We’ve been convinced humans are basically terrible, but science shows most people help others even when no one’s watching. Our brains just notice threats more than everyday kindness.
The story
You know what gets me? We’ve somehow convinced ourselves that humans are basically terrible.
Turn on the news, scroll through your feed, and it’s easy to believe the world is full of selfish jerks. But here’s the thing – science keeps proving the opposite.
Most people help others when given the chance. Even when nobody’s watching. Even when there’s nothing in it for them.
The problem isn’t that we’re cruel. It’s that our brains notice threats, so the bad stuff sticks while everyday kindness fades into the background.
Think about it. Someone holds a door open for you. A coworker asks if you need help when you’re swamped. A stranger lets you merge in traffic. These tiny acts happen constantly, but we barely register them.
Meanwhile, one rude comment? That lives in our heads for days.
Scott Howard Swain’s book “A Practical EmPath: Rewire Your Mind” digs into this. He shows that generosity and cooperation aren’t exceptions to human nature. They’re the foundation of it. They’re how we survived as a species.
The book offers practical tools for bringing that natural goodness forward, using cognitive empathy to help us understand others and transform conflict into connection.
When you start seeing the good in others, you can’t unsee it. You realize that kindness isn’t rare. It’s everywhere. We just stopped paying attention.
