Are we all born self-centred, selfish and greedy? I believe so.
I am running some experiments to study such behaviours with some lab rats I have in my home: a 4-year-old male, a 23-month-old female and a 36-year-old alpha male. Here are my observations...
Experiment 1
4-year-old male subject was given 2 sticks of Kit Kat - one to be shared with female subject. But before he gave it to her, he took a bite out of it first.
Results: Positive
Experiment 2
4-year-old male subject was given a bowl of grapes to be shared with the alpha male. 4-year-old male subject ended up finishing everything. When asked why he didn't share it with alpha male, he said because he liked grapes and therefore should have it ALL.
Results: Positive
Experiment 3
4-year-old male subject is given candy sometimes when he has been a good boy. Everytime he is given a candy, he will ask "Why only one?".
Results: Positive
Experiment 4
Everytime 4-year-old male subject wants to play with something, 23-month-old female subject snatches it away and refuses to give in to repeated pleas for her to share. She becomes so possessive that she sports a mean look similar to that of Linda Blair's in The Exorcist. It is pretty scary.
Results: Positive
If you have lab rats at home who show a different kind of behaviour in these situations, let me know. I'd like to study them.
After weeks of behavioural and divine intervention, 4-year-old male subject has learnt to be less self-centred, selfish and greedy. However, at times, there seems to be an uncontrollable desire to lapse into these innate behaviours. Alpha male is indifferently happy while 23-month-old female subject is a likely candidate for a genetic modification experiment.
Linked up with Erica for Lovelinks.
