Good VS Evil?

United States
January 25, 2011 2:06pm CST
In my ethics class today, we had a discussion about good and evil(the extremes). So here it is. There are two choices, one is good and one is evil. The good person is poor, has no job, lives under the bridge, has a pretty bad reputation because of the evil character. Now, the evil character in contrast to the good person is rich, has good reputation, and has no problems whatsoever(at least for now). Which of these two people would you want to be? why? In groups we had to discuss this thing and come up with an argument for our next meeting. I picked the evil side because I find it interesting. why? I'm not really sure but I thought evil was more interestingly appealing to me than being poor, hungry, no permanent shelter, can't get jobs, etc. I'd rather be having fun with the family and friends, than be alone with no job, etc. What else can I argue about? I need to prove that I have the stronger argument than my other group buddy who picked the good side. If you have other suggestions why evil is more interesting please just respond as you please. If you have an argument leaning towards the good side please respond. I also want to hear what this side is going to say. Try to be evil! Try to be good! Try both and see what you think is better! Why is evil more interesting? Why do you think I leaned towards this argument? Any thoughts are welcome.
2 people like this
11 responses
@stealthy (8181)
• United States
25 Jan 11
To begin with the definitions of evil and good are just insane. There is no way to make a choice for such stupid definitions. One has to assume the class is being taught by a socialist or at least a very far leaning liberal. There would be good and evil in both of the categories poor and rich. Such things as this being taught are a major problem in schools and colleges today.
1 person likes this
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
26 Jan 11
Amen.
• United States
26 Jan 11
If you were to pick one which would you choose? why? just pick one and try to make something out of it. I'm asking for help. If this seems problematic to you it is more problematic to me because I am trying to keep my GPA in good standing as I rely on the Scholarship that I have, I don't want to lose it. I'm just trying to get as much help as I can get. If you can't help me at all then I wish you have a good day.
• Canada
26 Jan 11
Oh stealthy. I am a liberal, but I don't believe good or evil actually exist. There is no way a person can be good or evil. At least not the way we traditionally define good and evil.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
25 Jan 11
I think that's a really unbalanced question, leading to (perhaps even unconscious)assumptions that good people are poor and evil people are rich, which is simply not true. I would have had a lot of trouble answering this in context, but would instead have questioned the basis. Evil is not more interesting... riches are. There is a BIG difference.
• United States
25 Jan 11
Well, they are the extremes so yeah pretty much so you are right but I still do have to come up with something strong and I think you can help me with that.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
25 Jan 11
As I said, it's the riches that make the "evil" one interesting. That's what I would use to explain my choice, if I had chosen like you did. Evil is not a happy way to be, but neither is poor. This question is asking you to compare apples with oranges, so ignore that and find the apples in each circumstance and respond to that. At least that's what I'd do.
• United States
26 Jan 11
But if you were to pick one, who would you want to be?
• Philippines
25 Jan 11
Nice pick. I'd also choose the evil character but I'll turn myself into a good one. That way, I'll be rich and good at the same time. (It's already 4am and I couldn't sleep. Forgive me if this comes out discombabulated to you.)
• United States
25 Jan 11
I haven't thought of that. Thanks! I always say that change is always there yet I didn't think about it this way. go to sleep earlier as possible if you can.
• Philippines
26 Jan 11
If I may suggest the following contention. Human nature tells us that man find's actualization in embodying what is good. More importantly it is significant to note that helping others recognize and attain this nature in turn allow us to actualize the same. The poor but good man already embody that ideal nature of man. On the other hand the evil rich man still has untapped potential to attain this ideal nature of man. We should be with the evil rich man to assist him in recognizing and attaining the ideal nature of man which is good. In doing so we ourselves actualize in us the potential for the same ideal nature.
• United States
27 Jan 11
Can you dumb it down for me? I am really not familiar with the way you worded your statement. THanks
@tvarasu10 (101)
• India
26 Jan 11
Life is awheel where up will come down to bottom and bottom will go up.The poor will never be poor and rich wii not rich always.If you are good you will not harm others and come up in life and always satisfied with what you are having. Whereas if you choose evil you will go to any extend to live in comfort and therby you loose every thing except wealth.Only if one experiences he can decide to choose between good and evil.
• United States
26 Jan 11
What argument can I get from your statement? That change is always there? Someone already gave that argument. be more creative.
@mark98 (567)
• China
26 Jan 11
Action movies are about good vs evil.Real life is about all sorts of things(but without a plot or script,of course) while pure good vs pure evil seldom actually occurs. Look at war,for instance.Aside from WWII,what war that has ever been fought was truly good vs evil? Aren't there are always gray areas in between black and white?
• United States
26 Jan 11
That is right but this is a situation made up by my crazy teacher and we got to pick one.
• United States
25 Jan 11
Evil has Always been more intersting. Look at literature. Eveil villain is more dynamic than the hero. Evil plays by his or her own rules , the good does not. Evil doesn't wait to be rewarded, good does. Or Good's reward is in the Task not in the payment afterward. Evil usually starts things that good has to stop. Evil Wants it Now , good can and will wait.
@Lisander (273)
• Armenia
26 Jan 11
Mm, in what way he is evil? Is he murderer or something like that? In that case i would not want to have that evil role. But if that evil is about morals, like he will make other people poor and living under bridgeXD without feeling bad i can chose that role, after all it will be a battle of strange.
@tkonlinevn (6438)
• Vietnam
26 Jan 11
In this situation, we didn't have any choices between conscience and life. But If I must choose, I'll choose evil character. Life is short.
@NoWayRo (1061)
• Romania
26 Jan 11
I'd pick the evil character too, because he seems to be the active one. At least he gave the other character a bad reputation - so he's doing things. The good character seems to be passive, not doing anything, just living under a bridge and waiting for life's misfortunes to pile up on his head. Since Mr.Evil is active, he can change into a good person, as it has been already suggested; I doubt Mr.Good can change into evil, even if he wanted to. Maybe somebody else can change him. So, I'd rather take evil by choice, instead of good without any choice whatsoever. I assume your teacher didn't give you any suggestion as to what made these people good and bad in the first place, right?
@didi13 (2926)
• Romania
10 Jun 11
And good and evil is within us. We have new and angels and demons, light and darkness, and yin and yang. With the light come from beyond this world, while darkness we 'manage' at birth. Planet Earth is where duality and free will are essential for spiritual growth, and that's why we're here. What we call angels are beings of very high vibration, living in higher dimensions, and where there is no duality. These beings are our way of older brothers have a great knowledge and wisdom, and love us but they can not influence us in any way if we do not ask for help. Similarly, what we call demons are beings of low vibration, living in lower dimensions, and have chosen to separate from the Brotherhood of Light, love, and God. This division was its own choice and there is no struggle between these creatures and the Brotherhood of Light. There is no battle for the souls of men, no Heaven or Hell, as we were taught so many religious traditions. There are no angels strike with the sword, or spear. They are representations of people. All beings of light using only a 'weapon': love. In fact, all the cosmic system, no need for a battle, because these dimensions are intertwined and not creatures that I remembered not meet. It lies in totally different states. In terms of people, as long as we're on this earth we will have light and dark inside us. So it is no more prophets or saints who have not managed to defeat all shadows. To err is human, I am not here to indulge in our mistakes, but to deny our dual nature is to deny what we are, and even for life. Everything has a purpose. The only way we find peace is to find a balance. Moreover, let the light lead us life. For darkness can not be annihilated, he's part of us. But we can place it in the background, doing something very simple: sparking the light in our soul. It's about free will, in our sole discretion. Nobody and nothing can do that in our place. Nobody and nothing can oblige us to be anything other than we chose to be. Neither those in higher dimensions, even those in lower dimensions. Everything is in our power. We open the window, we open the door. November launch in the universe intentions, thoughts, desires, choices. We call in our life and good and evil. More precisely, let us dominated by one of the two, helping them to grow as the plant seeds are groomed to grow and bear fruit. There are no words for nothing 'as you sow you reap. " It is much deeper. It refers to the consequences of thoughts, words, our deeds. As long as you have sown sadness, anger, jealousy, pride, you will not reap anything but Amplifications of these states. Everything we see around us is an amplification of what we consciously or unconsciously created in this life or in others. But here's good news! We can at any moment resembled nothing we can right now, at this point, we 'invest' undivided attention, all consciousness, our behavior into something better, something higher, something that is worth picking over time. It's that simple. Instead of water we use love, forgiveness, and we let our light to sweep the crops. The fruits will not delay to come!