Humans: Are we evil?

[Asuka Soryu]

Humans are born inbetween good and evil, and are lives and are choices strengthen the evil/good in us. But just remember, evil doesn't just stem from birth, the world around us is what taints us or makes us better... just some are more resistent to it. An abused child suffers and can fall into evil and hate because they were taught to believe this was proper. Back in the old dark ages, people were tortured and either grew disgusted by it or were taught from early age to take pleasure in harming others. Society and who raises you have powerful impacts on the way you turn out.

 

[Robertus2210]

No, we are not inherently evil, we are inherently blessed with survival instinct though.
and where a bunch of parisites eating up the planet slowly and surely. not that I'm complaining i don't mind us being the mold on the sandwich that is earth.

survival instinct does seem to turn certain people a bunch of cowards though, I remember some great experiment where they took a group of people out to dinner. then faked a murder infront off them, and they all cried like babies, but not one got up to help. pathetic

 

[Asuka Soryu]

What do you think?

We are alone, lost, without purpose, scared and misguided but we're not evil per se.
I like to think that our creator has forsaken us and that's why we can't have nice things.

I like to think of it more like tough love. A father who's their, he cares but you never really notice it. You ignore it for all the pain you feel and you feel neglected, his love for you is ignored by all the bad times. He's watching, testing you. He wants you to earn life and toughen up through hardship, rather then hand everything to you and let you become spoiled and rotten. But, that's just my oppinion.

 

[JesterRaiin]

What do you think?

We are alone, lost, without purpose, scared and misguided but we're not evil per se.
I like to think that our creator has forsaken us and that's why we can't have nice things.

I like to think of it more like tough love. A father who's their, he cares but you never really notice it. You ignore it for all the pain you feel and you feel neglected, his love for you is ignored by all the bad times. He's watching, testing you. He wants you to earn life and toughen up through hardship, rather then hand everything to you and let you become spoiled and rotten. But, that's just my oppinion.

How disabled, crippled, retarded, stillborn, dead at very young age, "human vegetables" and similar cases fit into your point of view ? Just curious...

 

[Shadowkire]

This is a difficult question to answer, not just because good and evil can be viewed subjectively, but also because religious views can effect how someone answers.

And I do mean this is a difficult question for me to answer about my own views on the human race. I could go into a long rant describing what I believe, but it is late and I don't want to so here is the short version:

Humans are not inherently evil or good, and that doesn't matter because we should always strive to be better people regardless of were we stand morally.

 

[nothinghere]

Neither, we are selfish. Our behaviour could work out to benefit others or ourselves but we never act unless we gain something from it, even if it is something as small as making yourself feel better about yourself from doing things like charity.

 

[Zcoper]

Humans are by nature greedy and selfish. Everything else is artificial norms build up over millenia. We aren't good or evil, we're just weird and stupid.

 

[phantasmalWordsmith]

I'd like to say we're inherently good and evil is just a product of environment but in truth I'd say some of us do good things, some of us do bad things, all of us will some good things and some bad things.

 

[PieceOfEden]

Well biologicaly speaking our gene do whatever they can to get ahead. I'd say the murderers and rapist have less self control in that regard, killing off potential adversaries (it happens in my country.. a lot!). But are humans inherently evil? That would depend on what you feel IS evil

 

[EternalFacepalm]

That highly depends on where the moral flow lies at the time.
What do you at the time define as evil? What does society in general define as evil?
Looking back at some of Lincoln's statements, for example, is almost disgusting. His opinions on how the white race is superior and such, was what was looked at as right at the time.
His statements may have been judged as evil looking at them now, but back then, that was the "truth", so to speak.

 

[Moromillas]

Depends how you define evil. We are basically an imperfectly evolved species, our adrenaline glands are too big, our prefrontal lobes too small, we bear ever sign of the stamp of our lowly origins. To say we are an arrogant, warlike, child race? Yep, pretty much.

 

[Wieke]

I don't think we now for sure yet, but studies seem to indicate that we are instinctively nice. (Don't have a link ready, but I'm quite sure I read about some studies that seem to indicate that babies are instinctively helpful.) Also there's this whole empathy thing we've got going.

 

[That_Sneaky_Camper]

Human beings are inherently flawed. It takes effort to become good or evil, it is not something that you automatically are.

 

[JoJo]

No, some humans are evil, most of us aren't though. If we were all evil then you wouldn't have charities, volunteers, donors, soldiers who fight for their country, every day kindnesses. If you open your eyes and ignore the negativity of the news then you realise that everyday there are many more good acts than evil.

 

[Hedonist]

The concept of evil is a measure used and invented by humans by which they judge other humans. It does not apply to anything besides humans.

 

[Beryl77]

Yes and No. There's no real definition of what being evil means. It just depends from which perspective you view something.

 

[Asuka Soryu]

What do you think?

We are alone, lost, without purpose, scared and misguided but we're not evil per se.
I like to think that our creator has forsaken us and that's why we can't have nice things.

I like to think of it more like tough love. A father who's their, he cares but you never really notice it. You ignore it for all the pain you feel and you feel neglected, his love for you is ignored by all the bad times. He's watching, testing you. He wants you to earn life and toughen up through hardship, rather then hand everything to you and let you become spoiled and rotten. But, that's just my oppinion.

How disabled, crippled, retarded, stillborn, dead at very young age, "human vegetables" and similar cases fit into your point of view ? Just curious...

Just the balance of the world. There is no light without dark and vice versa. How about a person who's dreams are granted? Out of sheer luck, they're right there at the right moment and get what they want?

What about people born to become great, rememorable people. The world does seem like it's forgotten and unloved if you never look at the bright side.

Suffering is the path of humanity, they may have been unfortunate, but there's still those who have the greatest things happen to them.

When they get to heaven(yes, I'm well aware you're probably gone to attack me for thinking of such a place and considered me idiotic and blind, but I'll stand by it) they will be cured. This life is filled with suffering, but all those who felt pain shall be healed when they get to heaven(this is my beleief, I don't mind if you disagree).

But for now, this world is a mixture of Darkness and Light. Yes, if you focus on the bad, it does seem forsaken. But if you realise there's also good in this world, you can see that it's not all one hell hole abandoned to suffer.

Yes, there's people who are caught in fires, but there's also people who would die to rescue that person. In a world forsaken by its creator, people like this would've died out long ago as they'd have no reason to see any good in the world to bother with giving a damn about someone elses life.


But I digress, I never intended to change your belief, I merely felt like sharing my own. :3