Are people born good or bad?

I think that everyone is born good and it is society or how the person was brought up or who they hung out with that determines what they become.

I think all people have a good side and a bad side when we come into this world and then for the most time the good side wins - but in some cases the bad one does. I do not belive all bad people had a bad childhood - was abused or even had a bad life, and I also do not think all good people had it all easy. I consider myself a good person so far and my life has been a living hell but I have fought hard to stay sane and not loose the struggle.

I think we born naturally as a good person, it is in a way we are brought up that makes us do good and even be a bad person. It also reflects the family, the environment and community. Being good or bad is also caused of what we are experiencing, as life goes on. A person can be bad because of some certain circumstances, that they got noone left to turn to. I always think that everyone can be good, it's just that we have the tendency to join the "most" than live by what is told to us from the very BEGINNING.

I looked at both my newborn babies and I know people aren't born bad. They are a clean slate. They are born innocent. Many bad behaviors, they learn. Many crazy things they do are literally because they are mentally ill. Trauma can cause a good person to be bad. Lots of factors are there but I so believe when we come into this world, all we know is good. We want just comfort, food, and love. Then life interferes and good people go bad. I just saw it happen with a good, good friend of mine (Chris Benoit). He wasn't born bad. He was good. Very good. But something very bad happened. I don't believe he was bad. I believe something happened to cause him to do something so bad. I don't hate him. I pray for him and I miss him. It sometimes seems people are just evil. They are rotten to the core. But I still don't think they were bad from day one. Look at me, being optimistic, who woulda thunk it?

The mind of a child is most certainly not a "clean slate." Of the many books I've acquired over the years and have yet had a chance to read, "The Blank Slate," by Steven Pinker, is one. Nonetheless, in its pages, I did find a noteworthy item: "The idea that natural selection has endowed humans with a universal complex mind has received support from other quarters. Child psychologists no longer believe that the world of an infant is a blooming, buzzing confusion, because they have found signs of the basic categories of mind (such as those for objects, people, and tools) in young babies. Archaeologists and paleontologists have found that prehistoric humans were not brutish troglodytes but exercised their minds with art, ritual, trade, violence, cooperation, technology, and symbols. And primatologists have shown that our hairy relatives are not like lab rats waiting to be conditioned but are outfitted with many complex faculties that used to be considered uniquely human, including concepts, a spatial sense, tool use, jealousy, parental love, reciprocity, peacemaking, and differences between the sexes. With so many mental abilities appearing in all human cultures, in children before they have acquired culture, and in creatures that have little or no culture, the mind no longer looks like a formless lump pounded into shame by culture."

First you have to define evil (or bad, whatever you want to call it). Since selfishness is the root of all evil, we are all born bad. There is nothing more selfish than a newborn baby - it does not even know of the concept of "other". All our lives are spent in learning to overcome our innate selfishness, all our morals begin in being less selfish and thinking of others first. Of course we look at a newborn and wonder how such a helpless little thing could ever be defined as being bad. But that is because we are not thinking it through - we tend to think of evil as doing bad things but it is not necessarily so. It's much more to do with motivation and, if our motives center on our own wellbeing (as they must in a baby because he knows nothing but himself as yet), then we are motivated by evil. Goodness consists in being able to put others before oneself. It's quite simple really.

I don't think that anyone is born good OR bad. Only the events taht shape us turn us to be good or bad. Take a look at the despots of the world, such as Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Pol Pot, Bin Laden, Mussolini, etc. Some of it is faulty parenting. Others could be schooling, or it could be bad experiences they've had. No, outside factors make up the good or bad in anyone.

I think we were all born with innocense. We do not know what were bad and what were wrong. We were taught by our parents or guardians the proper way in dealing with the good and the bad. We also have our conscience telling us what is right and what is wrong.

I think the children are born blank. Our character is developed though the experiences we have growing up. So whether we end up good or bad, it's due to the environment we had while we mold into adulthood.

Hi MikeMe, Good discussion. I don't think we're born either way. After all, what is good and bad? Isn't it what we decide, or our society decides for us?

I think that people are born good always and everyone. But slowly as they go on accepting different things from the world and their environment they grow their charecter. A baby is the most innocent thing of the world. It cant be selfish, cunnig etc. No word in the world can desacribe a baby's innocence. So it is wrong to say that people are born bad.

Being a psychology student myself i believe that it depends on both a psychological level and on an environment level upon how you were brought up and morals. Many serial killers for example are known to have had divorced or seperated parents, live with their mother, and torture small animals whilst they were younger. Some presented no prior traits to this before a parent left or abuse from a parent started. Other arguments include the XYY chromosone disorder. This abnormality has been found in some test on serial killers and it has been stated that those with the disorder have a 10-20 fold increase amongst the population to be either instutionalised, in prison or suffer from mental disorders. They also have a much more higher rate of learning disability, and are usually described as 'problem children' at home or at school. An example of this is Serial Killer 'Arther John Shawcross'. Who was also found to have high levels of 'kryptopyrrole' which can cause an effect called 'pyroluria'. This effect can cause an individual to act more agressively and have an inability to control anger/mood swings and tend to have a diminished ability to tollerate stress. I guess at the end of the day i believe it comes down to both a nature and nuture factor, it is the way we are brought up aswel as our genetic make-up that can affect or trigger behaviour and actions within our everyday life.

i believe that we are all given fresh starts from when we were born. i could not really say that we are not born good or bad because some people are just born with natural talents, unique personalities, distinct perceptions. some are born with superior intellects, or artistic talents, or athletic prowess, but we are all given the opportunity to improve on our areas of weaknesses. for instance, my cousin was a blue baby and everyone was expecting her to pass away real soon after she was born. she miraculously survived and made it to college. so i guess that, let's say it's true that some people are born mean or kind, there's always the possibility that this could be altered in time through exposure, upbringing, the media and i think it's really great to be given the chance to improve.

some are born GOOD TO BE BAD, GOOD TO BE "GOODER", BAD TO BE GOOD, and lastly BAD TO BE "BADER"... well atleast that's my take on it.

I think that most people want to be good but because of upbringing and circumstances that some just get caught up in some bad stuff that makes them appear selfish and uncaring when really they care so much. Those people are hurting because they deep down know they are wrong but they can't help themselves.I don't thing people are born bad. I think they get that way from life experiences.

We come into this world with for being bad to learn about the way of being good. The prove was we have to take learning about nature to nurture ourselves to being good. Means the tendency for being bad take earlier step of being good. 99% is for bad and the only remaining 1% is for being good. We have to teach our children about the advantageous and disadvantageous of having selfish and sharing. Both are important and must know where and when to practice and the advantageous will make decision making. No point sharing if makes life burdening and no point to has selfish at the end life suffering. That is why I said teach them about advantageous for having 'truth'. The 'truth' a lone will sometimes cause a lot of predicaments or ordeal in their life. Conclusion is born bad to be good.

When a child is born they arent bad they dont know good or bad. all they know is what the parents teach them. they know that when they are hungry then their mommy will be there to feed them when they are crying their mommy will be there for them. I see my children and they aren't bad. I believe it has a lot to do with how a child is raised. Yes you have to teach them not to lie. and you have to teach them to share. I agree that their friends may help lead them on a bad path. but thats why parents and relatives should be there to help direct them in the right direction.

I don't think it's either because we're all born innocent. We are what we're taught and how we're taught. In other words, if a child does wrong, it's best to talk to the child and punish them however spanking only teaches them to hit so a time out is in order instead of spanking. Also if a child asks a question, he/she deserves the answer because if they have mind enough to ask the question then they have mind enough to know the answer. Mind you, not the whole answer, per sae, but enough to satisfy their curiosity. Because of that, the child will learn to trust his/her parents.

I think people are not born good or bad, but are born innocent. bad or good was made up by people so taht everyone would behave. Because of outside influences I belive someone can go bad or good.

In my opinion I don't think there is a "good" or "bad" Everything is based on an opinion and no ones opinion is either right or wrong. This world goes on the majority, so what most people think are good will be good ect. But who are to say the minority are bad? I do believe that we must have a set place of right and wrong in this world to achieve peace but it's going to have to be in the middle of "good" and "bad" in away. I hope you get me =)