the downfall of basic instincts.

[FictionJunction]

I believe it is quite ironic that human beings have acquired a tendency to parttake in activities that do any sort of harm to their minds and bodies, as well as their reputations.
The main excuse anyone would give me is: "the pros of <insert harmful activity here> outwheigh the cons."
However, seeing how it is our most basic and primitive instinct to act in accordance to our survival, it really would not make any sense to engage in any activity that would harm us in any way even if it had any 'pros.'
Normally, organisms that are bound to instict (human beings are still bound to instinct..despite their obvious segregation from it) wouldn't hurt themselves in any way possible. However, it seems human beings do.
I'll use sex to briefly explain instinctual needs/cravings.
The need/want/craving for sex is natural, and the fact that it is a pleasurable activity only enforces that. We continuously search for things we enjoy, and once we find them we will attach to them.
Now, allow me to replace sex for smoking. (No, I'm not against smoking. In fact, I parttake in the activity.) The main reason we smoke is because we enjoy doing it. The same applies to all activities we decide to take part in: we have something we want from them, and acquireing this 'something' will give us pleasure. You work to get money: having this money will make you feel good because you can use it to sustain yourself and purchase other things that you need or would enjoy. But, smoking gives us lung cancer as a side-dish to the pleasure we gain from parttaking in this activity. If we were truly to be reigned by our instincts, we wouldn't smoke. But, alas, we do.
Although this isn't a thorough explanation of what instincts are, and how we function in accordance to them.. this is merely a question. I always thought it was curious how we all enjoy doing things that harm us.
Indeed.

[Cavernio]

There's actually quite a nice biological basis regarding addictions. Nicotine and hence smoking, the way of getting nicotine, is highly addictive.
In fact, many drug addicts of harsher drugs than nicotine will say that they don't even get pleasure from the drugs they do beyond stopping craving.
Another thing, you're saying that our thoughts are instincts, which doesn't particularly make sense to me.

I thought this thread was going to be about the oddity that people have for wanting to bicker constantly about things.

[FictionJunction]

Not that our thoughts 'are' instincts, exactly.
However, you merely stated the biological/chemical reasons to smoking addiction. Even if you haven't smoked before (and the same applies for all things that we do that harm us) you would know that smoking causes lung cancer. That alone should technically make you not want to parttake in this activity. You wouldn't even start.

[Reach]

Some people smoke because they're stupid but realize the majority of cases are caused by environmental factors.

I would argue that current trends in society are highly artifically altered by the environment and do not correlate well with evolutionary biology.

Not to say that I don't think our genes play a large role in our lives, or that I don't think evolution/natural selection is still acting on us, because both are true, but as creatures with very large cortexes, our thinking and understanding is highly influenced by outside stimula, and altering this stimula can result in a wide variety of things; for example current fashion trends that are almost antievolutionary, or destructive behavoirs like smoking.

[Shashakiro]

Basic instincts never forsee consequences far down the road (like lung cancer from smoking, or STD's/unwanted pregnancy from sex). Forseeing long-term consequences is something very mental, and not at all instinctual.

If anything, I'd say that people not smoking is a weakening of basic instincts in favor of actual mental activity, because I think most people who don't smoke do so because they can forsee the negative consequences of smoking in the future.

[FictionJunction]

Originally Posted by Shashakiro

Basic instincts never forsee consequences far down the road (like lung cancer from smoking, or STD's/unwanted pregnancy from sex). Forseeing long-term consequences is something very mental, and not at all instinctual.

If anything, I'd say that people not smoking is a weakening of basic instincts in favor of actual mental activity, because I think most people who don't smoke do so because they can forsee the negative consequences of smoking in the future.

well, I may have emphasized a little too much on 'instinct.' What you say is true. But still, that woulnd't answer why we would do things that harm us.
In this case, analyzing and the basic principles of isntinct may stand on the ground. While we wouldn't hurt ourselves directly through instinct, it does seem a bit stupid to do so by will.
Although, I believe that I have answered my own query with my first post. We do these things because we enjoy doing them. However, despite us enjoying whatever we take part in.. the fact that we chose to do the action is enough justification.
Ohmygodhumansarestupid.

[Shashakiro]

Originally Posted by FictionJunction

But still, that woulnd't answer why we would do things that harm us.

Sure it does. We do them because our instincts for pleasure overpower our mental willpower and ability to see long-term consequences.

[FictionJunction]

Originally Posted by Shashakiro

Sure it does. We do them because our instincts for pleasure overpower our mental willpower and ability to see long-term consequences.

Originally Posted by FictionJunction

Although, I believe that I have answered my own query with my first post. We do these things because we enjoy doing them. However, despite us enjoying whatever we take part in.. the fact that we chose to do the action is enough justification.
Ohmygodhumansarestupid.

heh.

However.. isn't the fact that we can overcome our instincts that differentiates us from all other animals? =P

[Shashakiro]

Originally Posted by FictionJunction

However.. isn't the fact that we can overcome our instincts that differentiates us from all other animals? =P

Well, that's certainly not the only aspects of humans that makes them so different. And there are many areas of human life where there really isn't any strong biological instinct one way or the other (school or work, for example), so in those cases all we really have is our will.

[Tonberry_Kid]

Most painful things cause a euphoric feeling after the pain subsides.

An adrenaline rush is a drug all in its own.

[Reach]

However.. isn't the fact that we can overcome our instincts that differentiates us from all other animals? =P

Or we think we can overcome our instincts.

This arises from us being able to ponder our own existance, and because we think that all instincts must be primative and simple, however, we are still animals and we should never forget that.


I still think artificial environmental factors are what drives destructive behavior like smoking. It causes artificial trends and external pressures get people into smoking.

Studies have shown it is very easy to change the attitude of the subconcious mind. You don't even need to be aware of something for it to completely change the way you think and act.


I do think more intelligent people are generally more aware and apt to think situations through, but on every level every one of us is a product of the summation of things that have influenced us in our day to day lives.