<p>Asking me thought-provoking questions.</p>
<p>Hopefully, you will learn about me...and about yourselves.</p>
<p>Go ahead. Ask. No question is too big or small, too ordinary or different.</p>
<p>Do you like me?</p>
<p>If so, why?</p>
<p>They say the captain goes down with the ship…So when the world ends, will god go down with it?</p>
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<p>I do like you. I like you because you are on CC, you have responded to my posts, and you seem like a nice and tolerant person.</p>
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<p>If God does not exist, this question is irrelevant.</p>
<p>So let’s suppose s/he/it does. When the world ends, God will not go down with it. He will create a new one. This time, not with Adam and Eve, but with Adamo and Evelyn.</p>
<p>I already made a thread for this, but I’m curious regarding what your opinion is on this question.</p>
<p>Are we born evil, or do we become evil?</p>
<p>Do you enjoy chocolate bananas?</p>
<p>Do you think that there will ever be world peace?</p>
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<p>Yes, very much.</p>
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<p>Unfortunately, no.</p>
<p>Do you wish that you were of the opposite sex?</p>
<p>On a side note, how do you quote?</p>
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<p>So this may be taking the “easy way out,” but both. Let me attempt to explain. I think, in general, mankind is more good than bad. We have a propensity to be good—many people considered “evil” thought they themselves were being good. </p>
<p>Some of us are born more evil than others. More aggressive, more prone to violence…Some of our exposure to the world can cause evil…gangs, family life.</p>
<p>Ted Bundy. Adolf Hitler. Hannibal Lecter.</p>
<p>Is there a common thread? Perhaps detachment. Not caring for the human lives they destroy. It is impossible to say what the root of evil is (as in a person, it clearly is not only money), but within all of us is <em>some</em> evil and within all of us is a potential to <em>become</em> evil. In the end, most people are “good” rather than “evil,” but unfortunately evil is potent, even if we like to think the good guys always win (and they do, often).</p>
<p>So, it is a combination of both (and other factors) that CAN lead to a person being evil.</p>
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<p>switch the / with the [ and then it would be quoted. (Sorry, that wasn’t a great explanation.)</p>
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<p>No, I do not (I am male).</p>
<p>Oh thanks. </p>
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<p>Would you believe that society has some influence in that? Also, what about genetics? Some people are forced to cope with situations in which their mentality differentiates from other’s, or what we as a society find normal. If an individual was born in possession of those genetics, should one still constitute them as evil? My belief is that we truly can’t definitively prove either side. After all, we are all born susceptible to society. How else would we acquire information? We are influenced by society to formulate certain thoughts. Would that then insinuate that society is evil and that we are born innocent? We typically associate innocence with youth, something that may suggest that evil is acquired over time. Having said that though, could the origin of evil also be from the creator of mankind? After all, where were those original thoughts of society derived? I suppose neither possibility can be definitively proven.</p>
<p>Wow, that is a lot of questions. I am posting this just to let you know I am in the process of answering them ALL.</p>
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<p>Yes, of course it does. “Society” itself is sort of vague, but I will take it to mean environmental factors, which of course affect it. Culture, relationships—all of these have been proven to affect your behavior. Often it is said that behavior in general is 50% genetics, 50% environment…There have been some awesome psychology experiments on stuff like this. I myself want to look more into them.</p>
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<p>Sort of answered above, but of course genetics is HUGELY important. It is a person’s nature. Some people might be genetically predisposed to be “evil” as our “society” deems it.</p>
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<p>Hypothetical: If a person’s genetics told them to kill 100 people a day, I would still consider them evil. Even though it’s “not their fault,” that does not release the culpability of their evilness. That being said, most mental disorders can be coped with and do not facilitate evil behavior; sociopaths seem to be predisposed to violence with emotional detachment, so that is worrisome…but just the mere fact that their genetics may have caused it does not mean they aren’t evil.</p>
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<p>Yes, it is hard to prove, and we probably won’t ever. Yes, agreed (to second sentence). We learn in many ways–from example, from perceptions, from reality–trillions upon billions upon zillions of ways. We are constantly acquire information so it’s impossible to pinpoint a certain acquisition that makes someone evil.</p>
<p><em>continued on next post…</em></p>
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<p>Society as a whole cannot be described as evil. Certain people may be evil, but the parts don’t add up to the sum in this case. We are born innocent in the sense that we haven’t done anything “bad” yet. So, yes we are innocent. But it’s not necessarily “evil society” that corrupts young minds–it can be those young minds itself. </p>
<p>*Note: I really like books/movies/music that deals with ideas of lost innocence…for some reason it fascinates me. </p>
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<p>^See above about connection with innocent youth. I think acquisition of evil cannot be determined; it’s neither 100% continual or 100% turning point. It sort of happens, because of an amalgam of inexplicable reasons. What is the origin of evil? How can one say? Evil does not originate from one source, but many, in my belief. It is like Pandora’s box, except the box was open from the start of mankind.</p>
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<p>Original thoughts of society? Society is vague. Original thoughts cannot be determined, and is also vague. Thoughts are borne from people…each thought by each person has the potential to be original. Some thoughts have been…thought millions of time. It is impossible to prove the origin of evil thoughts, of evilness, or of “evil society.” We can also point to facets of it…but never enough to create a whole picture.</p>
<p>Ok, you don’t have to reply, but I’m going to comment on what you said lol</p>
<p>Haha alright! But I might be compelled to reply.</p>
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<p>Perhaps I should have defined what I identify society as. Society is a composition of thoughts and people. It’s a combination of a multitude of ideas and perspectives. However, these ideas and perspectives are compromised in a way in which the common ideas of society meet the basic needs of all individuals. This in turn suggests that there is little room for reformation and specific and unique ideas aren’t taken into as great of a consideration, because the majority of people or society aren’t in favor of them. The outside ideas are typically possessed by those who hold a greater amount of individuality and alternative thinking methods. </p>
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<p>I think a common belief shared by society is that an individual who carries out an evil action regardless of the reason is evil. However, is the individual truly evil, or is it solely the action? Most people can agree that thinking evil thoughts towards others is evil, but would that then insinuate that the individual themself is evil? Obviously there are greater levels of what we constitute as evil, but does that mean that if we undergo an evil action we should be considered evil?</p>