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Are people inherently good or evil ?

Discussions related to the physiological and psychological effects of peak oil on our members and future generations.

Re: Are people inherently good or evil ?

Unread postby wisconsin_cur » Wed 10 Dec 2008, 03:50:22

People are, inherently, people.

And being a person entails the potential for great "good" (however in the world you want to define it) or great evil (however you would want to define it).

Mostly we muddle along.
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Re: Are people inherently good or evil ?

Unread postby GoghGoner » Wed 10 Dec 2008, 11:32:28

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Dreamtwister', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('GoghGoner', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Dreamtwister', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('GoghGoner', 'W')e have evolved to be good (moral).
Have we? Evidence suggests otherwise.
No, it doesn't.
Yes, it does. Slavery. Genocide. Fiat money. Weapons of mass destruction. Inquisitions. Rapists. Child molesters. Terrorists. Torture. Female circumcision. Con artists.
We are many things, but moral is certainly not one of them (at least not in the traditional western sense).

Rapists, child molesters, terrorists are exceptions to the norm. The normal person does not have sex with four-year olds. Random selection is not perfect but the vast majority of people are inherently good. They have to be to ensure the survival of the species.

Now, if you want to argue, that as a collective we are not smart enough then we would agree.
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Re: Are people inherently good or evil ?

Unread postby obixman » Wed 10 Dec 2008, 12:42:29

Hmmm...

People are just too varied to place into such simple constructs as good and evil. People are all over the place, move from position to position and grow and change through tme.

Beside good is such a relative concept that it has little meaning in and of itself. Moral or ethics have more (although only slightly so) abstract meaning.

Having said this - I do not know if any person is Good. However, I am prepared to say that I am certain that some people are Evil. Having admitted to the reality of Evil, I am forced to admit to Good as well, but can only state that I can not recognize it in the absolute.

Thus I am a bit... depressed.... about mankind.

Fortunately, as a Geologist, I can say with some certainly that mankind is only a temporary problem to the Earth and Universe.
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Re: Are people inherently good or evil ?

Unread postby GoghGoner » Wed 10 Dec 2008, 20:14:26

Instead of being wishy-washy, give a definite behavior and judge whether most people would be considered good or evil.

For example, if some stranger was walking towards a cliff and you knew that they may fall off it, plummeting to their gruesome death, without a warning. What you do? What would 99.9% of the world's population do? They would say, "hey dude, you are walking towards a cliff." Maybe they would say it in another language and maybe with different words but they would give that person a warning. Is that the moral thing to do?

Sure. People are inherently good. Are humans smarter than yeast? Now, that is a more difficult question...
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Re: Are people inherently good or evil ?

Unread postby angrybill » Thu 11 Dec 2008, 02:20:47

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('GoghGoner', 'I')nstead of being wishy-washy, give a definite behavior and judge whether most people would be considered good or evil.
For example, if some stranger was walking towards a cliff and you knew that they may fall off it, plummeting to their gruesome death, without a warning. What you do? What would 99.9% of the world's population do? They would say, "hey dude, you are walking towards a cliff." Maybe they would say it in another language and maybe with different words but they would give that person a warning. Is that the moral thing to do?
Sure. People are inherently good. Are humans smarter than yeast? Now, that is a more difficult question...

I don't mean this in a demeaning way but have you spend time in other countries? The 99.9% probability I think is way too high for anything really except that 99.9% of people need to breathe air, eat or eventually die. Differing people and there cultural raisings make a big difference in how well they respond, positively or negatively to warning someone about walking over a cliff. And, would they believe you and stop and just keep walking because they were though to be heading in the right direction. There is spiritual relevance to this too. I'm just saying.
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Re: Are people inherently good or evil ?

Unread postby yippleflipple » Thu 11 Dec 2008, 03:48:39

an interesting point. it's funny how much our perspectives are shaped by the culture we are brought up in. I wonder where suburbia culture ranks up there with all the cultures of history

and about the sheep heading over the cliff: it amazes me how safe some people feel in the world. i suppose its a good thing that there are people to look after them, most of the time anyway. this reminds me of what an eastern religions teacher brought to my attention one day, the fact that most people are not mindful that they are conscious, that they are alive, aware of their existence and the existence of others. it really is an amazing thing to be mindful that we are the universe conscious of itself. the people who are walking off the cliff but still think they are heading in the right direction seem to be stuck in the matrix, they aren't mindful of their existence it seems, and don't know they are degenerating, intellectually and spiritually, perhaps? Maybe mindfulness is the key. Which is a better life, to be a sheep or to be a shepherd? It seems the former are much happier but I could be wrong.
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Re: Are people inherently good or evil ?

Unread postby uNkNowN ElEmEnt » Thu 11 Dec 2008, 04:14:23

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'W')hich is a better life, to be a sheep or to be a shepherd?

I guess it depends on your comfort level. Some of us have always and will always stick out like a splinter on the bannister of life. Each of us can only deal with what horrors or blessings we allow and feel comfortable with at the present stage of our lives.

Feeling safe is a good think. Even as we see the waterfall looming beautifully and deadly in the distance. Is it hope then that will truly make the difference? and if so what state must you create to survive. I would answer, what ever works for each of us. I don't demean the sheep because I can handle more "truth" then he/she does. yeah, they piss me off and frustrate me but when I am concsious of the effect I can also choose to use understanding....or not.
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Re: Are people inherently good or evil ?

Unread postby GoghGoner » Thu 11 Dec 2008, 11:32:57

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('angrybill', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('GoghGoner', 'I')nstead of being wishy-washy, give a definite behavior and judge whether most people would be considered good or evil.
For example, if some stranger was walking towards a cliff and you knew that they may fall off it, plummeting to their gruesome death, without a warning. What you do? What would 99.9% of the world's population do? They would say, "hey dude, you are walking towards a cliff." Maybe they would say it in another language and maybe with different words but they would give that person a warning. Is that the moral thing to do?
Sure. People are inherently good. Are humans smarter than yeast? Now, that is a more difficult question...
I don't mean this in a demeaning way but have you spend time in other countries? The 99.9% probability I think is way too high for anything really except that 99.9% of people need to breathe air, eat or eventually die. Differing people and there cultural raisings make a big difference in how well they respond, positively or negatively to warning someone about walking over a cliff. And, would they believe you and stop and just keep walking because they were though to be heading in the right direction. There is spiritual relevance to this too. I'm just saying.

Sure, I have traveled extensively in Asia, the Middle East, Texas, Central America, Los Angeles, Salem, and Alaska.

I cannot imagine what would lead you to think that there is a country of people without this basic evolutionary trait of being inherently good. What country is that?
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Re: Are people inherently good or evil ?

Unread postby PenultimateManStanding » Thu 11 Dec 2008, 14:18:37

People are inherently goodevil. No less and no more. More than you can say for squirrel or a worm.
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Re: Are people inherently good or evil ?

Unread postby yippleflipple » Fri 12 Dec 2008, 01:29:43

okay...people are evil
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Re: Are people inherently good or evil ?

Unread postby POAlex » Fri 12 Dec 2008, 21:55:00

You don't have to teach a child to misbehave, they just do it. We're definitely born with a sinful nature.

"Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble." (Job 14:1)

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Re: Are people inherently good or evil ?

Unread postby uNkNowN ElEmEnt » Sat 13 Dec 2008, 03:55:13

What you see as sin, I see as a necessary condition so that the child can be taught boundaries to know he is loved and secure.
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Re: Are people inherently good or evil ?

Unread postby wisconsin_cur » Sat 13 Dec 2008, 04:19:34

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('POAlex', 'Y')ou don't have to teach a child to misbehave, they just do it. We're definitely born with a sinful nature.
"Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble." (Job 14:1)

A toddler's misbehavior = sin = evil ?

Seems a little simplistic.
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Re: Are people inherently good or evil ?

Unread postby vision-master » Sat 13 Dec 2008, 10:34:51

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('POAlex', 'Y')ou don't have to teach a child to misbehave, they just do it. We're definitely born with a sinful nature.
"Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble." (Job 14:1)

Image
Impression of the cylinder seal of Ḫašḫamer, patesi (high priest) of Sin at Iškun-Sin, ca. 2100 BC. The seated figure is probably Ur-Nammu, bestowing the governorship on Ḫašḫamer who is led before him by a lamma. Sin himself is present in the form of a crescent.

The "wisdom" personified by the moon-god is likewise an expression of the science of astrology, in which the observation of the moon's phases is so important a factor. The tendency to centralize the powers of the universe leads to the establishment of the doctrine of a triad consisting of Sin, Shamash, and Ishtar, respectively personifying the moon, the sun, and the planet Venus.
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Re: Are people inherently good or evil ?

Unread postby MrBill » Sat 13 Dec 2008, 13:47:30

I do not know if people are good or evil, but I am angry at Bill.
The organized state is a wonderful invention whereby everyone can live at someone else's expense.
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Re: Are people inherently good or evil ?

Unread postby threadbear » Sat 13 Dec 2008, 20:43:59

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MrBill', 'I') do not know if people are good or evil, but I am angry at Bill.

How come?
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Re: Are people inherently good or evil ?

Unread postby PenultimateManStanding » Sat 13 Dec 2008, 23:39:05

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('threadbear', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MrBill', 'I') do not know if people are good or evil, but I am angry at Bill.
How come?

Probably because he lost a lot of money. I'd be mad at me too. Losing a lot of money has got to suck.
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Re: Are people inherently good or evil ?

Unread postby vision-master » Sat 13 Dec 2008, 23:48:07

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('threadbear', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MrBill', 'I') do not know if people are good or evil, but I am angry at Bill.
How come?
Probably because he lost a lot of money. I'd be mad at me too. Losing a lot of money has got to suck.

Especially if you think your one of the 'players'.
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Re: Are people inherently good or evil ?

Unread postby threadbear » Sun 14 Dec 2008, 00:21:39

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('threadbear', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MrBill', 'I') do not know if people are good or evil, but I am angry at Bill.
How come?
Probably because he lost a lot of money. I'd be mad at me too. Losing a lot of money has got to suck.

It's just money. As long as a person has their health, family, friends, they can recover, or partially recover monetary loss. It's the reversal of expectation that is so difficult. When I was a kid, I flew through the first 8 grades, first in my class, hardly having to study. Midway through high school, I was hit with a neurological illness that destroyed my short term memory, impairing my ability to learn anything that was completely novel. I had become a complete loser, in some people's eyes. I am SO glad I went through it when I was young and resilient. It's a hell of thing to go through a reversal like that when you're older.

Back to good and evil....Back in those days, I could be mean, really mean, because I was very angry and very scared, not to mention depressed out of my mind. I didn't know what had happened, didn't have a lot of insight into it and was constantly criticized for being lazy and or a drug addict (I wasn't) The worst insults to deal with are the things you tell yourself about yourself, without any external inputs. The "i'm no good", like a mantra, over and over.

When you're older it's more, "If only I'd done xyz", "why didn't I see it coming?" etc..etc..

We all have to be kind to others right now, but especially, we have to be forgiving of ourselves. We're going to need all the compassion we can muster in the coming years. I think we should never miss an opportunity to cheer someone up, lighten their burden.

Best wishes to Mr. Bill.
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Re: Are people inherently good or evil ?

Unread postby MrBill » Mon 15 Dec 2008, 03:31:35

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('threadbear', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MrBill', 'I') do not know if people are good or evil, but I am angry at Bill.

How come?


na, just because his moniker is AngryBill...
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