Are people inherently good or evil? Options

[Badman]

I think it is time for a fresh topic here: Are people naturally good, evil, or some combination of the two? It could also be phrased are people altruistic or are we naturally selfish?


or

[Pokey]

Such a difficult question to answer really, surely there is no real answer that covers "people" as a whole. It's like asking if Cats are inherently good natured or bad natured, some are good natured and some are bad natured, you can't really say "Cats are inherently good natured" because there are a hell of a lot of absolute fuckwit cats out there. But then are those cats bad natured or are they just "bad" because of how we want them to be, they're just being cats one way or the other. I think you can really only look at people on an individual level when asking this question as it becomes way too broad and too many variables enter the equation when you talk about people/the human race collectively. Especially when you begin to break down how different people view good and evil, Ed is our very own example, while evil is a big stretch and over exaggerating, plenty of people here think he's turned into a bad person, while some still believe he's a good person. And to what degree has he been a bad person anyways, he hasn't killed anyone (besides luring his previous self to the wolf den of course), but for those of us that say he's bad, at what level do you judge them for being "too bad" ... Ed's album failing and him paying CCP a heap of money I would see as the perfect punishment that he deserves, but if I saw him drowning in the pool of course I'd still jump in and try to help him, he doesn't deserve that.
I have no idea what I'm trying to say here, I guess just that there is no real definitive answer besides fuck cats.

[jayda]

I have no idea what I'm trying to say here, I guess just that there is no real definitive answer besides fuck cats.

gee Pokey...was just gonna comment on what a good person you must be coz you don't like Coldplay (whiniest band I've ever heard) and then you go heap shit on cats again

[Pokey]

Fuckin' cats!

[themaestro]

Did someone say cat?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UW6mFNZLW0

[Pokey]

Did someone say cat?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UW6mFNZLW0

That would be cute, amusing and adorable if it weren't a furry agent of Satan.


Best cat video is still the cat-copter!

[themaestro]

That would be cute, amusing and adorable if it weren't a furry agent of Satan.
Best cat video is still the cat-copter!

Cat-copter rules!

[thefunkyredcaboose]

I think people can choose whether to be good or evil, but socialization plays a huge part. Sometimes you have to buck all of your influences in order to be a good person.

I also think that religions or philosophies that teach that people are inherently evil (original sin) go a long way towards making the world a shitty place. That's an awful way to approach humanity, even if it does seem that humanity sucks in many instances.

And cats... screw cats.

[Badman]

I also think that religions or philosophies that teach that people are inherently evil (original sin) go a long way towards making the world a shitty place. That's an awful way to approach humanity, even if it does seem that humanity sucks in many instances.

Soooo correct. I worry that if I take the stance that people are inherently evil that I will play a part in making the world a much worse place. "You are the world" so says the MJ song and if you are evil the world is evil. Man, I'd like to have a drink with you funky

[thefunkyredcaboose]

That is so sweet!

[Sonic Tonic]

yes, I do agree. Fuck cats

[PillarOfDavidson]

Ask yourself this question: why do we have laws?

[dancing queen]

we are inherently rotten bitches.

you don't have to teach toddler's to fight over toys. In fact, you have to socialize them to share.

yes, exactly, it's why we have laws.

I don't think knowing this makes the world a darker place. It's simply recognizing our shortcomings.
Only once you recognize a problem can you try to do something about it.
Funky, we are all shitbricks. Knowing this, I can try my best to do something about it, and, like you said, make better decisions. That's the beauty. We're all capable of doing better. We just have to make the choice.

and I like cats

[OutToDry]

people have the right to choose!!! Most that choose evil, thought about it