No - we cannot change our nature. And while some progress can be had, we can’t eliminate most of the effects of population pressure on the planet - such is just not practical or politically possible.
I didn’t say that. The fact is that most of us have more concern for ourselves and our immediate family, by far, than we do for the world’s population or our own countrymen as a whole. On a national scale, most of us vote our pocketbook; which candidate, which party is going to give us the best deal? Our own close clan or tribe may be quite important, too, but when we get out as far as “To each according to their need, from each according to his ability,” then the systen is not in line with human nature and is not going to do well. Too much incentive to do little, since the rewards will be the same.
Disagree - it’s part of us. Heck, you look at Chimpanzee society, and there are things that work and things that don’t. You can say “selfishness,” but it really is the heart of human motivation - that short of physical compulsion otherwise, from among our available choices we pick that which we want the most, or that for which we have the least distaste. It all goes to desire.
Capitalists wouldn’t say “greedy,” much, outside of Michael Douglas in full movied-up regalia. The principle of private ownership looms large, so no have-nots taking from the haves. Why not take from the haves? --Because this will result in so many dead people, in the end, that ain’t hardly anybody gonna say it was a good thing. The overriding point is that when we are working for ourselves, for our family, we tend to produce much more than if we are working for the “common good,” etc.
It’s also not like Capitalist systems are the only ones with a very rich, privileged class. Look at most of the world’s Communist and Socialist countries - same deal there, with the average standard of living being considerably less than under Capitalism.
That “resource hoarding” has always been - we’re going to do for ourselves and our family long before we get to “our nation’s people” or everybody on earth. Yes, things fall apart - and I was going to say that all hegemonies have their expiration date. Rome, Brittania, the U.S…
KC, you mentioned the patriarchy - here too I agree with you. There is a difference, for one thing - women in general are not nearly the warmakers that men are. Hey - no question that women are disastrously ender-represented in leadership and power, around the world. With the way it’s worked out largely under men, I say let the women take it for a while.