It is commonly accepted that the human society has been constantly developing from
the ancient age, when man could only make small things of use, up until the modern
age, when he can now do and make everything including jet planes, man has been highly
valued.
He is an animal with a conscience and because of this, he has been able to push himself
to a higher level above other animals.
However, some philosophers do not share this concept. They think men are very bad,
even though they can think. In fact, it is because men can think that they can use
tricks, tell lies, betray the group or country, use power to suppress, threaten and
subdue the spirits of other men. As for animals, they have no conscience and therefore
cannot think. They live in accordance with their instinctive behavior. If they bite
each other, they will do it straight away without playing any tricks.
And they never bear any malice against one another. Men are very ambitious, whereas
animals are not: when animals are hungry, they eat until they are full and walk away.
"Men are naturally good, but the society changes their goodness, and if possible
we should go back to the primitive age," said 18th century French philosopher
Jean Jacques Rousseau.
In this context, he means that the primitive people live in a perfect society, but
later on, the development of thought makes them know how to use tricks, bear malice
and betray each other.
Therefore, if possible, we should go back to the primitive collective society.
Khieu Seng Kim is the brother of Khmer Rouge leader Khieu Samphan.
