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In essence Humans Are Bastards is the reverse of Rousseau Was Right � the natural proclivity of humanity is towards selfishness, apathy and violence. Only a select few people 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, even your "heroes" don't have clean hands, so most conflict is gray against black, with some gray against gray or black against black on for variety.

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, 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 Humans Are The Real Monsters.

Examples:

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Film

The films of Todd Solondz.

Literature

Every single character in Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian, even the hero is a multiple murderer who later on carries a necklace of ears around his neck. The only possible exception is The Judge, as though he's the worst of the bunch, there's a suggestion he's not human.
This is basically the moral of Lord of the Flies, along with Hobbes Was Right.

Live-Action TV

Malcolm in The Middle requires this to be a universal fact.
The Mirror Universe in Star Trek runs on this trope. A dark contrast to the standard Humans Are Special / Rousseau Was Right that powers the regular Trek Verse, humanity in that universe is a race of xenophobic, dictatorial imperialists out to conquer any and everything in their path. And their just as brutal, if not moreso, to each other; in that universe's Starfleet, killing your superior officer is an acceptable means of promotion. Note, there is a level of pragmatism in what they do. They generally would rather an alien world willingly submit to the Terran Empire's rules, but whereas the Federation will take a no, the Empire will commence orbital bombardment. And while casually killing fellow officers is a means of career advancement, it seems decorum dictates it only be done in excused circumstances.

Hobbes Was Right

Philosophy Tropes

Insane Troll Logic

Hot Guys Are Bastards

The Jerk Index

Innocently Insensitive

Humanity Is Insane

Cynicism Tropes

Humans Are Morons