The first book I read in English class this year was The World According to Garp, a book known for its forward thinking and provocative material. During a conversation in class, a question arose about Garp, Jenny, and the other main characters: are they good people? Writers often portray main characters as flawed, yet ultimately ethnically good human beings; however Garp and Co constantly walk a moral line. My conclusion: no, they were not good people, but they weren’t horrible people either.
If I were to ask people on the street if they considered themselves to be a good person, I am almost positive most people would say yes. Nevertheless, the fact remains that statistically people are predominantly average human beings. Still, I do think it says something that people, in general, want to be kind-hearted. They want to help people in need, or stand up for animal rights. They speak out against discrimination, or stick up for a friend. Sometimes, yes, people harbor selfish incentives; nonetheless, a good deed is still a good deed.
Defining a good person is difficult because I don’t want to put constraints around it. To be morally good, to me at least, a person needs to try to be moral, by whatever standards fit his/her own definition. He/she also needs to understand the personality traits that set him/her back, and in doing so, he/she can make an effort to remedy them.
With such a vague definition, it is tough to ask specific questions. A potential question could be what
If some humans have a separate nature that tends towards bad, then not all humans are inherently good.
Everyone is capable of being good. But the question you should be asking is if that’s their desire. People are capable of anything. They can also be very tempted by their bad side or their risk-taking side, which can be brought out by others. Some people have a lower tolerance for temptation which makes it easier for them to do what other people say. Such people are also known as followers. They can be tempted by bad things while trying to do the right thing. Each person’s personality can affect everyone around them. People’s cores can be fundamentally good but they could be tempted or affected by others.
According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English (1996), the notion “good” is defined as: “Good1 (adj.) 1. Having the right or desired qualities; one that is bright and cheerful. 2. Beneficial. 3. Efficient, competent; able to do what is required. 4.pleasing, agreeable; advantageous. Good2 (n.) 1.
Harsh circumstances often produce good people. An example of this is Gabriela, a character in the book Tree Girl by Ben Mikealsen. In the book Gabriela went through many hard times, such as her family dying and being a victim of the Mayan genocide. Despite these hard times, Gabriela still showed the qualities of a good person. People have many outstanding qualities, two of the most important are honesty and kindness.
First of all, what makes a good person? What are the beliefs or principle as to what makes a good person. Is it someone who brings justice, honor, or one who does good deed? Could it be someone who is intelligent, spiritual, and calm like Siddhartha? Or someone who is as noble as Macbeth?
Being described as a good individual means, you have listened to the word of God and have portrayed the traits that he shared with you. Being good means 3 things. “Act Justly” - You need to be fair and honest with EVERY person and seek to bring justice to those who are mistreated or taken advantage of. “Love Mercy” – people all mess up, and when they do people appreciate someone who is sympathetic and forgiving. Forgiveness doesn’t mean consequences are removed. Forgiveness though doesn’t request revenge, it seeks advice and helps to put them back on track. “Walk humbly with your God” – When someone has no fear, that person makes themselves God and will rationalize all kinds of evil. But to live in a way in which you think is pleasing God, is a good way to live. Evil people are those who are unable to show empathy
However, with the information from the article, I feel that I can justify my original thought. When I think of charity, I think of it in a positive light. People are encouraged to be selfless and humble, and I think donating money to charity is the easiest and quickest way to do so. In addition, people are also encouraged to volunteer. I volunteer on a regular basis at a soup kitchen in Oakland. When people ask me why I volunteer, they automatically assume it is for school. I always tell them I do it because I like it, which is the truth. I admit that I used to think I had an exceptionally good heart for choosing to volunteer, but this article has given me a new perspective. I now see selflessness as an emotional impulse rather than “something that’s very abstract and
I believe that we are all inherently good, to begin with. Firstly, a newborn baby won't have the mentality of a criminal or any evil/dangerous person. For example, when you're a baby you don't think about hurting someone, stealing something or making someone's life miserable, you think about eating, playing or random things. Secondly, usually, those who are evil only do so because of society, how they were raised, their experiences and by their surroundings, For instance, people can be influenced by society, (their parents, friends, school, social media and overall their
Even though many people believe that there are good hearted people in the world, many do not. When a person commits a random act of kindness it just shows that there is more good than bad in this world. More
The word good could have many meanings depending on what it is relating to but when the subject is a man it almost always means that person has integrity and dependability. Good is a term relative with things such as honor, loyalty, and courage and when someone is called good it always almost means they have one or all of these qualities. To some they may see a great man as a person who is reliable and truthful. Although good can be defined in numerous ways, In William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, it is evident that Brutus is the better man because of his strength to choose his pride over captivity, his unwavering loyalty to the people of Rome and his Nobility showing wisdom and honesty when addressing his wrongdoings toward Caesar.
I do not believe that people are naturally good or naturally bad, you can choose whether or not you are good or bad. There are many people in this world that have chosen to be bad, they try to corrupt the minds of the world with their horrible influence on others. Although there are people in this world who have chosen to be bad there are also many people that have chosen to be good. A good person tries their best to be kind and caring to others, spreading their joy and compassion towards the people around them. In my opinion, it helps to always try and have a good influence on other people because your actions will affect how people think of you and how they will probably act later on.
I think people are good because after all the damages all this hurricanes have made they been helping with all the help all they can.Some can be bad and not help and there is others that do help others.Even if it's something simple try and
People are not bad by nature. Humans are good by default, but not everyone is the
Being good could mean being a good citizen that follows the laws. It also means avoiding getting fines and committing crimes that lead some to end up in prison or jail. This means being a stand-up citizen or a role model to other citizens so that they could also act in a civilized manner. They follow all the rules and regulations of the local, state, and federal government. Not speeding and getting a parking ticket, reporting any crimes, and doing community service are one of the many ways a citizen can be a good. Being a good person could also mean that being a Samaritan. Examples of being a
Humans cannot help but ask themselves, are the acts of goodness which are seen around them by others really true acts of good will or being good? Good will can be defined as a “kindly feeling of approval and support, benevolent interest or concern,” (Webster’s) and good can be defined as “morally excellent, virtuous, righteous, pious, excellence or merit, kindness, and a favorable character or tendency.” (Dictionary.com) Good can also be defined by the culture we live in and by what is also socially good and or correct. Good can be defined as doing what is right,