Poll: A question about evil...

[000Ronald]

If a person does something evil, does that make that person evil? It's a question that I ask myself often. The question itself, if it can be answered, can unravel several other questions that don't necessarily have an answer; "is a person's worth decided by their actions alone", for example, or "Is there something in a person that makes them evil", or simply "What makes a person 'good'".

This question also answers questions about people; Does a man who kills in a time of crisis have a black heart? Were the founding fathers the scourge of satin? Can one trust a lawyer?

I may be overthinking this (something I'm notorious for) but I think this is a very important question, and one that every person needs to answer for themselves.

There's another thing I would like you to discuss here, and it may be a difficult thing to discuss; I want you to discuss the nature of evil, and if possible, explain what makes a person evil. I have my own ideas, but I don't want to clog the conversation too early.

Apologies Abound

EDIT:

Define evil.

I will, in due time.

In the meantime, please discuss. If two people can look at a blot of ink on a piece of white cardboard, surely they can look at a word and think of two different things.

I apologize for not clarifying myself earlier, and will do so now; I want you the person reading, to define evil, or, even better, what makes a person evil. If it's easier, you could define good, or what makes a person good. I would appreciate that as well.

 

[Anarchemitis]

No one is always evil.
(Which is not to say all people were not born with Sin)

 

[Graustein]

Personally, I think it's intent more than actions that make one evil. Anybody can be misguided, but taking that beyond the limit is... well, beyond the limit. You can make mistakes, or do nasty things without realising, but if you do nasty things in full knowledge that it's evil, that's when I start calling you evil.

 

[black lincon]

Actions do dictate the man, but if you were to simply take one decision and base your judgment of that person solely on that one decision he has made, then you are most likely going to be wrong in your judgment of the man.

 

[Geoffrey42]

Define evil.

++

"evil" is kind of vague. You're going to need to define your terms, or you're going to have everyone talking at cross-purposes.

 

[Pohlkat]

Evil is completely relative. What's unjust to one is just to another.

 

[moose49408]

I say that the question itself is flawed. There is no such thing as truly good or evil. The world is just different shades of gray. People make decisions based on what their goals are. What may seem completely evil to one person may seem perfectly reasonable to another, based simply on that person's point of view.

 

[moose49408]

To post 7: Exactly what I was trying to say...you just said it first.

 

[Amnestic]

satin

Second time in a week I've seen 'Satan' misspelled as a glossy variety of cloth. BOW BEFORE YOUR DEVIL CLOTH! BOOOOOW!

In answer to the thread: Does an evil action make an evil person? No, not at all. The reasoning behind the action is what defines whether that person is good or evil.

As for the nature of evil...well, I think it's just a part of "human nature" really.

 

[Reaperman Wompa]

Not really, they might have acted out evil but the only way for someone to be truely evil is for them to constantly commit evil acts. Once you have commited more wrong than right, you have become evil.

 

[000Ronald]

Evil is completely relative. What's unjust to one is just to another.

Would you disagree that tearing out a person's heart and eating it, forcing that person to watch as their life fades away is evil? Not all things are relative, and indeed the things that are relative are not the things I am talking about.

As for the nature of evil...well, I think it's just a part of "human nature" really.

I dread asking this, but would you please elaborate? I've never understood what people mean when they say "It's just human nature." My sister says this a lot when she gets angry at me for something and I ask her why she's yelling.

 

[EnzoHonda]

Would you disagree that tearing out a person's heart and eating it, forcing that person to watch as their life fades away is evil? Not all things are relative, and indeed the things that are relative are not the things I am talking about.

Everyone on this thread would agree that that sucks and is evil. But there are people who would say it's not evil. Hell, there have been times in human history where it was common practice. Were a person to do it, they would most likely think "I'm NOT evil." We feel comfortable calling them crazy, but then you have to define crazy. Is crazy evil? It never ends.

To me, the definition of evil is different for all people.

That is the definition: Evil has no definition.

 

[James Raynor]

It's based on your perspective.

 

[000Ronald]

Would you disagree that tearing out a person's heart and eating it, forcing that person to watch as their life fades away is evil? Not all things are relative, and indeed the things that are relative are not the things I am talking about.

Everyone on this thread would agree that that sucks and is evil. But there are people who would say it's not evil. Hell, there have been times in human history where it was common practice. Were a person to do it, they would most likely think "I'm NOT evil." We feel comfortable calling them crazy, but then you have to define crazy. Is crazy evil? It never ends.

To me, the definition of evil is different for all people.

That is the definition: Evil has no definition.

As I said before, two people can look at a word and think of two different things.

The issue regarding the definition of evil is intriuging to me. I can tell you with complete certainty what makes a person evil, but not what evil is; I think this is becuase "evil" is a judge of a person's worth.

Let me use another example to explain what I mean by evil, one that isn't so ambiguous; Those of you who chose to be the most evil individuals you doulc be, you knew what you were doing was evil (or at the very least wrong) correct? What, though, made what you were doing evil?

 

[Khedive Rex]

If a person does something evil does that make the person evil?

No. Acts of evil are things that people can fall into or justify with other purposes. While these are happening, they are doing evil. But they don't become evil.

Now, don't get me wrong, someone who repeatedly does evil things but justifies them with superfluous stuff, isn't a wonderful guy. But by the same token, he isn't the embodiment of evil.

I want you to discuss the nature of evil, and if possible, explain what makes a person evil.

... I don't think of people as evil. Perhaps its my years of game playing and fantasy reading but I tend to think of things like 'evil' and 'goodness' as their own personas. Not corporeal but at least semi-sentient. Similar to gravity if gravity knew what it was supposed to do as opposed to just doing it.

Self aware forces of nature. Not menacing or plotting just doing their thing.

In that regard, I don't think of people as 'evil' the same way I don't think of people as 'erosion'. That being said, some people can be more open to 'evil' or can be more affected by 'evil' or in extremely rare cases people can act like 'evil', but people don't ever become evil.

But thats not really an answer to the question. I think 'evil' is a force that compells one to acts which hurt your level of sophistication.

... Well that sounded sort of pompous and weird. No, I don't mean that evil is the act of taking the caviar away. People begin life (lives if your into that sort of thing) as pretty basic. Survival is the only real compulsion and a lot of your actions are instinctual. As we grow we mature. We become self aware, we learn to empathize, we learn to control ourselves, we learn to appreciate life. We sophisticate.

'Evil' is anything which hurts that level of sophistication.

I hope that makes sense. Or at least I hope it's clear. making sense is an entirely different matter and not one I'm particularly good at but I hope at least my position is comprehensible if somewhat weird.

 

[Easykill]

I try not to judge people; I wouldn't say there's anything so clear cut as evil out there. Sadism makes me sick, but sadism isn't something you do, it's something you are.

 

[Simski]

I will say that if someone does something really evil, even by their own standards.
They are evil, IF they do not show any regret of said action/actions.

 

[Syntax Error]

What is evil? Ask Michael Stone. He has a scale from 1 to 22.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

evil is a bit too subjective because there are things we do today that people a couple centuries ago would think were evil

 

[Syntax Error]

evil is a bit too subjective because there are things we do today that people a couple centuries ago would think were evil

Isn't that supposed to be the other way around? I remember the Aztecs liked them human sacrifice rituals. To appease the Gods, apparently.