The Noble Savage

1. Chrissy Erickson

2. “Noble Savage” is an idea - that humans
are innately good and innocent.

3. This concept began with mass
colonization in the early 18
th
century -
romantics looked at the newly
discovered natives, their pure societies
and they became wistful for the way life
could have been.

4. Thus, through one-sided, inaccurate,
romantic viewings, the idea of the
“Noble Savage” came about – humans
untarnished by civilization developed
into more dignified creatures, i.e.
“nature’s gentleman.”

5. This suggests that humans were
organically good and pure, it was
civilization and society which corrupts
us.
When humans live a simple life in
harmony with nature we are true
untainted nature.

6. The noble savage, an idolized view of the way
humans were and could be, was noted a
possessing of several characteristics:
- Living in harmony with nature
- Generosity and selflessness
- Innocence
- Inability to life, fidelity
- Physical health
- Disdain of luxury
- Moral courage
- “Natural” intelligence or innate, untutored
wisdom

7. “Noble Savagery” isn't’ so much a crude
stereotype than an ego boost – who
wouldn’t like to believe that they are
naturally good and it is society that has
corrupted them?
We can place the blame on something
externally and escape unscathed.

8. While this sounds quite a pleasant idea,
its is a faintly gauzed lie. Humans are not
naturally good. For example – we don’t
need anyone to tell us how to behave
“badly” yet, from the time we are born
we are constantly being reminded of
ways to be “good.”

9. The Super- Ego is Freud's propitiation on
human moral behavior, the superego stands
as the moral component of the psyche. It is
the human sense of guilt and conscience.
Naturally, humans feel guilt about
themselves, society and their own flaws.
They feel guilt over the state of the world,
and thus they create an ideal human
behavior, which actually shows very little
support and truth. The Noble Savage
provides a sort of justification and comfort
for behavior and corruption.

10. Man isn't a noble savage, he's an ignoble
savage. He is irrational, brutal, weak,
silly, unable to be objective about
anything where his own interests are
involved — that about sums it up. I'm
interested in the brutal and violent
nature of man because it's a true picture
of him. And any attempt to create social
institutions on a false view of the nature
of man is probably doomed to failure.

11. These points are extreme, however they
raise a valid question (earlier
mentioned) – what propels man to think
that he is naturally pure and almost
faultless? What does that say about
humans? Can we not take blame for our
faults and downsides? Why must we feel
compelled to continually place the blame
on everyone else? Why do humans have
such a problem with criticism?

12. We feel we must cover up our flaws.

13. Noble Savage." Wikipedia. 20 Sept. 2008
<http://www.wikipedia.org>.