Approximately 15,000 years ago, be it from hunger, curiosity or necessity, a process began resulting in man being provided a new best friend. The domestication of wolves came with many benefits to both parties in a better chance at hunting success, protection, and companionship, core ingredients to individual and pack longevity. A wolf operates with two main objectives in mind, survival and procreation, and their actions can be malicious to safeguard interests. To the human eye this type of behaviour resembles a demonic beast, however in the brain of the wolf they are acting with virtue, showcasing talents at ensuring sustenance.
Contrary to some opinions wolves are not born with an evil streak, everything they do is a combination of instinct, education and action. What’s intriguing is through benevolence and magnanimity such a ferocious animal can be altered into domestication. If there is potential for a wild animal to be realigned, what does that indicate about the inherent nature of humans?
Instinct and Domestication
During the transitional period of domestication the needs of the animal are maintained, offering more time to observe their owner and understand their spot within the hierarchy. We believe our pets to be tame, however, while they are in tune with our personality, it doesn’t stop a predisposition shining through when certain situations arise.
When we become overwhelmed with emotion an analogous occurrence happens to us. Our choice of actions may reflect those of someone considered wild or bad, but does that automatically brand us as such? Just as a dog may not be able to contain its native instincts, without apt tactics we too often struggle to override emotion.
If dogs are given love and affection a caring nature surfaces. In being man’s best friend they follow the intention of owners, sometimes down a path of depravity. Military dogs are worthy counterparts to soldiers on and off the battlefield. The Nazi’s also used them to shepherd Jews onto railroad cars and escort them to their deaths. Again, should one consider this animal to be innately debauched because it does something out of endearment?
We are all malleable coming into this world. However, the fact mothers don’t possess free flowing milk until they’ve bonded with baby, and how loving touch catalyzes a newborn’s brain development, leads one to believe our natural inclination is to what feels wholesome.
Starved of Nurture
Observation of the world is filtered through the information we receive and from infancy the family plays a central role. Scattered across the globe are an array of religious interpretations and philosophical understandings. Arriving on earth we inherit the ideologies of our bloodline and must abide by the parameters of their teachings. Each faith’s moral compass has its distinct orientation, yet nearly all harbour the intrinsic values of love and compassion.
Belief structure forms have existed since the engenderment of language and narrative. It can be hard to see why these ideals would be ubiquitous in religion without being a fundamental component of the human experience. Regardless of religiosity, when an individual grows up in a household filled with love and compassion they develop different to those who do not. A part of being human is a yearning to be loved, cared for and appreciated. If these are not received at a young age it creates immediate and future distress for the unfortunate soul. Therapy is often an option in reconciling a wounded childhood.
The same outcome is witnessed in dogs with a vivid example in Pit bulls. When an affectionate and caring owner adopts a Pit Bull they become a sweet, enthusiastic, loyal family member. Falling into the hands of a neglectful and cruel master they can become a weapon of destruction. A hostile dog isn’t born violent. Their temper is forged in fear, and from fear anger surfaces and aggressive behaviour becomes a release.
This is a similar progression for many individuals who have been dealt a tough hand. They are not inherently bad, but due to a lack of empathy and humaneness they are left starved of the essential nurturing we require.
The way a conscious being is raised will have a prodigious impact on how they observe the world. It is a prime indictor of whether an individual is prone to align with morality or angle towards its contrasting counterpart.
Throughout our lives we will come across an amalgam of characters and temperaments, however the indispensable element in all our lives in love. Love brings a desire to be good and to be seen as such by those held with affection. We produce questionable behaviour at times and love has the capacity to alter us back on course. What we can examine from those original wolves is if they are provided care, safety and affection, a wild animal can turn into a best friend.
Post-Script:
This piece was written with the bulk majority of people in mind. However, there are some individuals who are born with a chemical imbalance augmenting a pallid and sociopathic view of the world. These individuals are considered outliers. If they are witnessed as irregular, “normal” people must incorporate alternate empathetic properties in their personalities.
Image source: Pup, Pup and Away
The Contemporary Human 