Good will does not exist.
Such a statement may seem disturbing, perhaps even infuriating to some. And yet, it is the essence of the philosophy of Thomas Hobbes, whose ideas have become embedded in the foundation of the United States of America. Hobbes states that everything is done out of a personal desire for profit. All actions taken are motivated by a constant selfish want to benefit in some way. "All society is either for Gain or for Glory…", writes Hobbes, "…not so much for our love of our Fellowes as for love of our Selves…" . It is difficult to imagine that the world is based on such motives, and that humans, are indeed, as egotistical Hobbes believes them to be. It may even seem that the existence of societies is impossible in such conditions. And yet, Hobbes' philosophy is wonderfully logical, and offers a clear connection between the selfishness of humans and the structure of the world.
Although Hobbes does deny the existence of good will, he does not deny the possibility of progress, or the natural want for men to be in a society. He states that "...Men desire to come together….but it is one thing to desire, another to be in capacity fit for what we desire…" . According to his philosophy, human selfishness is what initiates progress. For all men, the catalyst for coming together and joining forces is the realization that forming a society may be more beneficial than simply existing alone. "…Man is made fit for Society not by Nature, but by Education." , he writes, meaning that "Education" is the reasoning man must have in order to learn how to co-exist. Mutual benefit is the key in the creation of societies, as well as in any other form of involvement between human beings.
Although Hobbes derived his theories on the motivations of men almost 350 years ago, they can still be applied to the actions of individuals, and entire nations today. One major issue of that has been of great importance in the world for the past year, is America's ongoing "war against terrorism". This powerful movement is a result of the attacks on September 11th, 2001. Yet, it must be noted that violent acts of terror have happened before, and in some places, such as Israel, they are considered to be an everyday occurrence. No immediate action was ever taken against terrorism by America in the past, because this would not have benefited America in any way. But as soon as the issue of terrorism began to concern the United States directly, injuring the economy, and causing harm to the people, urgent and extreme actions were to taken against it. This entire ordeal is a magnified illustration of Hobbes' theory of human desire to benefit only the self.
It may seem that some actions taken are made in a completely selfless manner. Yet it is possible to apply Hobbes' mentality to them, and realize that they, too, are done only out of the want for profit. The growing movement of Environmentalists, is an excellent example of such a thing. There are many people in the world today that devote their lives to preserving the environment, and repairing the harm made by large corporations to wildlife. Despite the fact that this may seem like gesture of genuine concern for nature, it is only another way for humans to benefit themselves. By taking care of the world, the Environmentalists improve their own existence, providing themselves and their children with a better place to live. The complete opposite of the Environmentalist, those who wish to exploit all natural resources are also subject to the same motive of benefit. Convinced that the more profit they can extract from the Earth, the more successful they will be, they only wish to increase the quality of their own life, obtaining more wealth and property. Thus, in both situations, Hobbes' philosophy is proven to be true.
At the time that Hobbes came to his conclusions concerning the behavior and motivation of mankind, many societies were still in a state of turmoil. Today, most of these societies have come to the general realization that a peaceful state of co-existence is more beneficial than an ongoing state of conflict. Yet, currently, several places in the world are unstable, and the people have not yet reached a position of mutual benefit. An example of this would be the ongoing tension between the radical Muslim groups and the communities around them. The radical Muslims are driven forth to destroy themselves and others because they believe that in doing so, they receive immense gratification and pleasure in the afterlife. Although their desire for profit is more abstract than that of the majority, it is still the dominant force in their mentality. Hobbes states that "…it cannot be deny'd but that the naturall state of men, before they entr'd into Society, was a meer War….a War of all men, against all men…". Such is the current condition in the Middle East. The Muslim radicals cannot form a peaceful society because they have not emerged from the natural state of chaos. They have not yet realized that a compromise or contract of some sort could be more beneficial to them than the violence and destruction they bring to others and themselves.
The ideas of Thomas Hobbes are absolutely fascinating and offer a clear explanation of the relationship between human greed and human development. Yet what makes Hobbes' philosophy truly unique, is that it is possible to apply it to any situation. No matter what the circumstance, or the parties involved, Hobbes' belief in constant desire for personal benefit manifests itself in every single human action and motivation. While most generalizations on man's driving force in life fail to encompass the mentality of all men, Hobbes does just that. Although it may seem that he has no faith in mankind, his theories are exceptionally accurate. Hobbes refuses to romanticize the human character, and attribute florid qualities of irrational kindness and love. He manages to detach himself from the common desire to portray man as a being of morality and reason, and admits that man's natural state is that of selfishness, and that it is impossible to change.
Quoted:
De Cive, Thomas Hobbes