Joined: 4 Feb 2014 Gender: Male Posts: 87,510 Location: Queens, NYC
15 Jan 2023, 6:10 am
Politics seems to bring out the worst in people.
Saying this…..to not acknowledge the “good works” of many people (which adherents of “people are inherently evil” frequently do)….is a total disservice, and renders this ideology null and void.
Joined: 18 Jun 2012 Age: 59 Gender: Female Posts: 20,471 Location: Aux Arcs
15 Jan 2023, 1:32 pm
imho Divide humanity into thirds.1/3 is pure evil.1/3 is neutral, they can’t choose what is good or evil because they are in a constant struggle to survive.They might have to steal to eat , kill to survive , or other crimes.1/3 is good.When they see something wrong they try to help, feed the homeless, mentor ,plant trees, donate money etc..
_________________ I am the dust that dances in the light. - Rumi
Joined: 9 Sep 2022 Gender: Male Posts: 2,228 Location: City of Roses
15 Jan 2023, 5:16 pm
How about we look at the history of humanity and imaginr a giant scale. On one tray place all the "good' things every human civilization in the world accomplished and place all the "evil" things humans have done in the other tray.
Objects generally follow the "Will to Live", as things that act in accordance to their own survival dominate and reproduce over things that do not. Even the human brain and its thought processes are a byproduct of the selfish gene. Man is another animal - smart enough to understand the reality around him (including the suffering of others), but rarely able or willing to give up the animalistic egoism to maintain compassion and truth at all times. Ironically, this makes animals more likeable than humans - an animal does what it needs to survive because that's what it does, without change or excuse in its actions. They're far more honest than us.
Joined: 18 Jun 2012 Age: 59 Gender: Female Posts: 20,471 Location: Aux Arcs
15 Jan 2023, 8:37 pm
DeathFlowerKing wrote:
How about we look at the history of humanity and imaginr a giant scale. On one tray place all the "good' things every human civilization in the world accomplished and place all the "evil" things humans have done in the other tray.
Which do you guys think would weigh heavier?
Sometimes I think we should go up in flames, but then I listen to Chopin and think maybe we have a chance to be better. A small chance.
_________________ I am the dust that dances in the light. - Rumi
Totally philosophically: A discussion in another thread made me consider morality of mosquitos. Mosquitos aren't evil. They are incapable of any morality at all. They cause pain and they can carry deadly diseases but they are not evil because they are unable to comprehend "good" or "evil".
Humans can be evil because they are capable of morality. I'm in the neoplatonic camp about it: just like darkness is lack of light where light could be, evil is lack of good where good could be. Capability of being good casts a shadow of capability of being evil.
And it does not downplay potential might of evil. Vacuum can be a source of powerful force.
_________________ Let's not confuse being normal with being mentally healthy.
Joined: 6 Nov 2014 Age: 33 Gender: Male Posts: 3,747 Location: Middle-Earth
16 Jan 2023, 10:03 am
DeathFlowerKing wrote:
Yeah... humans are pretty evil. Not to mention stupid, selfish, and cruel.
The world would be a much better place without us. That's why im rooting for World War 3.
Yes, a lot of people's minds are filled with commerce and dung, but NOT all of us are like that. Some of us are much more reasonable and understanding than those people are.
As long as a single one of us stands, there is STILL hope!