--Virtues--?

Question

Are some people prone to be more virtuous than others? I honestly believe so. To me, some people naturally just have greater values and higher moral codes than others regardless of what they have experience.

experienced*

I'm not saying that you're either born virtuous or not mister johnslat.

Answer 1

I think you should trust your honesty and assessment of others. Learning and adopting morality and systemic values from elders and society is a natural process.
Unfortunately, society vies with parental values and can impede this crucial development of their children. Conscientious parenting becomes an X factor in virtuosity.
There is no substitute for experience. I think that during our experiences is when sensitive groundwork is laid which can define our virtue.
I've seen and known people also who have greater values and higher moral codes who deeply embed themselves in cynicism. This can produce a corrosive effect on a person and high standards can quickly erode.
I encourage you to maintain your own virtue and find ways to promote and nurture it. Good luck!

Answer 2

I'm wondering if it's about having a conscience. In America and I suppose a good part of the world, we have our free agency to choose between good and evil. Conscience can be instinctive, meaning genetically inherent or a learned thing by our teachings as we grow up. Within the same family we see that particular person who always marches to the tune of a different drummer. When I do something bad, I get physically sick and throw up. On the other hand I have a sibling that could care less what he does to his fellow man. I learn by my mistakes. He doesn't admit he even made a mistake in the first place. I look at life as if we swing on a pendulum. It suits me best to swing to the right as often as possible. My sibling swings way far out to the left. I would love it if we could swing to gather once in a while. Maybe in time he would slowly begin to make some good choices. I know we can't be perfect but we should try our best to make good choices and be kind and care for others.

Answer 3

What a loaded question.

I'm going to say no because of the last condition. Regardless of what they have experienced.

There may be things people don't want to do, like die, but unless your taught or allowed to come to a conclusion based on an open information system your more likely doomed.

It also comes down to definition. Chastity to some while the polygimist who was just arrested with 50+ children is a virtue to him and his sect. So are we talking virtue for all or culture. (if culture then doesn't it have to be learned) Even if the learned behavior is outside of the culture where did it stem from?

Answer 4

I believe that those who are less anxious about life (and death) are more free to decide things based on the benefits gained or injuries avoided. They are able to let go of their more petty self-interest because they have fewer jealousies and cravings. Higher or lower anxiety can stem from genetics and experience, but in general, it most reflects how a person thinks about the world and their place in it. As Shakespeare said, "...there's nothing either good nor bad, but thinking makes it so."

And perhaps, when you see someone with a more equitable attitude, they've discovered a way to see the world as less threatening and more interesting than some others you've known.

Answer 5

I have met people who seem to glow with inner good. It doesn't seem as if they could do anything wrong if they tried and this makes me jealous. I have also met people whom i think are terrible self centered fools and this makes me angry. I will never be either as i like 90 percent of the rest of the world are stuck in the middle. We try to do good but aren't very good at it and make mistakes. Yes i believe a small part of humanity is just born good, not without flaws mind you no one is perfect, and some are born bad and there isn't a darn thing you can do about it.

Answer 6

So, are you saying (by using the word "naturally") that people are born either "virtuous" or not?
Sorry, I can't agree.
I mean, there goes free will, for starters. And I'd say that the way people develop, the experiences they have and what, if anything, they learn from those, is responsible for how they behave.

Answer 7

Certainly there are some people who are more pleasant to be with than others, but...
"All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."
Nobody is perfect.
So don't get conceited for being such a virtuous person. It's only a veneer.

Answer 8

i think it depends on the individual...

and virtues can also be relative...what is moral for me, could be immoral for someone else. people who are strong in their moral beliefs may seem more virtuous...but they are just very committed...

Answer 9

I am in the process of reading "Justine" by The Marquis De Sade, it asks almost the same question, read it and sleep litely.

Answer 10

virtues are learned.
depending on the up-bringing, training, education, and choices and decisions.
experience is the place where one can authenticate virtues he holds.