What's good? What's evil? Who decides it?

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SweetestDreams
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What's good? What's evil? Who decides it?

Post by SweetestDreams »

What are your thoughts about the concepts of good or evil? Is it evil if someone does something horrible, even with good intentions? How about if they intend to do something awful, but it turns out to be really helpful to everyone? Are actions, or intentions what truly drives if someone's done something good or bad? Do you think that good and evil are driven entirely by cultural and societal norms, or human instinct and nature?


Personally I find the idea of good and evil to be somewhat null, and personally think the world exist more along the range of "healthy for people" and "unhealthy for people." Naturally, someone who's killing people, or holds bad or unwarrented opinions is unhealthy, or deadly, for themselves and other people. I believe people who do things unhealthy/harmful to themselves or others need change and reform, regardless of the reason behind it. If people do things that are unhealthy or deadly to others knowingly, that's when it becomes less of a teaching moment and more of them needing repercussion. I personally believe that the world would be a much better place if people thought more about if things they're doing are hurting themselves or other living things than if they're 'good' or 'bad.' I believe the concept of 'good' and 'evil' and even 'sinful' opens people up to a lot of wrong judgement and unhealthy situations. I believe that before people do anything they should ask themselves if they're doing something that's detrimental to their or someone else's physical or mental health.
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Re: What's good? What's evil? Who decides it?

Post by EvilPinkamina »

I decide what is evil, and anything I don't say is evil is good because evil is in my name. Duh.

I'll probably post my serious response later
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Re: What's good? What's evil? Who decides it?

Post by Triert »

I fall under the belief of "there is a time and a place for good and evil." You can't give flowers to a nest of wasps and expect them not to sting. If that nest of wasps is stinging others, obviously something evil must be done to be rid of it no? Then again, if you have an incredibly docile group of wasps that aren't hurting anyone, and are wasps like any other, you should tell others so they know which wasps to target.

Good and evil work odd, someone can be promoting healthy food but turns out to be in the wrong when they're found to be stuffing it down another persons throats. Me, I personally like leaving a plate of food out for people to look at. It's their decision whether or not they want to eat more. I know it's not the best, I know sometimes it can have flaws, but I'd rather someone address those flaws to me, and when that person chooses to bring those flaws forward that they are ready to be challenged instead of simply ask me to believe what they tell me without question.

There are no definite rights or wrongs, welfare helps, but people want it brought down when they find their money goes to the lazy. I think that complaint can be more valid than simply believing welfare should not exist. So, to prevent such things it's only right to patch up such a problem rather than leave it ignored. Trying to accuse people on welfare of simply "being lazy runts" is no better than it's reflection of "wanting to see the less fortunate suffer." Because then you have both sides with opinions that aren't simply human, but paintings some are happier to look at instead of collect the mental capacity to forwardly address them.

That, and the moment a person, or groups head figures start behaving in ways that echo horrendous people/organizations, have people calling them that group. Someone should take a moment to consider why such an accusation was made, and also remember such accusations have always been thrown around to the point where they begin to lose their meaning.

This, I stand by right now. I've made many claims like this to myself and know I fail to follow through on such at times. I'm glad that I can still learn the difference between right and wrong enough to tell myself that I don't know it all yet so I can continue to learn.
Last edited by Triert on Fri Dec 05, 2014 7:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: What's good? What's evil? Who decides it?

Post by Yukki »

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Re: What's good? What's evil? Who decides it?

Post by Triert »

^ Demyx didn't do anything wrong.
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Re: What's good? What's evil? Who decides it?

Post by Jeffery Mewtamer »

The core of my morality can be stated as follows:
If it harms none, do as you please.

Or in greater detail:
Actions with net benefit towards others are moral.
Actions with net harm towards others are immoral.
Actions with negligible impact on others are amoral.

Of course, it is difficult, if not impossible, to fully know the repercussions of one's actions, so any evaluation of harm/benefit is limited by my knowledge, and it is quite possible that an action I once thought moral might be reevaluated as immoral if I'm presented with new information.
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Re: What's good? What's evil? Who decides it?

Post by Crazo3077 »

I can't really give a concrete answer myself on what is good or evil, beyond favored and unfavored, but I can tell you that society typically decides it unintentionally, and philosophers tell you why society is right to believe it.

MewTamer's perspective seems fairly Utilitarian, which is a very easy approach to take in the modern day. I myself tend to have a hard time settling on an idea of universal good or universal evil. Universal evil may be easier to find, to be honest. It may mean relativism, but depending on what a society appears to say is good or bad is a decent way to survival. Daenerys Targaryen could have used that knowledge.
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Re: What's good? What's evil? Who decides it?

Post by reggiequeenchao »

Humans desice it really.

I realized this recently from reading an essay from Mark Twain. He was talking about how humans are the worst animals ever (which I agree with) and he stated that humans are the only animals to even have a good/evil. He even used tests to figure out why.

It's a god read if you ask me, and made me realize that it's weird that we also are the only animals that tell time or keep track of it really.

As for an answer to your question, I always thought people decided whats right or wrong from their own experiences/values/morals. It's hard to definitely draw a line separating them. So, in all honesty, each each decide for ourselves.
Which, as we all should know, can be good or bad in itself.
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Re: What's good? What's evil? Who decides it?

Post by Jeffery Mewtamer »

^I think many modern behavoral psychologists would disagree that humans are the only species to have developed a concept of morality, though it's probably true that most non-human animals are closer to focusing on survival needs more so than social needs or self-actualization needs and a formal concept of morality isn't as important when finding your next meal and producing offspring are your primary goals.
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Re: What's good? What's evil? Who decides it?

Post by Tsui »

In the end, humans really base all their actions on how happy they believe it will make them, don't they? Even if you sacrifice something of your own for another, you really only do it so you know the other will be happy eventually, know you did something kind, which I suppose would make one happy. It all leads to something positive for the person.

Also, I miss the old font. What was wrong with Verdana, anyway?
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Re: What's good? What's evil? Who decides it?

Post by KeatonLabs »

Its not evil until its accepted as such.
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