An interesting note is that human beings are made to make good decisions, by this we would mean good for himself. End of the day, we have to be greedy, we are programmed to actually survive and live, this idea has made us do things, anything, just to survive. But at the same time we are always made to choose to do good over evil. We want to be heroes ourselves.

But why do people do bad? In a complicated system of decision making, several factors would have to be taken into consideration, in generality, we would be talking about priorities, with which we would actually choose what’s more important on what order, next would be the timeline and strategy, is it for the long-term or immediate cause? And the subjective factor of good, where culture, and way of life tells the person what is good and what isn’t.

Priorities would actually mean what we value most in different circumstances. People close to us can have different values to us at such point we think they’re more important to us. This attachment would mean different actions would be required in different situations which may have adverse effects on the other being of lower value.

Time frame or strategy brings in the medicine and sugar paradox. While some actions would be good now, the long-term effect may not be all so pleasing, on the other hand, others choose to do what is good later and suffer now.

Culture has brought around the laws that we all live in today. This has made things subjective through our own viewpoint in life. Religious laws and exemptions brought in legalization of what is otherwise illegal on some aspects. We have abortion legal in some areas, gambling, and other such elements. While we might find them immoral, other people do have enough reason to say they are moral.

An example on defense of a thief who killed a client in the bank would have his story looked at. His priorities is his life and has not put value on others, or are at the lower part of the list. He has found money to bring him the good that he perceives and through time-frame has seen the immediate good available. His way of living has justified such actions for himself and has brought in the conclusion that it is ok to kill as long as he can sustain himself and keep his lifestyle. God knows what would happen if he didn’t keep it.

Human reasoning should also rethink emotions and actions committed to others. This would bring in back-stabbing, betrayal, and such which movies show no justification. Taking the survival instinct into play, we would then realize that people see the need to be superior to survive on where they are, or realize that to attain something of high value to them they have to commit such actions.

Many of them are not fully conscious of this behavior. Gossipers do not realize the damage they are doing or the fact that they are gossiping. They see the need to gossip to stay in the society where they want to belong. Sharing of secrets and stories bonds and creates trust in the community.

Categories: OLD STUFF [t]

Oh Wise One!
Hey hmdaswani, isn't any idea, especially "The Idea of Good", just that, an idea? And aren't ideas merely a perception? And aren't both ideas and perception, merely the reality of the Thinker, rather than the whole of society? Hence, there in lays the answer?
» JMC on 2006-10-09 12:34:56

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