History Main / HumansAreGood

* Turns up in ''Marvel Apes''. In the ape universe, [[{{Might Makes Right}} justice is based on claw]]; Franchise/{{Spider|Man}}-Monkey find the human universe's idea of justice by law to be very appealing.
* This is a belief firmly upheld by Franchise/{{Superman}} [[ComicBook/{{Superboy}} and]] [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} his]] [[ComicBook/PowerGirl family]], who maintain that humans are able to overcome their worst instincts and do good, no matter how dark the world may look.

* In the ''ComicBook/JeffHawke'' story "The Dream Pedlars", a group of aliens use a LotusEaterMachine to brainwash humans into mindless slaves... because they need help restoring an out-of-control weather machine devastating their homeworld, and they're too weak to do it themselves. When their scheme is revealed, Hawke demonstrates that mindless slaves lack the self-preservation needed to do the job. When the aliens admit defeat and apologize for trying to drag humans into their foolish affairs, Hawke simply asks, "Why didn't you just ask us to help?" When the truth fully gets out, countless people from all over the world line up to join the effort to save the alien world, despite the dangers. The aliens are thoroughly humbled by it all.

** Rossiu, the WellIntentionedExtremist who gets redeemed through GetAHoldOfYourselfMan, though ''wasn't'' in fact named for [[RousseauWasRight Rousseau]], because he really does mean well--and once he and Simon are on the same page, no force in the universe can stop them. Demonstrably. "Rossiu Was Right" is an internet meme.\\
** [[spoiler: Despite the fact that they have sealed off their own Evolution (Or life force. Or whatever) and have spent eons trying to make every sentient being in the universe feel absolute and utter despair, the Anti-Spirals are actually {{Well Intentioned Extremist}}s and want to save the universe from uncontrolled spiral energy creating a black hole.]]

* ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' is about the war between Humans and AlwaysChaoticEvil Beastmen [[spoiler: until the [[FourIsDeath four generals]] and the first {{big bad}} are dealt with. After that, they merge into the new human-ruled utopia as decent citizens. Even the [[BigBad Biggest Bads]] turn out to be [[ShootTheDog doing what they think tragic, but necessary]]]].\\
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Rossiu, the WellIntentionedExtremist who gets redeemed through GetAHoldOfYourselfMan, though ''wasn't'' in fact named for [[RousseauWasRight Rousseau]], because he really does mean well--and once he and Simon are on the same page, no force in the universe can stop them. Demonstrably. "Rossiu Was Right" is an internet meme.\\
\\
[[spoiler: Despite the fact that they have sealed off their own Evolution (Or life force. Or whatever) and have spent eons trying to make every sentient being in the universe feel absolute and utter despair, the Anti-Spirals are actually {{Well Intentioned Extremist}}s and want to save the universe from uncontrolled spiral energy creating a black hole.]]

* ''LightNovel/ScrappedPrincess'' sees nearly every human character behave with a degree of honor and decency. Its "villains" are not humans but the so-called "peacemakers", [[spoiler:machines designed to keep humanity [[MedievalStasis in the Middle Ages forever]] -- and ''they'' started out [[KnightTemplar trying to preserve humanity]] by keeping them caged]].

* ''LightNovel/TrinityBlood'' - the anime eventually draws the conclusion that all humans, [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire or not]], can coexist peacefully. And if it weren't for a certain nihilistic organization with a SufficientlyAdvancedAlien villain on the top, they would. A proto-Rousseau Was Right statement, in a way.

* This is ultimately the moral of ''Film/TheDarkKnight''. While [[BigBad The Joker]] is hell-bent on proving HumansAreBastards, and he ''does'' succeed in corrupting a few people [[spoiler:like [[TragicVillain Harvey Dent]]]], Gotham eventually proves it's full of panicked, scared, desperate, but ultimately ''good'' people. Most notably on the two ships full of passengers, each given the option to sink the other to save themselves: the ScaryBlackMan of the criminals throws the detonator out the window while snarking the guards "should have done that ten minutes ago -- the civilians meanwhile vote in favor of sinking the criminals but ultimately are unable to do it and instead resign themselves to their fate. It's best summed up by Batman's two iconic dressing downs of the defeated Joker:

* This seems to be apparent in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' especially in part II. Despite the treatment of the Jinchuriki, and now four Great Shinobi World Wars, humans are never portrayed as evil, irredeemable bastards. It's often the system that is to blame, and no one has been able to reform it. Until [[ALlLovingHero Naruto Uzumaki]] that is. [[spoiler:Though the 'system is to blame' can only be blamed so far. HumansAreFlawed should be the lesson, and Naruto shows that despite the flaws people can be good and be brought out of evil thinking like Nagato.]]

* ''LightNovel/TrinityBlood'' - the anime eventually draws the conclusion that all humans, [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire or not]], can coexist peacefully. And if it weren't for a certain nihilistic organization with a SufficientlyAdvancedAlien UltimateEvil on the top, they would. A proto-Rousseau Was Right statement, in a way.

-->-- '''Nelson Mandela'''

[[folder:Film]]

** The manga is going in an entirely different direction.[[spoiler: The Shaharazard ar-Rahman story arc centered on an evil bishop D'Annunzio! Guderien (an agent of the Order) helped save Eshter too. Kinda turning this possibly into HobbesWasRight territory!]]

Since MostWritersAreHuman (and readers/viewers/etc. too for that matter) this trope so strong in the minds of the audience that most of said audience will side with the human faction in cases of GreyAndGreyMorality and even EvilVersusEvil.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/guyshieldswomanfromrain.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350: Even on dreary days, people will still help each other.]]

** Arguably in ''World of Warcraft'' this trope is averted to hell and back. The best candidate for the noblest race in the whole setting is also the least human: the [[ALoadOfBull Tauren]]. Despite their imposing size, they're actually [[GentleGiant very gentle]] and spiritual. The Tauren are one of the few races to have never committed a serious warcrime against another faction, and Tauren villains are incredibly rare.

* This is ultimately the moral of ''Film/TheDarkKnight''. While [[BigBad The Joker]] is hell-bent on proving HumansAreBastards, and he ''does'' succeed in corrupting a few people spoiler:like [[TragicVillain Harvey Dent]], Gotham eventually proves it's full of panicked, scared, desperate, but ultimately ''good'' people. Most notably on the two ships full of passengers, each given the option to sink the other to save themselves: the ScaryBlackMan of the criminals throws the detonator out the window while snarking the guards "should have done that ten minutes ago -- the civilians meanwhile vote in favor of sinking the criminals but ultimately are unable to do it and instead resign themselves to their fate. It's best summed up by Batman's two iconic dressing downs of the defeated Joker:

[[caption-width-right:350: Believe it or not, the world doesn't always have to be a horrible place.]]