why bother being a 'good' person?

Answer 1

Ouch. The question of what, exactly, IS 'good' is one that has filled volumes. Most of the greatest philosophers of history have taken a stab at it.

But I'll tell you one thing that most of them seem to agree on: the reason why it's better to be good is because truly good actions and things are powerful and beneficial. Not just to other people or society as a whole, but to YOU.

Bad things generally don't work out as well. Nobody really wants to live in a badly-made house or next to a truly bad neighbor. Nor does being a bad person usually work out well... even if some people do slip through the cracks, most are crushed by society, circumstance, and perhaps by themselves. And there are many philosophers who would dispute that even the most successful bad person is actually doing well at all.

You'll notice, I hope, that I keep sticking the word 'truly' in there, though. That's no accident. There are plenty of groups interested in controlling your actions who like to re-define goodness to suit their needs. That's why it is not difficult at all to have a good experience from something someone else tells you is bad. As a matter of fact, it would be hard to find anything at all that SOMEONE hasn't declared bad at one time or another.

So unfortunately you're pretty close to square one again. A lot of people are surely telling you all kind of crazy things which really have nothing to do with good or bad whatsoever. I suppose you can read the philosophers yourself and get an idea of what they thought was good or bad... there's variety even there.

But once you do find the good, hold onto it and don't let go.

Answer 2

Say you were able to communicate this question to the peoples of pre-historic times. They would most likely scoff at you and tell you that you are a fool. And perhaps this would be the proper thing to do. For you see, in our modern complex society no one person can live independent of the rest of society. It is solely this reason that our predecessors have strived to become a "good" person. They realized that the only way to survive and prosper individually as well as a whole, was to become and act like a "good" person. Being a good person was the only way to work efficiently and effectively with one another. However, today we do not think about it like this, we are raised to believe that being a "good" person is what we are "suppose" to do. Generation after generation this concept is seldom questioned, probably because it goes against the idea of being good. Yet on these instances where we do contemplate the notion of why be "good", we remember our past and how being good has led to the creation of society as we know it.

Answer 3

I think the question is more along the lines of 'why not?' Is it so much of an effort to smile or say a kind word to someone who looks so sad? Is it too much trouble to hold the door open for the person walking behind you? If someone asks for your help, do you have a reason to say 'no'? A lot of people ask what 'good' really is, but I think it is more along the lines of being a kind person. Personally I think it is more of an effort to stop being kind, to go out of your way to be mean, requires more energy. Why should you do that?

Rather cliche, but really, can't we all hope that maybe, just maybe, if we treat others with kindness they might return the favor.

Answer 4

Because being a good person takes much more effort than beign a bad one (nowadays it seems like it, though), you will therefore feel better after doing something good, and feel like you accomplished something as well w/out feeling any kind of guilt. Everybody wins! (unless you're in a predicament where there are two ppl needing your help to live, but you can only save one, in this case one loses, but not just that, they also die[yes, very sad, but better to save one, than neither])

And for two of the responders above, you don't have to believe that some deity wants you to be good in order for you to be a good and decent person in life, some people just are, Ok. (talk about ignorance, sheesh!)

Answer 5

This question is absurd! Why bother being anything if you feel this way. Do you think a bird wonders if he should stop eating worms?!? It is natural for us to do good unto others so maybe you should ask 'why bother being a bad person', but then that question would only be slightly less senseless than yours. What exactly is a good person anyway? What is a bad person? These are things that do not exist, take your cup that is filled with fool juice and empty it so that you may learn a few things.

Answer 6

Why indeed. Two reasons come to mind:
1. So you can get a good night's sleep. The mind mulls over even sub conscious worries. If the subject committed an illegal act then the mind wants it sorted and dealth with.

2. You need to have an excellent memory. Most of us give ourselves away unwittingly because suppressing the truth takes constant effort. Notice how light one feels if he or she is allowed to be straightforward and candid. The opposite is true if you must hide something for any reason.

Answer 7

Don bother... If u can answer ur conscience. Gud n Bad is 4 u n only u to decide... Its all in the head boy.. N if u aint a good person ie, being good to others, u cant expect good from others.
So do ur thing.. N don harm nobody... peace.

Answer 8

I think its important to be good because if you are bad the world suffers no matter how small an impact you make on it. Even if you don't get rewarded for being good, who cares? At least you know that you are doing the right thing even if other people don't recognize it. Yeah.

Answer 9

Exactly what I wonder sometimes. But, being bad, doesn't bother the people who don't believe in anything. It does us, who would rather take the high road.

Answer 10

In my belief, good and bad, as represented by most major religions, is all based on one idea - how to LIVE together peacefully and harmoniously. Our society (as most on earth, now and in our past) is based on the idea that whe should all do as little harm as possible while pursuing our own interests and desires. The balance on that scale of "do no harm" and "pursue your own interest is where that scale tips from good to bad.

Thus pure self interest is "bad" and pure selflessness is "good." So being good is how we balance the bad we will inevitably do to ourselves and to others...