What is Your Definition of a Good Person?

[Siúil a Rúin]

I have absolutely no memory of starting this thread. It must have happened in the same parallel universe where Mitt Romney ran for president. I have no memory of that either. I'm new here.

The weird thing is that I do think everyone justifies their actions to themselves. It makes sense in the internal world and since it's easier for people to have peace of mind, there is some way most tend to justify however they are. This is true whether the person is Jeffrey Dahmer eating folks, or Mother Theresa giving comfort to the dying and choosing the worst pair of shoes. In an interview, Jeffrey said he thinks it might have been better if he became a taxidermist, so I guess he has some regrets, but for the most part, people do what they feel entitled to do.

It's Halloween. I'm depressed. I'm thankful for the people who save animals. That's all I know right now.

 

[Mole]

I have absolutely no memory of starting this thread. It must have happened in the same parallel universe where Mitt Romney ran for president. I have no memory of that either. I'm new here.

The weird thing is that I do think everyone justifies their actions to themselves. It makes sense in the internal world and since it's easier for people to have peace of mind, there is some way most tend to justify however they are. This is true whether the person is Jeffrey Dahmer eating folks, or Mother Theresa giving comfort to the dying and choosing the worst pair of shoes. In an interview, Jeffrey said he thinks it might have been better if he became a taxidermist, so I guess he has some regrets, but for the most part, people do what they feel entitled to do.

It's Halloween. I'm depressed. I'm thankful for the people who save animals. That's all I know right now.

Well Powehi, you are a meaning creating animal, so how can we save you from your depression?

Perhaps you could enter deeper into it, and see what's there. Or you could go for a lovely nice long walk. Or you could do something for somebody else. Or you could have a delicious meal and a glass of wine. Or you could find an empathic person to share your depression with. And as you are thankful for the people who save animals, perhaps you could find an animal, say a friendly dog, to save you from your depression. How nice it is to be saved. And it would make the dog happy.

 

[theablekingedgar]

somebody who doesn't purposely harm others.

 

[Mole]

somebody who doesn't purposely harm others.

A genteman doesn't inadvertently harm others.

And gentlemen, along with duty, are out of fashion, and narcissists who do what they iike as long as they don't harm others, are in fashion.

 

[Mind Maverick]

Someone who has pure intentions and does whatever they can to keep their actions in line with those intentions...including changing their actions if misaligned with their intentions. Basically, someone who strives to be a good person. I believe that people who have pure intentions care about their imperfections enough to confront them. I don't expect perfection, I just expect people to care about the way their imperfection harms others enough to actually try to do better than they did before when they accidentally messed up. I think they are more concerned with the impact they have on others than their own ego/pride. I think greed is basically the antonym.

I don't really understand how or why I even got triggered on this thread before...I guess that's the difference in me without meds...

 

[Mind Maverick]

 

[Mind Maverick]

On a related note, I also theorize that those who aren't a good person have more difficulties with distinguishing between who is a good person and who is not.

 

[Maou]

Returning to this thread, I just want to say that there is no good and evil. People are animals, and act according to social pressures and instincts that help preserve the social group they think they are part of. Naturally, people divide and pursue their own definitions of morality, but morality is just a construct unique to each group. Each group thinks they are right, but none of them probably are. That just how humans do.

 

[Tomb1]

I thought this might be an interesting thread. People strive to be a "good" person, and I'm curious what that actually means to different people. What is your ideal?

Objectively, there's no such thing as a "good person" or a "bad/evil person" but gee whiz try telling that to the 2-6-1 compliant triaders...

 

[Lark]

A genteman doesn't inadvertently harm others.

And gentlemen, along with duty, are out of fashion, and narcissists who do what they iike as long as they don't harm others, are in fashion.

Source?

 

[Mind Maverick]

People who don't define morality according to their subjective personal feelings or make everyone revolve around their butthurt, thus acting like the world revolves around their feelings and actually being so self-absorbed that they expect others to.

 

[LillyRoar]

It’s probably very subjective. But I would say that it’s a choice. I often think that the greater good is the superior kind of good. Personality, I try to be/do right rather than good. I don’t think trying to be good always yields the best results.

 

[Lark]

It’s probably very subjective. But I would say that it’s a choice. I often think that the greater good is the superior kind of good. Personality, I try to be/do right rather than good. I don’t think trying to be good always yields the best results.

Tell me more about why the good and the right are not the same thing.

What do you mean by the superior kind of good?

 

[Lark]

Objectively, there's no such thing as a "good person" or a "bad/evil person" but gee whiz try telling that to the 2-6-1 compliant triaders...

No one could actually live their life on that principle, therefore I call useless abstraction on that thinking.

 

[LillyRoar]

Tell me more about why the good and the right are not the same thing.

What do you mean by the superior kind of good?

Someone might say that sparing a persons feelings might be a good thing to do to avoid them feeling hurt. But at the same time the right thing might be to be as direct as possible to avoid misunderstandings and bigger consequences. Something like that. Of course there are situations were both would be the same thing, but I definitely see a distinct difference in good vs right. However, in a more philosophical or big picture way one could always argue that ultimately the right thing is good. And I think I would agree with that.

By superior kind of good I mean the kind of good that has the greatest positive impact. Maybe the classic example here would be the one with saving one doctor or ten janitors. Whichever answer would have the greatest positive impact would be considered “superior” in my book. Both choices are good.

 

[Coriolis]

Someone might say that sparing a persons feelings might be a good thing to do to avoid them feeling hurt. But at the same time the right thing might be to be as direct as possible to avoid misunderstandings and bigger consequences. Something like that. Of course there are situations were both would be the same thing, but I definitely see a distinct difference in good vs right. However, in a more philosophical or big picture way one could always argue that ultimately the right thing is good. And I think I would agree with that.

By superior kind of good I mean the kind of good that has the greatest positive impact. Maybe the classic example here would be the one with saving one doctor or ten janitors. Whichever answer would have the greatest positive impact would be considered “superior” in my book. Both choices are good.

I agree with the highlighted. The right thing almost by definition will always be good. Often there are several "goods" to balance though, in your example, they are the truth, and someone's feelings. Think of it as a restaurant menu. Several dinner options might be "good" in someone's estimation, but which one they order on a given occasion (which choice is right) must balance that with other factors like cost, what they ate yesterday, what their companions are eating, etc. I see "greatest positive impact" as enabling the most "goods". So, if I value truth above all, I will never lie to someone. If I also value their feelings and think the truth might be hurtful, I will say nothing. Their feelings are safe, and I have not been untruthful. If there is some even greater good, say sparing them from harm, or solving a problem affecting myself and others, then that good may take precedence over their feelings.