Does Being Against Evil Make You a Good Person?
Evil?
Is there really an answer?
That is one of the questions that has undoubtedly intrigued humanity since the beginning of time: "How do you know if I am a good or a bad person?" "How about I think I'm doing someone some kind of good, but I'm really hurting them," among many other questions. Perhaps those kinds of questions from the human mind are of the kind that doesn't have just one answer. Perhaps the questions of this type have several answers and there is not one that is valid, but each one, according to his own life experiences, chooses the one that suits them best or the one that is most related to their values.
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.”
― Mahatma Gandhi
Where does evil originate?
It is one is the questions that have drilled the minds of scientists and thinkers for centuries. There are those who affirm that evil is something innate to the heart of man from the moment he or she is born. However, there are other thinkers who affirm that the human being is a good entity by nature, and that the pain generated by those circumstances that are beyond their reach is what can change the course of his or her kind nature. In addition, there are scientists who have dedicated themselves to working hard to demonstrate that the evil of the human being has its origin in various causes of the biological type. Centuries pass, and more and more theories continue to emerge about the point of origin of human evil. Perhaps there is no single cause to blame for the origin of evil. Perhaps the moral nature of the human being is a construction that is constantly changing, product of different factors, and therefore, never remains static.
“People who claim that they're evil are usually no worse than the rest of us... It's people who claim that they're good, or any way better than the rest of us that you have to be wary of.”
― Gregory Maguire, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
What is evil or “bad”?
It is understood that something bad is something we do, whether consciously or unconsciously to provoke some prejudice or damage to something or someone. But is there a way to know if what we do is absolutely wrong? That is completely questionable. Although there have always been thinkers or theologians who affirm that it can be said that there are certain rules that determine the situations in which it will always be considered “bad” to do certain things, but that idea that there are absolutes when speaking of evil, is completely questionable. There are things that were considered habitual in certain times and that are now prohibited by common sense, such as, for example, making human sacrifices to satisfy some deity. How can we know if what we consider “normal” today will be seen as a complete aberration by everyone tomorrow? After all, human culture, and with it, the values of every single human being, are always evolving.
Being against evil makes you a good person?
Looking at it very superficially, that question should not even be asked, since no one who is mentally healthy would dare to say that they are in favor of something that could cause harm to others. But this question is much more complex than it appears. What do you consider "bad"? Stop for a moment and think that there is a very high possibility that what you consider "bad" will be considered positive by someone else, and a very serious conflict of interest could start there. Remember that everyone has a different level of values, and what you consider bad may not be so bad for the person next to you. So yes, as peculiar as it may seem, you can be against evil, and not be considered a good person. At the end of the day, the line between good and bad can get very blurred.
