities may be less in that individual or may not be there even. Every individual is totally a different entity. That is why we said earlier that human nature is unpredictable. Hence we find people of various natures in a society. We notice in a society that some are honest, some are dishonest, some are kind and some are cruel, some are grateful and some ungrateful ,some are spendthrifts and some are miserly, some are intelligent and some are dull herds. All are human and are born equal only. Nobody by birth is honest or dishonest, kind or cruel, grateful or ungrateful, intelligent or dull herds. Nobody is born with either superiority complex or inferiority complex. They are developed by us only. Similarly, fear of a failure, psychosis, anxiety etc is given room to by us only. Human nature is always compared to that of monkeys. If we closely observe monkeys, we notice that they have the imitating nature. We also imitate others in one way or other. Others influence our nature and behavior a lot especially parents, members of family, friends, teachers and the society to which we belong. Generally one follows these intimates blindly and picks up many of their qualities to follow and as a result these qualities develop in the individual to become a part and parcel of their nature .Realization has bearing on human nature and transformation of human nature too. Only after Kalinga war blood thirsty Emperor Ashoka realized violence is bad and became a follower of Buddhism which preaches non-violence. If we are in the company of dishonest people and if our boss is also a dishonest person our honesty will never be recognized and rewarded. Only dishonest people would be recognized and honored. Naturally, such an atmosphere may affect our nature too. And we may ultimately opt to become a dishonest person. Thus incidents make or mar personalities. Similarly, everybody works to earn their bread. It is of paramount importance. Without food, clothes etc nobody can live. They are the basic necessities of a human being. Sometimes some people are compelled to beg, borrow or steal for the sake of these basic necessities. We cannot believe the words of such people at all. Majority among them are not even trust worthy also. A few may be only honest among such people. Nature can be developed in numerous ways like experience ,suffering ,education advice etc .One can be a real human being only by developing their nature well in all respects. One can command respect with one's good nature.

By and large, our nature always depends more on us and how we develop and give shape to it. In short, it lies in our hand. Thus innumerable people having different types of nature are found in this world. People cannot bear their kith and kin suffering. This kind of situation may compel them to steal. Once they are in the net of thief’s, it is not easy for them to come out. Stealing appears to them as an easy profession for winning their bread. Once or twice they may become ashamed when they are caught and then it becomes a routine to them. Some people who are either crooked or cunning have habit of concealing their true nature. They would be able to do so only temporarily. Their true nature definitely comes to light in course of time. This is all human nature. Thousands of volumes are not adequate to complete the study of human nature. It is a continuing process. More we study more intricacies we would come across and we would have a better insight into human nature. Every personality is of different nature. Some do eaves dropping, some carry tales from pillar to post etc. Some people’s nature is such that they are prepared to even sacrifice their life to keep up their words whereas some people do not keep up. Study of human nature needs abundant skills, knowledge, patience etc. It is undoubtedly a branch of science.