Evil and good is necessary

[Lark]

Self-righteous assholes.

Good and Evil are subjective, what you view as "good" others might view as "evil" and vice versa. It's a matter of perspective.

Of course there are basic things like "serial killers are bad", well yeah, but that doesn't apply to everything in life, most things are not as black and white as that. (And even then, serial killers are only evil because we live in a structured society, if we didn't, there'd be literally no situation where the distinction between good/evil could be made easily, if at all)

Being too self-righteous and thinking in black and white terms when it comes to good and evil creates a small guy with a tiny, weird moustache.

Yeah, Ted Bundy is a pretty good case in point for anyone affirming amorality, moral relativism and the whole "self-righteous assholes thesis"

Is the way society is structured or is it really everyone seeking to avoid harm? If its all so anomalous then how did it appear in the first place, did the same "self righteous assholes" just get incredibly lucking, repeatedly, you know, as though there's some sort of pattern emerging?

Kant's formulation of the harm principle is very basic, yet it seems to be totally new, fresh, unknown information to most people if the forum is anything to go by. Its not even as though we're talking the pros and cons of utilitarianism, hedonic treadmills, survival lotteries and negative utilitarianism.

I also think the whole "any semblance of law and order = Hitler" thing is, well, I dont really know where to begin with that sort of thing.

 

[Virtual ghost]

Self-righteous assholes.

Good and Evil are subjective, what you view as "good" others might view as "evil" and vice versa. It's a matter of perspective.

Of course there are basic things like "serial killers are bad", well yeah, but that doesn't apply to everything in life, most things are not as black and white as that. (And even then, serial killers are only evil because we live in a structured society, if we didn't, there'd be literally no situation where the distinction between good/evil could be made easily, if at all)

Being too self-righteous and thinking in black and white terms when it comes to good and evil creates a small guy with a tiny, weird moustache.

I will dare to say this is simplistic logic that actually leads to totalitarian system.


Good chunk of bad things can be pinpointed with a fair amount of accuracy and not just regarding violence: frauds, polluting environment in which people live, it is possible to tell the difference between the lie that you are hiding Jews in the basement and the lie for extra profit, stealing is fairly easy to define … etc. The amount of gray areas is actually pretty small once you take a closer look since suffering and injustice are easy to spot, therefore there is no need to sweep things under the carpet systematically. Especially since that is the pile of ammunition that can be be used for extreme and endless self-righteous … and then you get the mustache guy.

 

[Jaguar]

Self-righteous assholes.

Good and Evil are subjective, what you view as "good" others might view as "evil" and vice versa. It's a matter of perspective.

Of course there are basic things like "serial killers are bad", well yeah, but that doesn't apply to everything in life, most things are not as black and white as that. (And even then, serial killers are only evil because we live in a structured society, if we didn't, there'd be literally no situation where the distinction between good/evil could be made easily, if at all)

Being too self-righteous and thinking in black and white terms when it comes to good and evil creates a small guy with a tiny, weird moustache.

"Irma, that rock and roll music is the devil's work! It's evil!"

 

[Population: 1]

 

[Amberiat]

 

[Population: 1]

[MENTION=36787]Amberiat[/MENTION]

I think I know the power of the dark side.

Good and evil can be a matter of perception, but I think if you consider life to be a very rare experience (all the people and animals that might have been but weren’t because we won that lottery) evil can be simply defined as intentionally bringing harm to other life forms. Now that doesn’t mean not bringing harm to them would inherently define being good. Good I think is trying to improve life for those living and those that will live. That still leaves room for lots of positive and negative things to occur but those can be categorized as circumstantial events, although many will attribute good and evil to them- ie an act of God or Satan etc.

So I don’t believe good or evil are absolutely necessary. However, they do make life more interesting.

 

[anticlimatic]

And who decides which is which?

INTJs.

 

[Coriolis]

INTJs.

I suspect many other people would be unhappy with where we draw the line.

 

[Obfuscate]

Simplistic logic.

Good and Evil can't exist without each other on theoretical level. However in practice it is possible to have only good side implemented/manifested, while evil exists only as theoretical alternative.


(under the assumption that we can call something objectively good or bad)

^this...

for example, you don't need to let people starve to find motivation to eat or value in doing so... even in a world where starvation didn't exist, some people would eat because they enjoy it...

returning to the o.p.:
your idea that good people derive all motivation from evil shows a lack of understanding... while it is true that people can see evil being done and feel compelled to act, i find people are motivated by more than idealogy and the actions of others... i think you will also find that the same is true of evil people and of those that seem to land in a grey area...

who've you been reading?

 

[Firebird 8118]

If there was no evil, we would not recognize the idea of "good". If there was no good, we wouldn't recognize the idea of "evil'.

Definitely on board with this idea

 

[Lark]

Most of the time the people who are keen to stress "beyond good and evil" thinking or philosophy are those that need the most protection or support should they ever encounter any real evil in the actual world.

It's definitely a discussion I associate with first world suburbs and country clubs.

 

[The Cat]

"There aren't any good guys, and there aren't any bad guys. There's just us. People. Doing our best to get by."

"We have to turn inwards. Enter the siege perilous-- and wrestle. It's not those grotesque, tired institutions of heaven and hell that are the problem-- it's the devils we know."

 

[anticlimatic]

I suspect many other people would be unhappy with where we draw the line.

I think it’s more aimed at the compulsive hubris of drawing lines at all.

 

[RedAmazoneFriendZone]

You are all fucked up in the Matrix, but Me...

I'm only a sweet sweet angel

 

[Coriolis]

I think it’s more aimed at the compulsive hubris of drawing lines at all.

Speaking only for myself, I can say I draw lines all the time. I rarely expect others to abide by them, though.

 

[anticlimatic]

Speaking only for myself, I can say I draw lines all the time. I rarely expect others to abide by them, though.

That gets you off the hook. Anyone unhappy with lines you draw for yourself has some insecurity to manage.

 

[Poki]

I dont hate either...they have every right to play in a make believe world because they cant cut it in the real world.

 

[Poki]

If there was no evil, we would not recognize the idea of "good". If there was no good, we wouldn't recognize the idea of "evil'.

Good and evil are mere angles of perception of a situation...

 

[Jaguar]

"My dinner wasn't good, therefore it was evil."

That won't cut it.

 

[Tater]

See the world in terms of good v evil? I may as well knock my IQ down 10-20 points.