Human Nature Is What We Prove – L’shanah tovah

As the Jewish New Year begins, I’ve been reflecting on how we’re taught to see people. So often, the story goes like this: humans are selfish, fearful, competitive, and need to be controlled. That story shows up in history books, in politics, at work, even in the way we talk to each other.

But I’ve realized something: that’s not a truth — it’s just an assumption. Yes, fear and selfishness exist. But they’re not the whole story. Science shows that even babies prefer kindness over cruelty. Our brains are wired with empathy. Cooperation is the reason we’ve survived and thrived as a people and as a species.

So why do we only tell the darker story? Because it benefits systems of power: governments justify control, companies justify greed, media thrives on outrage. The quiet truth — that humans are deeply capable of care — rarely makes headlines.

But here’s the part that matters most as we enter a new year:

Human nature isn’t fixed. It’s what we choose to prove.

Every day, in small ways, we get to decide which version of “human nature” becomes real: • If we reward fear, fear spreads. • If we reward empathy, empathy spreads.

This season is about teshuvah — returning, choosing again, renewing ourselves. That means each small action carries weight: a smile, a kind word, listening, forgiving, refusing to get lost in outrage. Each act is proof that kindness can be our default, not just an exception.

So I want to invite you into an experiment for the new year: For one week, let’s live as if kindness is the baseline. Each day, do one unexpected act of empathy — for yourself, for a stranger, for someone close. Notice how people respond. Share what happens.

This isn’t just about being nice. It’s about proving a new story of what it means to be human. And what better time than the New Year to begin?

Shanah tovah — may this year be full of kindness we choose, and kindness we prove.