What's wrong with the world? Could it be 'me'?

ShareThis

In the immediate aftermath of the First World War, the Times of London asked some of Britain's greatest thinkers to submit an essay to the newspaper responding to the question, "What's Wrong with the World?" G.K. Chesterton replied with a single word: "Me!" In personally accepting the blame for the world's evils, Chesterton was not implying that others were faultless. Clearly, there was plenty of blame to go around for the violence, poverty, and distress of humankind that continues to our day.Rather, the pundit was acknowledging that he was an accomplice in evil, most often passive and unwitting, of course, but an accomplice nonetheless because of the perversity of human nature.Human nature remains a mystery because we each enter the world of the living equipped neither a guarantee of "complete satisfaction or our money back" even with a book of operating instructions. We expect warranties with every mechanical appliance we purchase, but carry none on our own behavior.In the Bible, the Psalmist exclaims to God: "What is man that you should care for him? You have made him a little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him rule over the work of your hands, putting all things under his feet."Unfortunately, people trample on some of those things.In place of the instincts particular to other living species, humans must rely on conscience, which is not nearly so reliable. The highway to hell is paved with good intentions.In the biblical explanation, we were created with free will, which includes the liberty to turn against our creator. The flaw in human nature, by this measure, is that we are free to violate our own best interests, as well as the best interests of others. All the "deadly sins have their root in pride -- the choice of oneself over everyone else, even over God and those who love us.There is a tendency even among people of faith to believe that evil is a force outside ourselves, not within. This can lead to the sinner's excuse that "the Devil made me do it." One reason we can be tempted to think this way is because few of us possess the energy or interest to pursue lives of villainy.Still, human history is riddled with instances of ordinary people who collaborate with evil. The worldwide economic crisis we now face was caused by people who may have had no intention of evil-doing but only of pursuing self-interest. All of us are victims nonetheless.Few of us actually delight in evil, but evil results in our going about our own business unless we specifically consider the effects of our behavior on others.In a recent national survey of 25,000 high school students, 90 percent of them admitted that they cheat, even though it's wrong. Forty years ago, only one in four students admitted cheating. What has charged is that cheating has become an acceptable evil.Perhaps, in his enthusiasm, the Psalmist overstated his case when he compared people with angels.David Yount's book, "Growing in Faith: A Guide for the Reluctant Christian" (Seabury), was recently published in paperback. He answers readers at P.O. Box 2758, Woodbridge, VA 22195 and dyount(at)erols.com.