Are people born "good"?

[Semantics]

I saw this question posed on another site, and it was centered around the beating that Will Smith was taking for comments he supposedly made about Hitler.

Despite the fact that Smith was misquoted, the subject matter itself is interesting. Was Hitler born evil? The question in that discussion was are people born good?



Will Smith -- Hitler, Schmitler; He Wasn't That Bad

Posted Dec 24th 2007 2:22PM by TMZ Staff

On the day before Christmas, a leading Jewish group is kvetching loudly about Will Smith's recent suggestion that Adolf Hitler wasn't all bad, calling it "ignorant, detestable, and offensive." Oy.

The Jewish Defense League is calling on Barack Obama to repudiate Smith's comments, and wants theaters to pull Smith's new flick "I Am Legend" from their screens. Smith told a Scottish paper that Hitler "didn't wake up going, 'Let me do the most evil thing I can do today.' ... I think he woke up in the morning and using a twisted, backwards logic, he set out to do what he thought was 'good.'" What kind of meshuggeneh talk is that?!

Smith's words, say the JDL, "spit on the memory of every person murdered by the Nazis. His disgusting words stick a knife in the backs of every veteran who fought (and sometimes died) to save the world from the intentions of Adolf Hitler."

UPDATE: Will Smith's rep sent TMZ the following statement from him, which reads: "It is an awful and disgusting lie. It speaks to the dangerous power of an ignorant person with a pen. I am incensed and infuriated to have to respond to such ludicrous misinterpretation. Adolph Hitler was a vile, heinous, vicious killer responsible for one of the greatest acts of evil committed on this planet."

[Trueblue]

I think people are born innocent, and innocence is, by its nature, good.

[toxic]

I think people (i.e., everyone but me) are born with basic Reptilian instincts: pain, pleasure and fear.


After years of brain development, decades of civil and social training, those evolve into three much higher level primary drivers: pain, pleasure and fear.

[Deadshot]

I think people are born innocent, and innocence is, by its nature, good.


Well put. I also believe we are born wanting to do good, but will follow what life teaches us. In Hitler's case, it taught him evil, so that's what he followed.

[Trueblue]

I have had this discussion with someone who was raised Catholic, and she is quite insistent that we are born bad. We are born self-centered, but that is survival, not selfishness, IMO.

[cassandra]

I believe we are all born good.

TB needing your primary needs taken care of does not make one bad, your friend is wrong. :wink We all need primary things in order to function, not sure how she can assert that as selfishness.

[Trueblue]

I believe we are all born good.

TB needing your primary needs taken care of does not make one bad, your friend is wrong. :wink We all need primary things in order to function, not sure how she can assert that as selfishness.

I think it's that early teaching that influences her [and all of us]. She's a good mom-very patient, firm, but with a sense of humor.

[cassandra]

But a baby crying for you cannot be bad. He is only wanting a primary need fulfilled.

[Trueblue]

But a baby crying for you cannot be bad. He is only wanting a primary need fulfilled.

I agree with you, completely.

[cassandra]

I agree with you, completely.

I know you did. I found it funny as I was posting the previous message that I was arguing with your friend who you disagree with.

[Trueblue]

I know you did. I found it funny as I was posting the previous message that I was arguing with your friend who you disagree with.

Well, she's not here, so I'm stuck explaining her. :snicker Of course, I did it to myself. It has come up several times in Bible Study, and she is by no means married to Catholic doctrine in general-but this is how she sees it.

[toxic]

I believe we are all born good.

TB needing your primary needs taken care of does not make one bad, your friend is wrong. :wink We all need primary things in order to function, not sure how she can assert that as selfishness.

Humm ... "need" is an interesting word that is exploited in Marketing.

It has different meanings to different people. Some have very humble expectation of "need" fulfillment while others have a very high expectation.

[cassandra]

Toxic people are very confused with need and want. People believe they need far more than they actually do.

[Deadshot]

Toxic people are very confused with need and want. People believe they need far more than they actually do.

Sandi, I think those two sentences say a lot about who good people turn bad. Some people simply want too much.

[Kurtz]

Sometimes behavior is monkey see, monkey do.

:salute
That is all.

:admin


:lmao


I gotta pack for my trip.
:panic

I'm just playin' with TB 'n Sandi. :snicker

[issac the dragon]

I don't think babies are evil, but I do think that the evil is there. I don't think they are born with anything except their basic needs functioning, but they have all they will need to become who they will.

I think parents, friends, etc, will influence them, but I don't think most good people can be evil. At least, not for very long, and under unusual circumstance. Just as I don't think an evil person can do good for very long.

[cassandra]

Sometimes behavior is monkey see, monkey do.

4 years I would have argued that nurture was the only thing that mattered. I would have said that good parenting would bring a certain result. 4 years ago I adopted my daughter Kimberly and then 12 days later I gave birth to Annie. These 2 humans became completely in sync, even pooping at the same time each day. They lived with the EXACT same life experiences. These two children are very different. Sometimes the monkeys come up with their own stuff to do outside of those nurtured ideals.

[Zanoog]

Hitler - power drove him insane.

People have free will - good/evil, just two sides of the same coin. Like love/hate.

We become what we learn, basically I guess, and we choose what fits us or what feels good to us, based on our emotional guidance system at the time.

:twocents

[Sweet Tart]

I have a hard time with the Catholic viewpoint on being born with sin. Feels wrong, totally wrong, to me. I would like to think we are all born for good, and circumstances change some to bad.

[Kurtz]

4 years I would have argued that nurture was the only thing that mattered. I would have said that good parenting would bring a certain result. 4 years ago I adopted my daughter Kimberly and then 12 days later I gave birth to Annie. These 2 humans became completely in sync, even pooping at the same time each day. They lived with the EXACT same life experiences. These two children are very different. Sometimes the monkeys come up with their own stuff to do outside of those nurtured ideals.

I know what ya mean. :yep

Folks are always surprised when my answer as to why I'm queer is learned behavior,
but I've also argued that heterosexuality for women is learned behavior.

Ever see that National Geo special on the four animals 'n their babies in the womb?
Great show, explains a lot of evolutionary behavior. Course, that's another topic, or is it? :D

[toxic]

4 years I would have argued that nurture was the only thing that mattered. I would have said that good parenting would bring a certain result. 4 years ago I adopted my daughter Kimberly and then 12 days later I gave birth to Annie. These 2 humans became completely in sync, even pooping at the same time each day. They lived with the EXACT same life experiences. These two children are very different. Sometimes the monkeys come up with their own stuff to do outside of those nurtured ideals.

Keep an eye out for a COORS public service type commercial on TV. It's interesting.


I think it said, 'If a teen has 4 or 5 close family relationships, they are unlikely to drink alcohol (while underage)'.


I have paraphrased the message and will correct when I see the advertising again.

Perhaps the impact of relationships may be more important than previously understood.

[kaaryn]

I actually agree with issac on this one. I think the core of a human is self-centered and has a natural tendency toward selfish behavior. Just watch a couple of two year olds together for a while. They can be nice of course, but their world is really all about themselves. "Good" behavior is mostly learned. "Evil" comes pretty naturally.

[Saguaro]

I have had this discussion with someone who was raised Catholic, and she is quite insistent that we are born bad. We are born self-centered, but that is survival, not selfishness, IMO.

Your friend is dead wrong.The Catholics believe that everyone is born with the stigma of original sin ( Adam and Eve's fault) they are baptized and that takes the original sin away.They never state that babies are born bad

[Kurtz]

Some people are born stupid 'n then they stay that way.

Yes, I just came from another thread.

[Saguaro]

:sag Republicans ? :D

[Kurtz]

:sag Republicans ? :D

More like dumbasses. :lol

[Saguaro]

Exactly :D

[Saguaro]

Sorry, back on topic

[Kurtz]

:grenade

[Semantics]

:sag:sag

[Kurtz]

:mob

[Trueblue]

Your friend is dead wrong.The Catholics believe that everyone is born with the stigma of original sin ( Adam and Eve's fault) they are baptized and that takes the original sin away.They never state that babies are born bad

Then I probably misunderstood.

I actually agree with issac on this one. I think the core of a human is self-centered and has a natural tendency toward selfish behavior. Just watch a couple of two year olds together for a while. They can be nice of course, but their world is really all about themselves. "Good" behavior is mostly learned. "Evil" comes pretty naturally.

Okay, so maybe she's coming at it from this kind of viewpoint-because I don't see this kind of self-centeredness as "evil", and she does. :lol

Also, I have seen very small children show great kindness and concern for others-and that is good.

I saw this question posed on another site, and it was centered around the beating that Will Smith was taking for comments he supposedly made about Hitler.

Despite the fact that Smith was misquoted, the subject matter itself is interesting. Was Hitler born evil? The question in that discussion was are people born good?

All I really know is that I was. :shrug


















:lmao

[AYFR]

People are born with the tendency of both good and evil. It is how they are raised, the enviorment they are raised in, and how they are taught that determines which is the dominate trait.

[Saguaro]

Is sefishness evil or self preservation in a 2 yr old ?

[AYFR]

Are you asking me?
Because if you are then it depends.

[Kurtz]

Here's a good thang:
I'm outta pocket tomorrow, travelin'. :lol

[Oceanbreeze]

I think people (i.e., everyone but me) are born with basic Reptilian instincts: pain, pleasure and fear.


After years of brain development, decades of civil and social training, those evolve into three much higher level primary drivers: pain, pleasure and fear.

I agree with Toxic.

Hitler? Read his psychological report as with any dictator, serial killer, child molester, person abductor, cannibal.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/01/07/georgia.hiker/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

[Wabash]

We Catholics are taught that we are all born with Original Sin(thus flawed, read bad if you want). This sin is washed away by Baptism.
On another take of this....I've been in Law Enforcement long enough to have experienced, read plenty of studies and talked with numerous shrinks over the years to determine that certain folks are born with defective genes. This trait causes them to be bad to the bone from childhood!
In interviewing mothers and fathers of kids and adults that I have arrested in my lengthy career, some have indicated that their child was mean spirited from the beginning.....from the time they could walk and talk and interact with others.
In summation, no ...I don't belive everyone is born good.

[Trueblue]

Yeah, but those are almost always mean-as-hell parents saying that, IMO. I've meant some of them, they don't blame their own selves, they blame the kid. :mad

[Wabash]

Then I probably misunderstood.



Okay, so maybe she's coming at it from this kind of viewpoint-because I don't see this kind of self-centeredness as "evil", and she does. :lol

Also, I have seen very small children show great kindness and concern for others-and that is good.



All I really know is that I was. :shrug


















:lmao

I'd like a second opinion! :LL

[Trueblue]

I'd like a second opinion! :LL

That can be arranged. :lmao

[Wabash]

Yeah, but those are almost always mean-as-hell parents saying that, IMO. I've meant some of them, they don't blame their own selves, they blame the kid. :mad

Granted...I've met plenty of those too...but the ones I had in mind were gentle and kind people who just were at a total loss with what to do with their kid(s).

[nixon]

All people are good. The problem lies in the decisions some make.

[Wabash]

All people are good. The problem lies in the decisions some make.

Many a child is incapable of making an informed or logical decicion! The age of reason at or about 7 years old...

[sparks]

All people are good. The problem lies in the decisions some make.

I wanna agree with you...and for the most part, I do. However I do think there are those who are born "faulty", for lack of a better term.

Something gone amiss in the DNA somewhere or something? A predisposition, if you will to do unnatural and / or harmful things to others.

[Wabash]

I wanna agree with you...and for the most part, I do. However I do think there are those who are born "faulty", for lack of a better term.

Something gone amiss in the DNA somewhere or something? A predisposition, if you will to do unnatural and / or harmful things to others.

I have lost count of how many of those defectives, I've encountered! Just plain ass... mean!

[Saguaro]

The teenaged brain is in a constant state of confusion

[Wabash]

The teenaged brain is in a constant state of confusion

I was Never confused...I had one solitary thought and I had my own pointer to show me the way!
:LL
Of course, I was ahead of the game...that one thought started at about 4 years old and still dominates! Soooo, as a teenager...it was.....................normal.:LL

[sparks]

I was Never confused...I had one solitary thought and I had my own pointer to show me the way!
:LL
Of course, I was ahead of the game...that one thought started at about 4 years old and still dominates! Soooo, as a teenager...it was.....................normal.:LL

Does that mean you're well hung Wabs? :rofl

[BartonX]

If you can stand the truth rather than mere opinion, we are every single one of us born flawed. Me, for instance I was born conceited, but when I realized conceit is a flaw, I overcame it. Now I am perfect. :rooster

[waterdog]

If you can stand the truth rather than mere opinion, we are every single one of us born flawed. Me, for instance I was born conceited, but when I realized conceit is a flaw, I overcame it. Now I am perfect. :rooster

Like we haven't hear that shit before. :roll

[Wabash]

Does that mean you're well hung Wabs? :rofl

Awww shucks sparky.....I don't want to brag..:romeo

[Wabash]

Like we haven't hear that shit before. :roll

With all those AKAs...you must be terribly conflicted!:mw

[BartonX]

Don't rule out constipation ! :):LL

[Matt]

I'd like a second opinion! :LL

You got it.
She is totally correct. :)

[Wabash]

You got it.
She is totally correct. :)

Disallowed...............nepotism!:pblade

[Trueblue]

She's the best authority on the topic, though. :lmao

[D2]

I saw this question posed on another site, and it was centered around the beating that Will Smith was taking for comments he supposedly made about Hitler.

Despite the fact that Smith was misquoted, the subject matter itself is interesting. Was Hitler born evil? The question in that discussion was are people born good?

here's your answer:


Luk 18:19 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good-except God alone.

Rom 3:12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."*

[Ringo]

Is sefishness evil or self preservation in a 2 yr old ?

They best have self preservation with the punk parents that are having kids these days, and killing them due to the pressure of getting into "their" space!!

[nixon]

The teenaged brain is in a constant state of confusion
Substitute Republican where the word teenager is!!!

[Wabash]

Substitute Republican where the word teenager is!!!

Just look at the present Liberal Demo Congress and you can see how laughable nixon's comment is!:rooster

[BartonX]

Don't forget Nixon personafies his comment :LL

[nixon]

Don't forget Nixon personafies his comment :LLWINK. Nixon!!! And like I've said before FUCKIN' A