Scum

People are scum. Even the greatest geniuses sand heros. No-one is a saint. No-one is morally good.

Aristotle was a partial religionist and Rand a partial cultist. Aristotle knew perfectly well that “souls” and “gods” didn’t exist. Rand knew perfectly well that freedom of discussion and debate was imperative to philosophy and life. But both acted against these truths and willingly chose the path of personal immorality and social destruction.

Humans were somewhat rational and virtuous during the Helleno-Roman and Renaissance-Enlightenment periods. But then they voluntarily surrendered their relatively liberal philosophy, culture, lifestyle, and attitude. Human beings were happy to believe in and follow the stupidity and depravity of serious Christianity from 500 to 1500. They were happy believe in and follow the stupidity and depravity of serious socialism from 1900 to 2050.

So people are scum. They do tend to eventually ascend philosophically and culturally. But only when they can’t help it and only at a snail’s pace. People are scum.