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Are people generally good?

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2

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    #32
    .......
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,057 ✭✭✭.......


    No. People are not generally good.

    The online effect is just because they can hide behind an anonymous username - but they are really thinking these thoughts - they just wouldnt say them out loud in front of real other people because theyd suffer for it.

    But even outside of online activity, people are selfish and mean.

    I dont like people.


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    #33
    wakka12
    Registered Users Posts: 9,786 ✭✭✭wakka12


    People are fine. Most wont go out of their way to help you if it puts them out. Most people arent openly horrible or rude people, sure, dont think that necessarily means theyre good people, just a prerequisite. People who would go out of their way to help others, are what I consider good people, and theyre pretty rare.

    And as another poster pointed out the amount of hateful people you see on anonymous message boards just goes to show how many awful people there are, only holding back their hatred in person because of societal expecations and to save face


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    #34
    wakka12
    Registered Users Posts: 9,786 ✭✭✭wakka12


    Hal3000 wrote: »
    People are generally good and that's why we don't have total anarchy in the streets. You just hear more now about the bad people because the media control literally everything these days.

    I disagree. I think there isnt anarchy because nobody wants bad things done to themselves, and so we all enforce these social norms to protect ourselves from those dangers. Not because most people are so good and dont want bad things to happen to others.


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    #35
    Grayson
    Registered Users Posts: 16,126 ✭✭✭✭Grayson


    ....... wrote: »
    No. People are not generally good.

    The online effect is just because they can hide behind an anonymous username - but they are really thinking these thoughts - they just wouldnt say them out loud in front of real other people because theyd suffer for it.

    But even outside of online activity, people are selfish and mean.

    I dont like people.

    I think people have to be taught to be good or be smart enough to figure it out for themselves. There have been some studies that show a rough correlation between intelligence and morality. The idea is that some people do bad things out of carelessness or an inability to fathom the consequences of their actions. (BTW, I'm not saying that intelligence = good person).

    I also think one of the biggest causes of evil is bias. For centuries people in the west had a bias against jewish people. And so they were willing to believe any amount of crap so long as it informed that bias.

    When you look at the nazi's, most of the rank and file were ordinary people who thought they were doing good. Most weren't that bothered by the anti semitism. And when it was ratcheted up to ridiculous levels they bought into it because it fitted a bias they had.

    I don't know if we can split people into good and evil. Or even smart and stupid. The fact is that bad people can do very good things and good people can do very bad things. Smart people do stupid things due to the biases they have and stupid people can overcome their biases and be smart.


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    #36
    El_Bee
    Registered Users Posts: 933 ✭✭✭El_Bee


    Farawayhome wrote: »
    What are your views? Are people generally good with the exception being the horrible people? Or is it the other way round?

    I like to see the best in people but as you go through life, you find more and more people who are just not that nice. From the openly rotten people to the behind your back types. You see bullies, tales of disturbing boyfriends or girlfriends.

    You also meet some really lovely people. Generous and kind hearted. Some people do really amazing things to help people.

    Then you see people on social media and anonymous forums such as this and the amount of people who post horrible things is staggering. Why is this? Is it because they are really like this and get a chance to show their true personalities online, they would hide this in real life? Do you think many people would choose to be nasty in real life if they knew they'd get away with it?


    There's almost like a cloud of badness that hangs over where I live, bad is good, bad is fun, doing bad things to people is funny, it used to be that you could say it was only a few bad apples, but I really believe that the balance has shifted, tough times ahead :(


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    #37
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    People are usually good. Then there are the *****. Just life though


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    #38
    lemd
    Registered Users Posts: 151 ✭✭lemd


    ILoveYourVibes wrote:
    People are like a box of chocolates you never know what you are going to get. You just have to bite and see.

    Luis, is that you? How are you getting on with the Barcelona lads?


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    #39
    Balanadan
    Site Banned Posts: 725 ✭✭✭Balanadan


    I'm generally ****ing excellent. How are you?


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    #40
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Balanadan wrote: »
    I'm generally ****ing excellent. How are you?

    A bit of alright.


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    #41
    OldMrBrennan83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    I hate most people and definitely would be of the thinking they're all bad bar a rare exception. Treat everyone like the **** they are and let the odd decent one make themselves known. Pre CT there probably was more good than bad.


    _


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    #42
    Balanadan
    Site Banned Posts: 725 ✭✭✭Balanadan


    Deleted User wrote: »
    A bit of alright.

    I think you're better than alright Bertie m8 :)


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    #43
    Autecher
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,960 ✭✭✭Autecher


    Balanadan wrote: »
    I'm generally ****ing excellent. How are you?
    Off topic but I would like to point out but an anagram of your username is A Anal Band


    I find that amusing :)


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    #44
    Balanadan
    Site Banned Posts: 725 ✭✭✭Balanadan


    Autecher wrote: »
    Off topic but I would like to point out but an anagram of your username is A Anal Band


    I find that amusing :)

    I was waiting for someone to point that out :)


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    #45
    keano_afc
    Registered Users Posts: 8,711 ✭✭✭keano_afc


    I always thought everyone has inherent goodness.

    Then I read the replies on this tweet.

    https://twitter.com/emrobinsonnn/status/1129565533211365377?s=19


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    #46
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Overall, the vast majority of people are good. The inherent nature of people is to be good; we are naturally inclined to feel compassion and love for others, and this is the case unless something unnatural occurs and disrupts a person's life. Being a social animal we prosper and gain through cooperation and reciprocal helpfulness.


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    #47
    leahyl
    Registered Users Posts: 14,244 ✭✭✭✭leahyl


    I think a lot of people these days are only out for themselves. I would be someone who likes to help people out if I can and go out of my way to help in some cases and I hope people would see me as genuine but it means that you are more likely to be used because people know that you will do things for them. It’s happened a good bit in my job so I’ve had to learn to make sure I’m not made a fool of. I think the vast majority of people are kind but there are definitely some that are calculating and only care about “mé fein”.


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    #48
    Alpha_zero
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 907 ✭✭✭Alpha_zero


    Tori Vast Swatter wrote: »
    Overall, the vast majority of people are good. The inherent nature of people is to be good; we are naturally inclined to feel compassion and love for others, and this is the case unless something unnatural occurs and disrupts a person's life. Being a social animal we prosper and gain through cooperation and reciprocal helpfulness.

    Mans propensity for violence is part of his evolutionary nature, as is the need to generate fear in order to commit and justify violence.


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    #49
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Alpha_zero wrote: »
    Mans propensity for violence is part of his evolutionary nature, as is the need to generate fear in order to commit and justify violence.

    Quite the opposite, from an evolutionary point of view. You seem to cite the oft misunderstood and misinterpretation of the 'survival if the fittest' phrase. Homo Sapiens succeeded through their superior ability to maximise social cooperation and working towards the common good.


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    #50
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    leahyl wrote: »
    I some that are calculating and only care about “mé fein”.

    And some of those loose their intellect while only caring about mé Fein.

    Like the Aul fella in another Irish city, not Dublin who wanted me to give him 20 euro from a the ATM with my card.


    I agreed. He then asked me to make it 40.


    So he got nothing


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    #51
    freshpopcorn
    Registered Users Posts: 30,185 ✭✭✭✭freshpopcorn


    I honestly don't know. Most people are good but if they've to do something to get ahead or bad for themselves of their family. They'd generally do it.


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    #52
    Galwayguy35
    Registered Users Posts: 16,272 ✭✭✭✭Galwayguy35


    I'd like to think so but in certain circumstances it would seem there is badness in us all.

    Ordinary Germans turned into mass murderers during WW2


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    #53
    NIMAN
    Registered Users Posts: 32,984 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    Galwayguy35 wrote: »
    I'd like to think so but in certain circumstances it would seem there is badness in us all.

    Ordinary Germans turned into mass murderers during WW2

    Armies have a habit of turning ordinary folk into murderers.

    It's the training, the mindset, plus if you didn't follow orders in ww2 you'd have been shot. That kinda puts you in a difficult situation, and you'll likely do what you're told.

    But people are 99% good. Or so I have found.


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    #54
    Alpha_zero
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 907 ✭✭✭Alpha_zero


    NIMAN wrote: »
    Armies have a habit of turning ordinary folk into murderers.

    It's the training, the mindset, plus if you didn't follow orders in ww2 you'd have been shot. That kinda puts you in a difficult situation, and you'll likely do what you're told.

    But people are 99% good. Or so I have found.

    That is just a downright lie.


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    #55
    Alpha_zero
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 907 ✭✭✭Alpha_zero


    Tori Vast Swatter wrote: »
    Quite the opposite, from an evolutionary point of view. You seem to cite the oft misunderstood and misinterpretation of the 'survival if the fittest' phrase. Homo Sapiens succeeded through their superior ability to maximise social cooperation and working towards the common good.

    Nope Survival of the fittest is a reference to Darwins theory a lot of which has been refuted. What your are espousing is a fantasy and has nothing to do with evolution.


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    #56
    Alpha_zero
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 907 ✭✭✭Alpha_zero


    The term good is problematic, as the notion of good and evil does not exist in nature there is balance or there is not.


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    #57
    JohnnyFlash
    Registered Users Posts: 7,055 ✭✭✭JohnnyFlash


    Alpha_zero wrote: »
    The term good is problematic, as the notion of good and evil does not exist in nature there is balance or there is not.

    How did you find 1st year philosophy as part of the arts degree?


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    #58
    Atoms for Peace
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,888 ✭✭✭Atoms for Peace


    I'm a real bastard.


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    #59
    Autecher
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,960 ✭✭✭Autecher


    Atoms for Peace wrote: »
    I'm a real bastard.
    Is this you then?


    giphy.gif


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    #60
    Alpha_zero
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 907 ✭✭✭Alpha_zero


    JohnnyFlash wrote: »
    How did you find 1st year philosophy as part of the arts degree?

    Cool story Bro


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    #61
    Alpha_zero
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 907 ✭✭✭Alpha_zero


    freshpopcorn wrote: »
    I honestly don't know. Most people are good but if they've to do something to get ahead or bad for themselves of their family. They'd generally do it.

    Did you do it Bro?


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