Humanity In Thomas Hobbes Leviathan

Humanity, at its roots are a skittish, distrustful bunch, whom given the proper provocation, can lash out at their closest friends or form pacts with their mortal enemies. This is the nature that Thomas Hobbes describes in his reading “Leviathan”, which is his thesis on the nature of humans in regards to one and other, as well as their motives for the treatment they give. In mythology, a Leviathan is a massive sea beast described in the Christian Bible, and in his novel Hobbes draws parallels between this massive beast and human nature, describing humanity as an ultimately selfish and gluttonous creature who serves only itself. This reading provided by Hobbes is a valid and very insightful claim based around real human behaviours and how our mistrust of one and other clearly resonates in actions that seem otherwise monotonous or normal. In chapter thirteen of his thesis, he goes to great pains to describe the nature of humans when faced with competition, whether it is in minor details or in raging warfare.

The reading cites many different human behaviours that nearly every human find them self a victim of (unless you are truly naïve or overtly trusting). He begins with the broad statement that all human being are born equal …show more content…
His description of humanity, describing how little we trust one and other despite our claims to the contrary. We bar our windows, arm out selves, travel in groups and double lock our doors to protect ourselves from the people around us we claim to be on the same side as, all to serve the some means to an end. To become the superior person, someone so ideal and infallible that no man can best them. We strive to gain status as a means of protection, as when our reputation precedes us, people are less likely to challenge us for fear of retribution, furthering out security against other humans. After all, a king can have a castle of knights but only one key to his