Humans Are Bastards/Sandbox

In essence Humans Are Bastards is the reverse of Rousseau Was Right -- the natural proclivity of humanity is towards selfishness, apathy and violence. A select few people might manage to rise above their baser natures to become something better, but the kernel of darkness is still inborn. When Humans Are Bastards is in effect, most likely even your "heroes" don't have clean hands, so conflict is largely gray against black, with some gray against gray or black against black for variety.

A Crapsack World is the norm, but there are exceptions. Humans being bastards doesn't preclude them being pragmatic about it, so if there isn't a profit to be made by making the world a hellhole, they might not, but if conditions are tolerable it certainly isn't due to any inborn altruism on the part of those in charge.

Appeals to people's better nature will not work. Don't expect to see anyone shame the mob -- idealism has no place here. Any successful do-gooders will be very cynical and paranoid, as the genuinely hopeful will inevitably become embittered if they're not killed outright.

Very, very far down the cynical side of the Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism. Comedies are black. Dramas are depressing. Beware of Darkness-Induced Audience Apathy.

Compare Crapsack World, Black and Gray Morality. Hobbes Was Right often makes an appearance, proposing that if the bastardy of humanity is a constant, the most effective form of government is tyranny. Contrast Rousseau Was Right, White and Gray Morality. See also Humans Are Flawed, which takes the middle road by acknowledging humanity's shortcomings while not underplaying their potential capacity for virtue. For settings where only humans are bastards, while other species are morally superior, see Terrans Are Bastards.