Can a child be bad by nature?

It is not unusual to walk through a park or listen to a conversation in which one person tells another that a certain child is bad. But can a child really be bad? And, if so, is he bad by nature? Today we will try to answer these questions based on different approaches. To do this, we can start from the basis already established by Rousseau, who said that “Man is born free, but everywhere he is chained”.

Is a child bad because he is born that way? Maybe the problem is in its nature? Or perhaps it is his socialization and education? There is no doubt that this is a truly complex question to which some of the most important philosophers in human history have tried to answer.

Man is evil by nature

On the one hand we have the current led by Thomas Hobbes. This philosopher established the basis of his thought around a famous phrase that is attributed to him, although it seems to have been pronounced by Plautus in his work. Asinaria: “Man is a wolf to man”.

According to the theory of Thomas Hobbes, later endorsed by another great philosopher, Immanuel Kant, the natural state of man is far from peaceful. Every human action is focused on surviving in society, his only real interest. Therefore, the search for peace is no longer a mere practical reason.

If we look at human history, we can see that human beings can be truly destructive.. We attack premeditatedly, not out of instinct, so it is not mere survival, but selfishness and aggressiveness. Furthermore, we can sometimes become possessive and intolerant.

Man is good by nature

However, since we began this article paraphrasing Jean-Jacques Rousseau, there is another powerful current of thought led by the French thinker. In this case, the French philosopher interprets human beings as good by nature, but corrupted by society.

Rousseau established principles of educational malpractice. Well Human beings are trained from a very young age to accumulate wealth and possessions. Due to this thinking we become competitive beings, but without a clear objective except to obtain maximum performance, which degenerates into selfishness.

The thought of Karl Marx was also located in this direction, who defended that The evil or goodness of the human being is determined by external and social factorsso the blame for the person’s attitude would be defined by the environment, and not their nature.

Can a child be bad from birth?

We now leave aside the philosophical phase to fully enter the children’s world. Can a child be bad by nature? As we have seen, everything will depend on the philosophical current in which you believe. Are you an open book, or will your future cognition be determined by your genes?

In reality, there may be a mix of both options, although The most determining factor will be the education that the child receives throughout his childhood.. The union of his own nature, his natural development and the lessons he internalizes will define his true condition.

We must not forget that the little one, in his early stages, has not developed his linguistic skills too much, but he does feel a great desire for independence and is too focused on himself. That is, he will have a certain degree of aggressiveness. Does this make him bad by nature? The answer is no. He is simply following his own development.

This is usually a sign of intelligence, but also an indicator that with this child we have to work so that he knows where the limits are of what he can or cannot do to achieve a goal. You have to know that using unethical procedures, such as manipulation, has a price.

Little scientists

Jean Piaget said that children between 18 and 24 years old are little scientists.. This is a stage in which they begin to develop thinking. This emergence of thought leads them to experience the world directly. At this stage, it is not enough for children to observe, but they need to learn through direct actions on things and objects..

It is in this phase, where many parents claim that children are bad, because they pick up an object and throw it on the ground. What for parents may be a negative act, for the infant it is a way of observing what is happening around them.. ““What happens if I throw the vase on the ground? It breaks.”. The child has learned that if he throws certain objects on the ground, they break. It is a form of learning that many adults would classify as bad behavior.

However, what is hidden behind it is this desire to know, to experiment, which is why Piajet baptized them as “little scientists.” Science proceeds the same way. Observing, experimenting and reaching conclusions.

How to act?

Given the more or less aggressive attitudes of the child, towards certain courses of action. Beyond the fact that they are natural due to their age, it is not necessary that violence be allowed, since their childhood stage is decisive for their present and future development:

It is important to act immediately when the child behaves aggressively. He has to internalize the concept of “evil” and “good” with respect to his own attitude.The consequences of an aggressive attitude on the part of the child must be logical and proportionate.. He tries to explain to her as many times as necessary the incorrectness of his actions.

Always acting calmly and patiently is necessary to ensure that the child internalizes concepts. that in his early childhood may seem complex and even contradictory.Consistency is another maxim for the educator. The infant has a short attention span, so we must be repetitive in our attitudes towards the child every time he acts aggressively. Reward good behavior when the child acts appropriately in a situation that invites aggressiveness. Once he has internalized the concept, it will already be part of his own way of being.

Can a child be bad by nature? Are we a product of our genetics or our education? They are complex questions. Be that as it may, yes We are responsible for our attitudes and for the education that we give to future generations.. Perhaps the best option is to act accordingly.

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