Can anything ever really be Good or Bad?

[Sarathas]

A little bit of evil can be a good thing. Killing weeds can promote the growth of a flower. Equally, a little bit of good can be an evil thing. Letting little Janie rid your bike, just before she got hit by a car in the street. Hard to say whether any given action is really good or evil, in the long-run.

In what way would killing weeds be evil? As long as nature isn't hurt to a critical extent and no permanent damage is done, what's wrong with killing weeds?
Letting little Janie ride your bike isn't evil either, IF you don't know she will get hit. However letting a little girl ride your bike near a street with the danger of her crashing into a car is just dumb.

Because I am only responsable for my own actions, not others. I wouldn´t allow my family to be slaughtered but I don´t think I would react violently. I´m inclined to think I would be in the first line to be slaughtered, telling them what they will receive from that actions.

If you are innocent and your blood is spilled in those basis, God will make justice, I trust this. I know most people won´t find this as good, but I just don´t care, I only intend to be good in the eyes of God, nobody else.

So if somebody with a gun came and tried to kill your family, and if you had a gun as well, you wouldn't shoot him (react violently) to prevent him from shooting your family? I wouldn't want to be in the family of a person with such twisted views. You would let your family die even if you had the chance to prevent it WITHOUT hurting innocents? I pity your family...

Nope, giving is good, selfishness is bad.

Giving can't only be good, what about giving a criminal a gun so he can murder innocents? In what way is that good ??

 

[John J. Bannan]

O.K. I wouldn't kill baby Hitler. I would kidnap him and bring him up better. More humane for you?
Stealing a loaf of bread when you're hungry is evil, but still a good thing. Giving a homeless man money is good, except it turns into evil when he uses it for booze.

 

[Orleander]

O.K. I wouldn't kill baby Hitler. I would kidnap him and bring him up better. More humane for you?...

<hug> Yes, thank you! :bravo:

 

[iceaura]

Although I'm still thinking that somewhere, somehow, there's at least one thing that all humans would agree upon. ...although I ain't found such a thing.***

For some reason, I'm reminded of a Robin Williams movie, "Good Morning Vietnam", where he says "more in need of a blow job than any man alive" or something like that - - - -

 

[Wisdom_Seeker]

So if somebody with a gun came and tried to kill your family, and if you had a gun as well, you wouldn't shoot him (react violently) to prevent him from shooting your family? I wouldn't want to be in the family of a person with such twisted views. You would let your family die even if you had the chance to prevent it WITHOUT hurting innocents? I pity your family...

I don´t think I could resist the temptation of shooting in that situation, but I wouldn´t shoot to kill. I would probably try to shoot the bastards in the kneecaps

 

[Sarathas]

Temptation? Would you please clarify your reasons for not shooting in such a situation? Thanks in advance.

 

[lucifers angel]

I don´t think I could resist the temptation of shooting in that situation, but I wouldn´t shoot to kill. I would probably try to shoot the bastards in the kneecaps

i agree with you! if someone was trieing to shoot my kids i would have to shoot them and perhaps even kill them, but i would like you try and hit them in the kneecaps!! blood is thicker than water!!

 

[Wisdom_Seeker]

Temptation? Would you please clarify your reasons for not shooting in such a situation? Thanks in advance.

Reasons for not shooting?

I’m not much into violence and hurting other people, no human being can judge another human being, calling him evil or bad. And I strongly believe everybody will get exactly what they deserve; if not in this life, in the next one. I don’t want to shoot others, because I just wouldn’t want them to shoot at me; and by putting myself in their situation, I would have a hard time shooting at them.
I strongly believe in “turn your other cheek” thing.
So it doesn’t matter if you are the most evil and cruel person in this world from my perspective, our perspective is limited so we can’t judge others by those standards.

On the other hand, seeing someone hurting the people I love would probably bring the worst of me :shrug:

 

[Saquist]

Yes things really are good and bad.
There are clear definitions of what they are.

Good, as Orleander summarizes is selflessnes. We often experience Goodness when something is givin to us with no thought of themselves.

Bad, can often be described as taking without asking. or even inflicting harm. These are very tangible ways to disern right from wrong and good from bad.

 

[John J. Bannan]

Sure, there is good and bad. I'm not debating that. I'm wondering whether in the long run anything can really be classified as good or bad, because we cannot forsee the consequences of our actions in the long long run - and apparently good acts can turn bad and visa verca over the extending consequential chain that is cause and effect.

 

[Wisdom_Seeker]

Sure, there is good and bad. I'm not debating that. I'm wondering whether in the long run anything can really be classified as good or bad, because we cannot forsee the consequences of our actions in the long long run - and apparently good acts can turn bad and visa verca over the extending consequential chain that is cause and effect.

I agree totally, that is the reason why we shouldn´t judge or discriminate others.

 

[Sarathas]

Reasons for not shooting?

I’m not much into violence and hurting other people, no human being can judge another human being, calling him evil or bad. And I strongly believe everybody will get exactly what they deserve; if not in this life, in the next one. I don’t want to shoot others, because I just wouldn’t want them to shoot at me; and by putting myself in their situation, I would have a hard time shooting at them.
I strongly believe in “turn your other cheek” thing.
So it doesn’t matter if you are the most evil and cruel person in this world from my perspective, our perspective is limited so we can’t judge others by those standards.

On the other hand, seeing someone hurting the people I love would probably bring the worst of me :shrug:

It's not like shooting in such a situation is caused by harmful intent, 'evil' character or the will to hurt somebody, you're shooting to defend innocents. I wouldn't hesitate a second. Murderers, people like the one who's shooting your family(in our example), are a threat to all ideals of peace and freedom, and should be dealt with accordingly. Don't get me wrong, I don't support unnecessary violence or hate, but in some situation you simply have to use them.
Word might be stronger than sword, but NOT in every situation. If you don't have means of defending yourself, you'll simply get wiped out by those who have no ability or will to understand your ideals of peace and communication.
I don't want to take this discussion to a religious level, but maybe you shouldn't wait for the next life and do something right now, right here, where difficult situations require proper handling.

Sure, there is good and bad. I'm not debating that. I'm wondering whether in the long run anything can really be classified as good or bad, because we cannot forsee the consequences of our actions in the long long run - and apparently good acts can turn bad and visa verca over the extending consequential chain that is cause and effect.

Of course, good acts can turn bad, but it's the intent which matters.

I agree with Saguist.

 

[Fugu-dono]

Nothing's ever just black and white. There's a large varying shades of grey in between where most things apply. Even laws has it's loopholes despite having a pretty concrete do and don't.

 

[wesmorris]

As good and bad are subjective assertions (though they can certainly be adopted socially), Nothing can be intrinsically "good" or "bad", as such a thing does not exist except in each instance of it being thought.

On top of that, things can be "some of both" even to the individual thinking it.

The social adopting thing might make for an interesting discussion.

 

[Oli]

for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so: to me it is a prison.

Hamlet

 

[wesmorris]

Sure, there is good and bad. I'm not debating that. I'm wondering whether in the long run anything can really be classified as good or bad, because we cannot forsee the consequences of our actions in the long long run - and apparently good acts can turn bad and visa verca over the extending consequential chain that is cause and effect.

Of course anyone can think of anything no matter how long or short as good or bad.

The more interesting question i think is, does it matter?

I'd say yes - to whomever makes the assertion, and whatever degree they think it so -> and that's it, unless of course they're in a position to make it "matter" to others as well, which is often the case.

 

[Carcano]

Loads of people on this site will say they dont believe EVIL is definable...and yet they have no trouble identifying it when it happens to them.

 

[wesmorris]

Loads of people on this site will say they dont believe EVIL is definable...and yet they have no trouble identifying it when it happens to them.

Funny though how those commiting it have a much harder time identifying it equivalently.

 

[Montec]

Hello all
Interfering with the rights of others (this is a reciprocal concept) is bad. Helping others is good. The problem is trying to figure out when helping becomes interfering.

 

[Norsefire]

The way I see it, there really is no such thing as 'good' and 'evil' because it is Perspective.
However, human nature will tell you whats right and whats wrong