But how good are we really??

[vorlon13]

nothing wrong with a biblical perspective on good and evil, God invented the dichotomy after all . . .

[Catholic_Lady]

I think some of you are being a bit hard on her. They are legitimate wonderings. Asking questions is a very healthy thing.

What is interesting to me is that this line of reasoning in the OP is what eventually lead me to realize that free-will isn't real. We don't chose to be good or bad. We just are what we are. And good and bad are both totally subjective, depending on who's POV you are looking from.

To answer the OP, I didn't answer your poll, even though I read it, for some of the reasons you are wondering. I try and be the best I can, but I am not comfortable labeling myself as a "good" person. I am a fortunate, lucky person. That's the best way I can think of to describe myself.

Good questions, CL. I hope it spurs more good conversations.

Thank you!

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For people asking "define good" and "by whose standard", let's just say your own. Leaving religion and subjective/objective morality out of this.

Only thing is it has to be what you genuinely think is good/bad. (Sometimes people tell themselves something is ok when they feel in their hearts that it isnt. I know I have done that before.)

So, how many times have you resisted doing something you thought was immoral even though you really wanted to do it and had the opportunity to do it?

[Anomalocaris]

Define "good."

Not Jesus, Muhammad or Buddha.  Doesn’t pin it down precisely, but eliminates the sources of the most common misconceptions.

[Catholic_Lady]

Not-killing, not-raping, and not-cheating seem like awfully low bars to clear to claim the mantle of goodness.

What is good to me, lies not in simply refraining from evil, but instead lies in the positive things we do, in particular for others (and not just our families).

I agree CD. But that just seems to be a lot of people's thinking these days - "I've never raped or killed anyone, I'm loyal to my spouse, I'm not a jerk to people... I'm basically a good person."

[Divinity]

I don't think people are really that good. Oh sure, a lot of people don't rape, murder, or steal. But that doesn't make you a good person, in my opinion. No fucking way. You have to do good things, not just avoid doing the bad ones. And you have to do them for the right reasons.

I'm not a good person. I've never killed anyone, never raped, never stolen. Always paid my taxes, and on fucking time too. I've certainly had the urge to kill people before. They tend to really piss me off, but I held myself back. But I don't consider myself good because I resisted those urges. I don't think I'm not a good person because I've had those urges. But because I fucking hate a lot of people.

My daughter, she's who I'd consider a good person. She takes bottles of water with her whenever she goes out, and hands them out to the homeless. Every Christmas she goes and spends a ton of money on toys and takes them to the local hospital so children won't be without something on Christmas. She and her wife adopted three kids and have become a family. She bikes to the grocery store, except when it's too cold out--and even then she drives a hybrid. She's a vegetarian, and has been for almost 10 years--solely because she thinks they shouldn't torture animals the way they do. I consider her a good person, because she likes doing those things. And she doesn't hate anyone (though she's starting to become more jaded like me) just for who or what they are. She's not perfect by any means. But for the most part, she does a lot of good. And I'm proud of her. I wish I could be like her sometimes. But I just can't bring myself to do it because I genuinely don't like a lot of people.

[The Grand Nudger]

Sound like a good person to me, your daughters just better.  I think we all hope that for our children.  

[brewer]

So, how many times have you resisted doing something you thought was immoral even though you really wanted to do it and had the opportunity to do it?

Can't count how many times. How often? The majority of the time but can't claim I'm perfect.

[The Grand Nudger]

I once tried to strangle a kid and failed, so I shot him in the stomach instead.  OTOH, some people worry about whether or not they equitably split the kit-kat.  

-I;m just saying...I don't know many of you personally, but I think that most of you are justified in laying your heads down comfortably on your pillows at night. A little revenge fantasy here and there..poor handling of a sensitive situation..that;s just life, just who we are. I don't think that it expresses your decency or indecency.

[The Valkyrie]

Not-killing, not-raping, and not-cheating seem like awfully low bars to clear to claim the mantle of goodness.

What is good to me, lies not in simply refraining from evil, but instead lies in the positive things we do, in particular for others (and not just our families).

I agree with the tentacle one on this.

You're actions define your morality, not what you refrain from doing.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I have killed a shit load of people, mostly those were trying to kill me, or would have tried if I'd have given them the least chance. But if you ask the people who know me IRL they'd say I was a good person. They say it often enough to me.