kamakawida

Some say integrity is fundamental flaw of nature. Meaning specifically, “the human nature”.

Okay for example: assume that you are an alien, right? A being who has no prior knowledge of this world, of our world (Terra). And assume that you have decided to take a look at our this existence. Wanting to figure out how things work here and why it does so, a kind of extraterrestrial anthropologist.

After having spent some time on earth you find out that there are a bunch of seemingly working societal structures, leaders, laws, commerce and so on. You also note that humans in general share common values and principles (equality, humanity, impartiality etc.). And these transcend across all aspects of human life, religion etc..

But then you also notice that there is great suffering on earth. People dying needlessly each and every day from various number of causes like diseases, war, famine, genetics, natural disaster etc..

And after some time you conclude that the majority of this suffering is actually self inflicted i.e. human-made.

Meanwhile the minority of the human population that are above this suffering (the ideal way of living) are the ones at the very top of the structures you already noticed. I.e. the leaders, the trend-setters, influence-rs, decision makers, privileged and what have you.

So now you start wondering.. why this is?

Then you start asking questions:

“So the humans all follow structures that are supposedly based on the common human principles right? But how is it possible then that such a large majority of humans suffer whilst the minority live in bliss? Don’t the common principles extend to everyone?”

After a while you start realizing that the humans at the very top of the structures must have compromised their own integrity to achieve their own goals on the expense of all the misery they are causing around them. Because how else can one have so much power and influence and yet accept the visible suffering that is literally in front of your own door step?

This is why the common association of power with integrity is dangerous. The idea that with more power comes more responsibilities. When in the case of humans, we have a society with the elite (in whatever context or capacity) that enforce the concept of integrity to their subjects but still ignoring it themselves.

Therefore you as an the alien summarize that, integrity is a flaw of human nature because of those that are able to disregard it.