The thought to go through my head as I read this was "... and this is why trying to raise the overall consciousness level of humanity DOES matter!"

I find myself wondering what is inherent and what is learned. I remember being about eight years old and really wanting to get another pack of trading cards that came in certain gum packets... so I stole the equivalent of 35 cents from my mother's coin purse. I had been taught no particularly "extreme" lessons about stealing; yet the act made me feel virtually sick to the point that I came back and replaced the missing 35 cents next time I got my allowance. I literally has a visceral experience that was NOT about "fear of being discovered" at all. To this day, I have issues with anything that feels like it goes against my own moral compass... but it has little to do with "what others will think," or the fear of getting busted.

So now I'm wondering how our "default setting" starts out, and to what degree any corruption is the product of societal influences ("nurture") and to what degree some people are just wired differently from others ("nature"). I would also like to think that we have sufficient neuroplasticity that a "bad habit" can be rerouted with a little applied training.

Very interesting-- thanks for sharing!