The intellectual butcher

[motherengine]

is sadisim (in the non-sexual definition of the word) a distinctly human phenomenon and is it related to 'higher' intellect. from what i understand about serial murderers the vast majority have above average iq's and i have a sneaking suspicion that the use of torture in human behavior correlates with the of development of advanced thinking. would an alien race more intellegent than our species be peaceful or just more methodically abusive?

[Queso]

Testing the human nature to it's fullest potential using torture does actually seem like something that would develope advanced thinking, and an addiction. I predict, IF THEY COULD, they would be more abusive.

[bumab]

Testing the human nature to it's fullest potential using torture does actually seem like something that would develope advanced thinking, and an addiction. I predict, IF THEY COULD, they would be more abusive.

 

Yeah, I'd have to agree. Looking at the "lower intellects" on the planet, like dolphins, octopi, etc., they are significantly less abusive towards their own kind (although they can be). Of course, maybe we are just worse because we've got more free time, aren't competing for the same resources, or bored.

 

I would bet aliens would be more methodical and worse... just because I see no evidence for humans to be getting any better as we devlop. But no data to back that up...

[alxian]

dolphins. but sadism in that case would have to refer to a group not the individual.

 

dolphins are high intellect and murderous and abusive creatures. to their own kind and any creatures in their way when humans aren't looking.

 

sorry bumab, the page hadn't refreshed.. :cup:

[CHADS]

You cant take the nature out of the beast

[Queso]

But you can take the beast out of it's nature. Possibly a trigger?

[sanctus]

You cant take the nature out of the beast

 

There is a nice story about this:

a scorpion is an a small island in a river, the water level is rising, but he can't swim. He asks a frog: "please help me, carry me over to the other side"

frog:"no, I do not trust you you will used your poisonous tail and kill me"

sco:"no, I'm not crazy if I did that we would die both"

They continue to argue a bit and then frog eventually agrees to carry the scorpion. When they get to the middle of the river the scorpion uses his tail. The frog asks in agony: "why? why did you do that? Now we die both" and the scorpions answers: "it was stronger than me I couldn't help myself..."

 

 

The original story wasn't exactly like this, but this is how I remember it.

[motherengine]

then there is the native american oliver stone twist: once upon a time a woman was picking up firewood. she came upon a poisonous snake frozen in the snow. she took the snake home and nursed it back to health. one day the snake bit her on the cheek. as she lay dying she asked the snake, 'why have you done this to me?' and the snake answered, 'look b***, you knew i was a snake'. :cup:

 

kind of like that one.