if they perceived correctly in the past or today (that my behavior endangers myself) would they have done it? Would they be doing it?
Off course they would -they are incredibly self centred
Deliberately hurting yourself is self-centeredness and often a result of depression. No one that loves self is going to deliberately hurt themselves.
Individuals that are depressed are self-centered, they are selfish. They only think about themselves, their thoughts and their current situation.
This isn't a judgment (because I know "self-centered" and "selfish" are words often used with a negative connotation) it's just what is objectively happening. I was depressed for 20 years, this is what I did.
They only thought as individuals
Exactly.
They only thought as individuals and not as a group instead of prioritising communal interests which on that basis they were easily manipulated and exploited by European invaders who easily detected this flaw and the Africans soon demonstrated they were willing participants in their own demise in seeking immediate material self gratification. They didn't even value their fellow native black lives were worth more than disposable material items.
You're describing a misperception. They thought only as individuals because they did not see that thinking this way would be detrimental to them.
If they knew what they were doing is aiding in their own demise, they would not of done it... Unless they were depressed/self hating. If they were not self hating, they were not perceiving the situation correctly because people that love themselves don't deliberately hurt themselves.
(Depression/Self-hate is also misperception but that's a different conversation)
