Given How Flawed Human Nature Is, America Has Been a Remarkable Moral Achievement

From Dennis Prager on Right and Free.com:

Given how flawed human nature is, America has been a remarkable moral achievement.

This is the truism that separates the wise man from the fool.

This is the truism that separates the left from the anti-left.

Those who acknowledge how flawed human nature is compare America to reality. Those who do not, compare America to some utopian image: a country free of inequality, prejudices, intolerance, sexual misbehavior, greed, etc. This divide helps explain why those who hold a biblical worldview — usually religious Jews and Christians — are more likely to appreciate America than those who do not. It is fundamental to Judaism and Christianity that "the will of man's heart is evil from his youth" (Genesis 8:21).

I offer a partial list of bad traits inherent to human nature. When perusing it, one can only marvel at how good a country America became.

No. 1: A yearning for power over others.

This yearning is what has animated nearly every political leader in history. There are people who do not have a personal craving for power and seek positions of power solely because of a calling. But these people are rare.

The American Founders understood this. They created a unique political system to minimize power and to maximize checks on power. That is the reason for the division of power among three coequal branches of government and the reason states were given so much power. Thus, America was established to be a republic, not a pure democracy. In addition, the Founders did not trust the majority with great power, which is the reason for two nondemocratic institutions: the Electoral College and the Senate. And that is why the left, which is rooted in a desire for power — and therefore a desire for evermore powerful government — loathes the Electoral College and the Senate.

No. 2: A yearning for fame and recognition.

This, along with the yearning for power, is what drives and has driven nearly all politicians in world history, but it is hardly isolated to politicians. For example, it is largely what animates Hollywood actors. That is one reason no other profession gives itself as many awards as does Hollywood. Increasingly, however, being a star is also what animates journalists and, to the extent possible, academics and other intellectuals.

No. 3: A yearning to feel and be considered important and morally superior.

This is nearly universal. People — historically men, but increasingly women — ache to believe they are important. There is nothing inherently wrong with this yearning. However, it can lead people to engage in irresponsible, even evil, behavior — solely because it makes them feel important. This explains why the left fights largely nonexistent evils such as "systemic racism," "white supremacy," "white privilege" and "capitalism." Fighting evil, even make-believe evils, makes one feel important and morally superior to those who do not fight these evils. [read more]

America isn’t perfect. Then again neither is any nation for that matter. The Left wants a utopia—but that is a pipe dream—or should I say a delusion.