Do you believe that we (humans) are mostly good?

[Disney1fan2002]

If you beleive Hollywood and some of the movies they put out, the bad people far outweigh the good, and that most people put in the right circumstance would save themselves before others.

I don't see that. I watched a movie a few weeks ago, were a virus took out most of the population. A handful of people were immune, or hadn't been exposed. Whenever they survivors would run into other survivor's, it was survival of the fittest. Instead of working together, there was no trust(they believed everyone else was infected). Nobody would help each other, and some even killed. I don't think humanity would end up like that. At least I would like to believe it wouldn't.

I watched The Dark Knight for the 1st time last night, and I want to believe the ship scene is how we really are. Even the hardened criminals refused to push the button. The man who was so sure the prisoners deserved to die over the upstanding citizens couldn't bring himself to push the button.

I think if it came to survival as a unit, we would band together, not kill each other to save ourselves.

 

[luvmy3]

In a general sense I think humans are good, look at what we do when a Natural disaster hits. There are a few exceptions but for the most part we all come together and help. That being said, if its an end of the world type situation and everyone is at risk I believe our instinct to save ourselves and our family would far outweigh our instincts to help (like in the virus movie you described).

 

[TangaroaTiki]

Yes, I believe we are all good....those who seem to not be have just lost their way, but they'll find it eventually.

 

[Explodo]

Humans are animals...who have to be taught morals. If morals are not taught or learned, the human animal is just a funtioning unit that survives like every other animal. It's not a good or bad thing in that spectrum of thinking, bad or good doesn't make sense to a animal trying to survive.

Bottom line, we are not born with a moral compass (Good or Bad)

 

[The Mystery Machine]

People would be no different than what they are today. You are going to have good and bad.

Since I have probably seen almost every movie and TV series on the subject the question always boils down to when does the "good" become the "bad". As the "good" you are going to be faced with defending yourself against the "bad". Does that make you "bad"?

So in the end it does come down to survival of the fittest, since "good" is really based on your perception of what "good" is.

 

[Explodo]

Morals — all correct moral laws — derive from the instinct to survive. Moral behavior is survival behavior above the individual level. Correct morality can only be derived from what humans are — not from what do-gooders and well-meaning aunt Nellies would like him to be

 

[Wishing on a star]

Do I believe that men/mankind are good?
Yes, I do believe that we have good in us.

Do I also believe that human nature is mortally flawed and that we need a Savior? Yes, most definitely.... No way around it. We are born with a self-centered (we are as gods) sin nature...

Honestly I look around the globe...
And there is 'good'.

But, in reality, look at mankind... look at our leaders/rulers...
Look at World History.... To me, it is the most obvious fact that mankind is mortally flawed, and inherently 'bad'.

I do not think that 'goodness' is taught or learned....

Can it be fostered?... Yes, of course...
But, goodness and badness are part of our inherent human condition.

 

[Wishing on a star]

About teaching goodness or morals.
In light of the recent 'spanking' thread....

I think that discipline (either spanking, time-out, etc, positive reinforcement...) teaches us exactly that... Discipline.

It doesn't teach 'good'...

It teaches us to refrain from openly doing what is 'bad'.

It is, very simply, conditioned response.

 

[NY Disney fan]

Goodness always prevails. There are more good people than bad in this world, I have always believed that especially when I was a skeptic. But ALL people have a dark side. ALL. No one is excluded. That is one of the reason we are told not to judge others. That is because our dark sides can pop up at any time under any circumstance.

 

[iwrbnd]

Humans are animals...who have to be taught morals. If morals are not taught or learned, the human animal is just a funtioning unit that survives like every other animal. It's not a good or bad thing in that spectrum of thinking, bad or good doesn't make sense to a animal trying to survive.

Bottom line, we are not born with a moral compass (Good or Bad)

I believe people instinctively know what is right and wrong. They may not choose what is right but I believe we've been given a conscience and basic morality is written in our hearts. (Just ask Jiminy Cricket!)

 

[Explodo]

I believe people instinctively know what is right and wrong. They may not choose what is right but I believe we've been given a conscience and basic morality is written in our hearts. (Just ask Jiminy Cricket!)

We'll have to agree to disagree. I feel the only thing humans come into this world with is the instinct to survive. We are taught morals...and more importantly, the concept of duty (Which IMO, is the base component of good)

 

[iwrbnd]

We'll have to agree to disagree. I feel the only thing humans come into this world with is the instinct to survive. We are taught morals...and more importantly, the concept of duty (Which IMO, is the base component of good)

I'll agree to disagree!

 

[eliza61]

Humans are animals...who have to be taught morals. If morals are not taught or learned, the human animal is just a funtioning unit that survives like every other animal. It's not a good or bad thing in that spectrum of thinking, bad or good doesn't make sense to a animal trying to survive.

Bottom line, we are not born with a moral compass (Good or Bad)

I think the only thing we instinctively know is the stuff we do automatically. eat, breathe, etc. etc.
Our environment does the rest.

Prime example the poor Russian boy who is in the center of the adoption debate. We've studied the effect of institutionalization on these kids. some never recover.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

We'll have to agree to disagree. I feel the only thing humans come into this world with is the instinct to survive. We are taught morals...and more importantly, the concept of duty (Which IMO, is the base component of good)

I agree. It depends on the "moral group" you are associated with which determines what your "good" or "bad" is.

 

[DisneyFairytale]

You know, working in health care and having my loved one involved with the law and law enforcement, I'm going to be very bias to the direction I choose with your answer because I mainly see and hear about the bad.

I think the world has changed a lot from what it used to be. People have become very selfish and greed is a huge issue in society. I also find it's a lot easier for people to hide things, and everything is a lot more accessible(internet, magazines, women etc etc). People use power for the wrong reasons and make the wrong decisions.

I think the world has become worst for sure.

 

[iwrbnd]

I agree. It depends on the "moral group" you are associated with which determines what your "good" or "bad" is.

I actually agree about this as far as all the little details of morality. I was thinking of the big stuff like murder. I believe we would know that was wrong even if we weren't taught that. As far as cultural morality I do believe that is taught. (Like it's wrong for a woman to not cover her face etc)

 

[Wishing on a star]

I still completely and totally disagree that we are not born with a moral compass, and that this is learned....

Can one be psychologically screwed up by abuse and abusive institutionalization. Sure...

But that doesn't mean that every child who is not specifically 'taught' a moral compass is morally bankrupt.

I have not sat with my child with a double sided list....
This is GOOD / This is BAD.
Yet, he knows, morally, what is right and wrong.
Luckily, my child is one of the good ones!!!!!
And, it most definitely is not because I worked hard to 'teach' him that.
I take zero credit for that... ZERO.

We don't know that this 7 year old boy does not KNOW that threatening to kill his family and burn down their house is 'bad'. We just know that he has been psychologically messed up.

I have no doubt that teaching and discipline is nothing other than 'conditioned response'.

I believe it has NO effect on what a person considers morally 'bad' or 'good'....

Just that they should hide their 'bad' behaviors.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I actually agree about this as far as all the little details of morality. I was thinking of the big stuff like murder. I believe we would know that was wrong even if we weren't taught that. As far as cultural morality I do believe that is taught. (Like it's wrong for a woman to not cover her face etc)

Well not really if you want to pick it apart.

But as you know, probably not a good topic for the DIS forum.

Let's just keep it light and say we do murder in self defense.

This is because you believe in the moral group of your laws. It is your perception.

In the end murder is murder no matter the reason.

 

[bored]

I think humans are born selfish at birth. All a baby knows is feed me, change me, let me sleep. As a christian person the bible tells me we are born sinful creatures. I think how we deal with this fact determines if we are "good" or "bad"!

 

[pearlieq]

There is good and bad in all of us and among all of us.

I don't believe for a minute that in the face of adversity we would all band together in goodness and light. There will be some that have a cooperative spirit and some that would look out only for their own good. Which "side" won may be as simple as dumb luck.

I guess my thinking is being colored by the book I'm reading right now, which is a history of the European colonization of the US and West Indies. The things those people did, the attitudes they had--there's no way people are inherently completely good.