subsistence opiates like social media, fast food, literal opiates, etc.

I would argue they’ve had complete control long before all of that. No, humanity is inherently flawed when it comes to considering the collective good.

If you are like me and believe on a macro scale all of humanity is only an extension of a universal cosmic nature than hamanity isnt really flawed. No more flawed than when, say, a leaf falls from a tree only to become dirt again.

If it’s any consolation I believe humanity can defy its own nature. I just haven’t seen a lot of that, lately.