Is everyone inherently good?

deadnothingbetter

What is evil to you?

I was reading Will Smith's comments about Hitler and how the Jewish Defense League ignorantly took his comments out of proportion and got me to thinking about this. Most people would argue that Hitler wasn't a "human" and that he was pure evil. But what the hell is evil in the first place? Does that make Hitler a child of the devil?

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=4052017&page=1

harmless_little_f***

Nope, I'm afraid we're all inherently selfish.... but some of us fight against our natures.

deadnothingbetter

harmless_little_f*** wrote:

Nope, I'm afraid we're all inherently selfish.... but some of us fight against our natures.

so what's good and what's evil? just wondering about people's interpretations about this certain topic.

Commy

harmless_little_f*** wrote:

Nope, I'm afraid we're all inherently selfish.... but some of us fight against our natures.

Actually the selfish trait has to be nurtured in order for it to become second nature-though capitalism it becomes apparent. But Human beings are innately selfLESS, look at a family structure and see how it operates.

deadnote

evil is controlling , like being a slave is evil

isnt that sad that being a slave to the master

actually causes you to be just like them

what a piece of shit

NMyTree

Will Smith's comments, in my opinion, were correct and accurate.

The Anti-Defamation League's reaction was mindlessly ignorant, manipulative and simply pulled-off their standard over-reaction.

Ever notice how the Anti-Defamation League immediately jumps on or jumps in, any time anyone expresses an opinion on Hitler/The Holocaust; with this "we'll judge this person's words and decide whether he/she should be forgiven or permitted to speak his/her opinion..." type of attitude and approach?

It's ridiculous. Their quotes in this article are laughable.

It is the Anti-Defamation League's own ignorance and stupidity; and that ignorance of some people who reacted like morons (before thinking) to Smith's words.

Way back in the beginning, Hitler did start out with a very noble cause.

Non-jewish german's were descriminated against and hung out to dry by the jewish corporations/businesses. They had a monopoly and excluded non-jewish germans from any kind of true financial stability, future career advancement and prosperity.

He wanted to establish social and economic balance and equality for the non-jewish germans.

Unfortunately, Hitler completely lost his mind. He let vicious hate and an all consuming contempt for the Jews people take control of his every thought and action.

The Jews are exactly like every other race/religion of people on this planet.

They have their good points, bad points, strengths and flaws.

And just like every other group of people on this planet, they have an unhealthy amount of elitist racists/bigots with a superiority complex; who are always involved in some kind of under-handed crap.

And it is NOT anti-Semitism to point that out or to say so. It is a simple fact.

Strangest Tribe

people are good...

except they don't think or see both sides of every issue always.


many are just outright stupid and don't want to learn, or experience. they have drawn their own opinions and hold fast to those opinions and will argue even knowing they are wrong.

but still they are good...

everyone is selfish, there are many levels to selfishness...some are just closer to the upper tier of mass selfishness (these are the people I'd like to drag behind my truck with a good rope)

harmless_little_f***

Commy wrote:

Actually the selfish trait has to be nurtured in order for it to become second nature-though capitalism it becomes apparent. But Human beings are innately selfLESS, look at a family structure and see how it operates.

I'd like to see you argue that family structure ITSELF is innate to humanity; it isn't. Our society is rife with family breakdown and disintegration. The only thing innate to our humanity is survival of the fittest; every man for himself.

Unfortunately. Like I said, there are people who fly in the face of that view, but they have a hard time being alive.

chopitdown

no people are not inherently good. People are not all necessarily the "worst of the worst", but to say inherently good...nope.

Commy

chopitdown wrote:

no people are not inherently good. People are not all necessarily the "worst of the worst", but to say inherently good...nope.

My sister teaches first grade I think...

She claims her students are amazingly perceptive, and whenever moral issues are brought up they usually side with what we consider to be good. Its just natural for them.

Its only after 20 years of public education and any number in the workplace do individuals get a sense of competition, and they turn from working together to working agaisnt one another. And so we see individuals, given power, doing whatever it takes to keep that power, violence if necessary.

chopitdown

Commy wrote:

My sister teaches first grade I think...

She claims her students are amazingly perceptive, and whenever moral issues are brought up they usually side with what we consider to be good. Its just natural for them.

Its only after 20 years of public education and any number in the workplace do individuals get a sense of competition, and they turn from working together to working agaisnt one another. And so we see individuals, given power, doing whatever it takes to keep that power, violence if necessary.

it's one thing to side with good in a class when you don't actually have to make the choice. My guess is that if you ask someone if they would do something, they say they would do the "good" thing. I would contend the students know what the right thing is and they don't want to let the teacher down; therefore, they say the right answer. What happens when the rubber meets the road?? What is the students reaction to your sister if they do soemthing wrong? Do they fess up, or do they deny it. I've witnessed numerous occasions where people (kids, adults) flat out lie, b/c they don't want to admit to doing something. Again, I'm not saying that everyone is inherently as bad as possible, b/c that's just as difficult to say (imho) as everyone is good. People do make good decisions, there's not doubt about it. But i think there's a certain naivite or wishful thinking in the presupposition that people are naturally good. I'd love to be wrong about that.

LikeAnOcean

The glass is half empty or half full.. however you want to look at it.

JOEJOEJOE

NMyTree wrote:

Will Smith's comments, in my opinion, were correct and accurate.

The Anti-Defamation League's reaction was mindlessly ignorant, manipulative and simply pulled-off their standard over-reaction.

Ever notice how the Anti-Defamation League immediately jumps on or jumps in, any time anyone expresses an opinion on Hitler/The Holocaust; with this "we'll judge this person's words and decide whether he/she should be forgiven or permitted to speak his/her opinion..." type of attitude and approach?

It's ridiculous. Their quotes in this article are laughable.

It is the Anti-Defamation League's own ignorance and stupidity; and that ignorance of some people who reacted like morons (before thinking) to Smith's words.

Way back in the beginning, Hitler did start out with a very noble cause.

Non-jewish german's were descriminated against and hung out to dry by the jewish corporations/businesses. They had a monopoly and excluded non-jewish germans from any kind of true financial stability, future career advancement and prosperity.

He wanted to establish social and economic balance and equality for the non-jewish germans.

Unfortunately, Hitler completely lost his mind. He let vicious hate and an all consuming contempt for the Jews people take control of his every thought and action.

The Jews are exactly like every other race/religion of people on this planet.

They have their good points, bad points, strengths and flaws.

And just like every other group of people on this planet, they have an unhealthy amount of elitist racists/bigots with a superiority complex; who are always involved in some kind of under-handed crap.

And it is NOT anti-Semitism to point that out or to say so. It is a simple fact.

Wow, you must be the oldest PJ fan in the world if you are old enough to haved experienced being hung out to dry by German Jews. How else could you have such a strong opinion?


Underhanded crap?

I hope one day you find some enlightenment and let go of your stereotypes, my friend.

Jeanie

LikeAnOcean wrote:

The glass is half empty or half full.. however you want to look at it.

No, it's just half a glass.



We are all good and we are all evil. These traits reside in all of us. Sometimes we are good, sometimes we are evil. People do what works for them. So if they get more out of being evil then they'll keep being evil, if they get more out of being good then they keep being good. To suggest that Hitler was evil and completely controlling gives him far more power than he actually held. He wasn't alone. He couldn't commit genocide on that scale all on his own and he didn't. He was able to do what he did because people helped him. Other people. People that may or may not have been evil either. Nobody is all one thing or another. Life is never black and white, never half empty or half full, no one is ever all good or all evil.

The only thing necessary for evil to prosper is for good people to stay silent.

LikeAnOcean

Jeanie wrote:

No, it's just half a glass.



We are all good and we are all evil. These traits reside in all of us. Sometimes we are good, sometimes we are evil. People do what works for them. So if they get more out of being evil then they'll keep being evil, if they get more out of being good then they keep being good. To suggest that Hitler was evil and completely controlling gives him far more power than he actually held. He wasn't alone. He couldn't commit genocide on that scale all on his own and he didn't. He was able to do what he did because people helped him. Other people. People that may or may not have been evil either. Nobody is all one thing or another. Life is never black and white, never half empty or half full, no one is ever all good or all evil.

The only thing necessary for evil to prosper is for good people to stay silent.

Keep in mind, everyone has a different definition of what is good and what is evil.. right and wrong basically comes down to political views.

JordyWordy

LikeAnOcean wrote:

Keep in mind, everyone has a different definition of what is good and what is evil.. right and wrong basically comes down to political views.

i think Jeanie's point (correct me if im wrong) is that humans are inherently good AND evil.

regardless of your perspective from politics or morals, all humans have some level of behaviour they believe to be virtuous and other that is not.

"Good and Evil" are not two positions that are there for humans to fall into once we are born, they are Opposites created and sustained by human nature and behaviour.

brain of c

i am evil.

sexysurfergirl

were all born with an instinctive sense of right and wrong i believe...ie we feel bad if we upset someone or do something wrong.... its the world around us that desensitises us and blurrs our perceptions and so evilness comes as we grow and the world around us has its effect upon us

deadnothingbetter

LikeAnOcean wrote:

Keep in mind, everyone has a different definition of what is good and what is evil.. right and wrong basically comes down to political views.

that's another valid argument.

deadnothingbetter

JOEJOEJOE wrote:

Wow, you must be the oldest PJ fan in the world if you are old enough to haved experienced being hung out to dry by German Jews. How else could you have such a strong opinion?


Underhanded crap?

I hope one day you find some enlightenment and let go of your stereotypes, my friend.

i'm just wondering... where in the post you quoted is the person stereotyping?

JordyWordy

JOEJOEJOE wrote:

How else could you have such a strong opinion?


I hope one day you find some enlightenment and let go of your stereotypes, my friend.

his opinion didnt seem particularly strong to be fair. who is he stereotyping?