British band Depeche Mode asks the question.
“People are people, so why should it be,you and I should get along, so AWFULLY?”
How does this song and video CHARACTERIZE HUMAN NATURE?

“PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE” (by Depeche Mode)

RATIONALISM – appeal to REASON, LOGIC; one’s MIND or “intellect”
ROMANTICISM – appeal to EMOTIONS, INSTINCTS and “passion”

“Man is his OWN most VEXing[troubling] problem”. – Reinhold Niebuhr

People are people

So why should it be

You and I should 1)WHY do people get along 

GET ALONG so AWFULLY so “AWFULLY”?
People are people

So WHY should it be

You and I should get

Along so awfully


So we’re DIFFERENT colors 2)Is“XENOPHOBIA” (fear of the “outsider”)
we’re different CREEDS “normal” OR “UNnatural” part

And different people have different NEEDS of human nature?

It’s OBVIOUS you hate me

Though I’ve DONE NOTHING WRONG 3)Why do people “HATE”?

I’ve NEVER EVEN MET YOU Is hate CONTRARY to human nature
so what could I have done or is it an INTRINSIC part of it?


I CAN’T UNDERSTAND

What makes a man

HATE another man

Help me understand

 … People are people…

Help me understand
 … Help me understand


Now you’re PUNCHING

And you’re KICKING
And you’re SHOUTING at me 4)Is HUMAN DECENCY “COMMON” or 

I’m RELYING on YOUR COMMON DECENCY an “EXCEPTION”? [not common]
So far it hasn’t surfaced 

But I’m SURE IT EXISTS

It just takes a while to travel 5)Why is the author critical of

From your HEAD to your FISTS those without “common decency”?


I can’t understand 6)What does this song say about 

What makes a man people, “reason” and “understanding”? 

Hate another man Is it logical to treat people “humanely”?

Help me understand 7)Is man’s INhumanity to man “natural”,
an EXPECTED part of [“irrational’]
human nature?