Sometimes bad people do bad things

a reply to: Liquesence

I'm not trying to imply any spiritual thing.

Evil is just a description that I use to label what some do. They choose to do it. Their sick thinking compels them to do it.


Sometimes, people are just born bad.

originally posted by: Tarzan the apeman.
a reply to: DBCowboy


They are hollow and feel no quilt. Its all about what they think and feel. The world and what is in it means nothing to them. They think the world would be a better place if there was no good in it.

But WHY are they this way?

That is the question....

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: ketsuko

We can't fix people. We're people and we aren't that smart.

Even if we did, there would still be evil people. Evil exists. Evil people exist.

No amount of "laws" will ever regulate evil people out of existence.

Not all bad people had to go that way. How many of those killed in the hood or doing the killing in the hood might have grown up to be otherwise normal citizens with a regular family background and a respect for education, even if they were raised in what most would consider poor circumstances?

How many who carry out violent crime due to substance abuse might not have done so if they had not taken their first hit, and what circumstances in their life led them to think they could take that first hit?

Understand, I am in no way excusing them for making the poor choices they made, but there are some things we could work on that would maybe help improve the chances that a poor choice might not be so common.

a reply to: Liquesence

Good start.

Love thy neighbor as you love thyself.

But I don't think a lot of people have every learned who they really are or what it means to love that person. If you can't love who you are, how can you love someone else?

And I think part of the issue is that we spend too much time making people feel good about themselves and not enough time trying to get people to learn who they are and explore that person in the sense of what they are actually capable of. I am referring here to the empty self-esteem movement.

Too many kids getting fed a diet of "you're so special" without having earned that sense of what it means to accomplish ... and actually, to have failed in the attempt, too. Those things are how we know ourselves.

a reply to: DBCowboy

I'm not trying to imply any spiritual thing.

Ok, never said you were. I just don't like the label "evil."

Evil is just a description that I use to label what some do. They choose to do it. Their sick thinking compels them to do it.

Gotcha.

Sometimes, people are just born bad.

I'm familiar with that concept, but I'm not sure I believe that. That's a debate in itself, whether people are born either good or bad. That would somewhat contradict the philosophical principle of tabula rasa.

Are people inherently good or bad, or is everything learned?

People, sure, are evil but still there's motive. Nobody does something for nothing.

The motive might not make sense to us, but we should know so we can possibly learn and prevent things like this in the future.

Understanding and knowledge is always good

a reply to: Liquesence

I would say people can be born bad.

What else would you label a psychopath? That's a serious issue to have to overcome in life.

originally posted by: Liquesence
That's a debate in itself, whether people are born either good or bad. That would somewhat contradict the philosophical principle of tabula rasa.

*phew*

That's above my pay grade.

Quick answer? I think people are born bad. But I did not stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

a reply to: Liquesence


The best thing I have read on this is The Story of the Two Wolves.

www.firstpeople.us...

It all depends on what one puts in their spirit/soul/conscience.

originally posted by: Rikku

Sometimes there is nothing we can do. Absolutely nothing.

i'm pretty sure theres alot you can do, other countrys dont have this problem.

the patronising 'bad people do bad things' is a pretty lame argument.

It's really not, especially on ATS.

I posted this in "the big thread" about the Vegas shooting:

Absolutely. We can try to piece together a picture that may have lead him to do what he did. Or, if the evidence shows otherwise, why what happened happened. But too often we see people, even on ATS, that for one reason or another (generally it's fear) that can't accept that there are bad people in the world, and that there are crazy people in the world, and sometimes those folks go and do bad and/or crazy things. Saying "it doesn't make sense that he'd go out this way" is a poor lens to look at events through, because the overwhelming majority of people in the world can't imagine being in a position where murdering dozens of people sounds like a good idea. So of course "it doesn't make sense" that somebody would be willing to do that. And it shouldn't make sense to most of us.

Lots of folks on ATS just can't accept the fact that there are bad/crazy/twisted/sick people in the world, and that bad people do bad things. The statement that sometimes there's nothing you can do is spot on. Not unless you've got the secret for pre-crime Minority Report type policing and just haven't bothered to share it with the rest of us.

a reply to: ketsuko

But people have done bad things since people have been around, so I don't accept that it's spending too much time making them feel special, which ultimately sets them up for disappointment when they fail, although I do think that is a valid contributing factor.

But I don't think a lot of people have every learned who they really are

I agree with that completely, and I think that is a reason so many people are screwed up.

If you can't love who you are, how can you love someone else?

I can agree with that. If you hate yourself, you might just blame everyone else for your misery, or adding to your self-loathing. I said in another thread, I think about the Vegas shooter, that people to tend to blame the "other" for their ills, either real or perceived. That also goes back to the selfishness I mentioned, as well as your comment about everyone being told or made to feel "special," only for that reality to be dashed at some point in life.

a reply to: Indigent

lets just lay on the ground and accept how crappy existence is...

Sorry your existence is so awful. Perhaps you should get off the internet for a while.

a reply to: Shamrock6

That's always what it seems to boil down to, no?

What OTHERS should and shouldn't have? Sometimes it's easier to default on what we know rather than think these things out on our own. Or, better yet, let someone else handle it.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: Liquesence

I would say people can be born bad.

What else would you label a psychopath? That's a serious issue to have to overcome in life.

A break with reality (psychosis) can occur at any stage in life.

Can a toddler be a psychopath? I suppose they can. Can a child be a psychopath? Sure, I suppose, but are they born that way or is it an environmental issue or a psychological onset? I have no idea.

a reply to: Shamrock6

Nope, i don't share the view of the op, i do think things can be done.

Your reply is a fine example of my view your culture is the cause of what is happening and proper education could fix it.

a reply to: kaylaluv

DB brought up a good point and your reaction is to throw it back in his face with your over reaction and extreme attitude?

Not surprised.

smh

Sometimes good people do bad things because they've been made to believe they have no other choice.

Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction...

a reply to: DBCowboy

If I were an Atheist who didn't believe in an afterlife or consequences it would be a lot easier to do something like this. I mean if our life is meaningless so are our actions and ultimately our deaths.

Brown guy? "Deport them ALL!!!"

Black guy? "It's this gang culture! We need LAW and ORDER!"

White guy? "Well SOMETIMES people are crazy. Let's not jump to conclusions..."

Every.

Single.

TIME.

a reply to: Indigent

i do think things can be done.

Please share them with us then.