Thanks. I haven't previously encountered this but anti Wetiko sounds very much like my main philosophy the last 30+ years.

I often think about patriotism, which is kinda the same thing. Whenever I consider it rationally it seems both a force of division and unification. I think it's primarily rooted in hierarchical societies as there must be a way that the subordinate classes identify with the very structure that subordinates them. Otherwise they may realize their exploitation directly and join with other subordinate classes across nationalities. It's basically taught from the youngest age until it becomes an intrinsic part of identity, so much so that other nationalities become "otherized". It functions as a way to keep the lower classes divided while also giving them a source of pride and belonging. And it's also a means toward "a sensation of eternity" (from a Sonic Youth song - "America it is called- a sensation of eternity" ).

I think that the greater majority of people are kind and compassionate, however the psychopaths and narcissist do take control and bully others to submit by threats and sometimes violence.

I do not think our natural state is to sequester ourselves in these huge societies like hive minded insects. I think that alone is the base source for many of our 'societal ills' including those caused my mental distress.
Yes, we are adaptable. So are lots of animals. That's what evolution is.
Throughout the ages we see examples of those who think the way forward is to gather everyone under one banner and be "united". But that is always achieved through violence. And it always benefits one particular group over all others, ie conqueror/conquered.
We just can't seem to stop being assholes to each other because different means wrong. Might makes right.
You see great civilizations come and go....
The diversity I see with enlightened sorts wanting to explore and acknowledge and accept versus those with tribal tendencies to sequester and be intensely suspicious of anything different has been polarized with recent events and it's both depressing and fascinating to observe.
This was a great subject to bring up.

There is little doubt that human nature can be hugely subverted and manipulated by human culture, and the fact that there are so many different cultures, which produce so many differing attitudes to so many different aspects of life, proves that, without any further evidence. That of course does not mean that human nature is unimportant, only that it is flexible, which to a degree is what you would expect, a nature which was inflexible would not serve the purposes of survival very well.

One aspect which people have noted before, is that the level of human on human aggression, may depend inversely on the degree of threat from the physical environment. Where the environment is extreme, ( food widely scattered, and its supplies unpredictable, high danger from cold etc. ) such as that of your Inuit example, while the human population is thin meaning that the threat from strangers is rare. It repays people and their culture to show a high level cooperation. While in situations where there is a good food supply, high population and only a few avoidable threats from the environment, the threats from humans may well assume a greater relative proportion. (Including disease of course, a threat greatly lessened by hostility to strangers.)

And that of course, is the state brought about by civilization. Especially in environments rich in resources, such as the Fertile Crescent, the Indus Valley the Yellow River etc. While the threats from humans will become even greater as technological advances, including the technology of government, and increasing material inequalities and weapons inequalities both within cultures and between different cultures.

And it is certainly observable that organized warfare, and genocide are at least only possible for advanced civilizations.

Human nature is adaptable, yes. And human culture is a very powerful agent for changing it.

I am not sure if their styles of parenting are more superior or not. If so, why were they never able to produce offspring that made significant impacts on the world stage? Overly nurturing parents can make a child soft and dependent. Also, seems like that this is a perpetuation of the noble savage myth. Certain peoples are hard-wired in different ways

"There is good and there is evil" ~ Seymour Freely.

People's nature can be good and/or evil. It can be a conflation of good and evil. Such for example, a cultural norm, an arbitrary rule or law of government can be an oxymoron: the good evil or an evil good.

Consider Masonic lodge secret religion racist devil worshipper governmental terrorist Benjamin Franklin's essay called "Remarks concerning the savages of North America ".

Selected portion copied below: entire essay link. [wampumchronicles.com]

Savages we call them, because their Manners differ from ours, which we think the Perfection of Civility. They think the same of theirs.

Perhaps if we could examine the Manners of different Nations with Impartiality, we should find no People so rude as to be without Rules of Politeness, nor any so polite as not to have some Remains of Rudeness

The Indian Men when young are Hunters and Warriors; when old, Counsellors; for all their Government is by Counsel of the Sages; there is no Force there are no Prisons, no Officers to compel Obedience, or inflict Punishment.—Hence they generally study Oratory; the best Speaker having the most Influence. The Indian Women till the Ground, dress the Food, nurse and bring up the Children, & preserve & hand down to Posterity the Memory of public Transactions. These Employments of Men and Women are accounted natural & honorable, Having few artificial Wants, they have abundance of Leisure for Improvement by Conversation.

Sounds like the cry for the acceptance of laziness with zero drive for improvement. Every nation on earth was created by overtaking who was already there. In many cases; several times back and forth.

Good citations and examples! Thank you!

We have been brainwashed to think that the problems we face derive from an immutable human nature.

Human nature will change to adapt to the system in which it is placed.

This is why we must replace capitalism with a system that appeals to those aspects of human nature less destructive to each other and to the world.

I remember that discussion. It involved me and someone smilingly making excuses for privilege and oppression.

The latter was a liberal posing as an anti-Zionist progressive but posting sources from Zionist sites and making Zionist arguments.

Her clueless explanation for the Israel-Palestine conflict was " People always wanting more."

She was either smilingly providing cover for Israel or Intellectually lazy, as Sticks below might say.

Some people from the oppressor group will always deflect blame to general human nature instead of looking at systemic faults that privilege them at the expense of others.

Human nature can't be changed, but systems can be changed. So those who benefit from an oppressive system and don't want to change it will therefore shift the blame to human nature.

Even among liberals, some have a hard time indicting Capitalism, White Racism and Jewish Racism (Israel). So they instead gnash their teeth, wail, and wring their hands about "human nature."

That's a great way to keep your privilege going and deter people from doing anything about it!

Studies of very young children (toddlers) show them exhibiting helpfulness, which implies empathy

Not human nature to be stupid and selfishly depraved.
Stupidity and moral depravity are culturally conditioned insanity.

No . Not the human nature . Manipulation . Fear . Clever clo clo / stupidity at the very end