It is fashionable to think of humanity as basically good but hampered by unfavorable social conditions that bring out bad behavior. If we could somehow be freed from these oppressive conditions, supposedly, the peace and harmony that reside in our hearts would spring up and result in utopia. I have argued against that view, as did William Golding in his classic Lord of the Flies. After 50 years, Golding’s understanding of mankind rings true, as Gene Edward Veith explains in this great article.
