The Perseverance of Humanity in World War I

Abstract

What makes people “human,” and why is that important? Sympathy and rationality are marks of the humane in humanity. Although these traits can be overshadowed by our more violent and selfish tendencies, the desire to be orderly and kind is natural, not learned. Without these traits, people would be no more special than the rest of the mammals that inhabit the planet. World War I was a brutal affair that forced men to become killing machines, but despite the necessities of war, these men still clung to a sense of humanity and morality. Examination of this example is evidence of the value in preserving this aspect of humanity; the future of human society depends on it.