Do you believe people are naturally good?

Question

Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree

please give reasons with your answers
thanks =)

Answer 1

Good question. I'm going to hedge my answer by only saying "agree". I think most people want to be good, but there is a perverse side to all of us whether we like to admit it or not. I like to use this analogy drawn from what little physics I know: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction (paraphrased). We can be nice to everyone around us, but invariably there is one person who gets under our skin, irritates the living daylights out of us, brings us to unreasonable anger and tears to the point where we can't seem to help ourselves from saying or doing something hateful. We may apologize, but in the back of our mind we're really not as sorry as we project.

There are some people out there, however, who seem to delight in being hateful towards others. It may be expressed in a "superior" attitude, by bullying, or overt hostile actions (e.g. terrorists, child molesters, etc.). You'd have to dig deep to find some redeeming value in their behavior. These may be the "mentally unstable" that Rebel referred to. I do think she should have defined her parameters of mentally unstable instead of making a blanket statement, however. People with Bipolar Disorder, for instance, can be cruel, heartless, and cutting in their remarks to others when they are in a manic episode. What most people don't realize is that manic behavior also includes hostility and irritability. They take their bad moods to an extreme and sometimes find it hard to apologize even when they admit to themselves their behavior was unconscionable. Of course there is a small percentage of bipolars who feel they can act with impunity and will be forgiven their transgressions. This isn't normal behavior and shouldn't be tolerated. You can't lump all "mentally unstable" people together. I am Bipolar I with rapid cycling and am guilty of much of what I've said. However, I would not lump myself in with someone like the Unibomber or a Ted Bundy.

To sum up this very long statement, I agree with the stipulation you judge each person on his/her own merits and in relation to each person they interact with.

Answer 2

Yes I totally agree that people are naturally good! It's proven every time that there is a major incident or when a child gets lost. It's proven when people gather together to help others in a major snow storm or when there's a flood when there's a major rain storm. How many people responded when there was the tsunami and where there are major earth quakes? People are inherently good they just need a way to show it.

Answer 3

I really like this question. I used to (believe in "human kindness"), now I'm turning negative about people.

I heard a saying the other day that sums up how I feel about people. 10% are really good and almost always try and do what's right for everyone. Another 10% only do what's best for themselves. They are the greedy, self-serving types. The other 80% apathetically follow whoever's winning.

Answer 4

It depends on your definition of "naturally". If you believe that people " . . . are made in the image and likeness of God" (paraphrased, I know), then of course one would believe that people are naturally good. If you don't believe that, well, I can't see how you could believe people are naturally good. I must admit, however, in all my years in the mental health profession (20+), including some years in Child Protective Services prior to that, I came to believe that people are born naturally good. It's the events and individuals in the world along the "path of life" that tempts them, often overwhelmingly so, to be bad. So, as per your question, I'd beg for another category called "Depends". When you're born, yes. After a while, maybe not. It's our choice. God Bless you.

Answer 5

I believe that all people are born naturally good and don't have the ability to be bad right away. They learn bad behavior later on as time goes by. All babies are innocent and good!

"Strongly Agree"

Answer 6

I tend to think there is good in everyone..
Circumstances at times can change this.. but overall I really think people.. do have a conscience which makes them go in the right direction..
... I am not talking about the mentally unstable sickos out there.... for them I have no answer....
I am talking of the average human being..

Answer 7

I strongly agree that people are naturally good

Answer 8

the question is abstract and is open to individual interpretation,
humans, as a general rule are as good as to the environment
that they are exposed to, they will adapt to what is presented to them good or bad, it is up to the individual to adapt what is learned and to apply what was learned to everyday life.
life, as a whole, offers no multi-choice questions. it is as it is, we just have to deal with what we have at the time that we have it, plus a little luck doesn't hurt.

Answer 9

peace be upon you
i agree people are naturally good as they born naturally muslims .then the education , circumstances, environment and friends work on the person .

Answer 10

I believe that there is a continuum. Some people are good, some are bad, most are in the middle.