What does it mean to be a good person?

[EveHarrington]

Maybe the question should be why do we feel a need to be a good person?

A dog doesn’t sit there and wonder if he is a good dog. It doesn’t even cross his mind. The dog is allowed to exist, regardless. Being good doesn’t play into his self perception of worthiness.

Kind of why I don’t like these sort of philosophical questions. They just f*ck with your mind.

 

[somerandomguy]

Kind of why I don’t like these sort of philosophical questions. They just f*ck with your mind.

It turns out that I agree with you, Eve.

So I decided that I am a good person and I didn't use philosophy to figure this out. My cat is a good cat. He just is - he's attentive, friendly, loving, and sweet. My son is a good person. He's good to his friends, warm, enthusiastic, empathetic to others, and always wants to do the right thing. If my cat and my son have those traits that make me consider them good, and I share those traits, then I also must consider myself a good person.

I guess after 9 pages this is a kind of anticlimactic conclusion, but it really worked for me. I am a good person.

 

[TruthSeeker]

I can see your point. Consider a bystander to abuse doesn’t themselves harm anyone-technically I guess-but This is one of the few exceptions -I have trouble with people standing by and doing nothing when harm is being done to another. Just my opinion though.

 

[mamachick]

@shatter eyes , thank you so much for sharing that. Friday made a really good point and Im so glad that you read that. Most of all, glad you realize that you are a good person.

 

[mamachick]

Dogs lick their butts too...We are not dogs, we are humans.
Its a discussion and I don't think there is a right or wrong answer.
I found the post to be thought provoking and answers to be interesting and something to think about, but then I like that kind of thing. I do think our own values influence our answers.

A similar question might be: "Who is more successful, a neurosurgeon, and NFL player, or a minister?"

 

[EveHarrington]

Dogs lick their butts too...We are not dogs, we are humans.
Its a discussion and I don't think there is...

Wow you really miss my point!

EVERY

SINGLE

species on this planet is worthy of being JUST BECAUSE!

Only humans assign this “not worthy enough” idea based on being “good” or having certain accomplishments.

Dogs, cats, orangutans, alligators, _fill in the blank with ANY other species_...is worthy of living, is ENOUGH, for no reason whatsoever.

It’s stupid humans who suddenly think that someone isn’t worthy of life because they aren’t good enough or smart enough or whatever enough. Who determines the definition of “good”? Who gets the right to decide that?

In summation, every other species has a leg up on us on this one. Even dogs you look down on because they lick their butts.

Get it now?

 

[mamachick]

Don't know what I did wrong in attempt to quote above ^^^
Humans Do get to decide for themselves. We get to choose to believe anything we wish. We get to choose what we believe is good and what is not. We DO judge ourselves and we DO judge others. We get to place value on what we choose. I can agree in theory. In a previous post I stated that we place too much value on what we do rather than just being. Yet in reality, it we did not have these values, we would not do all we do. If we were free of judgement, then we would not mind having a pedophile living next door. Maybe you missed my point EveHarrington.