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Is Mankind Inherently Evil, or Do We Learn This Behavior?
I believe everyone has the want to do evil things. Humans have their own free will; they decide what they want to do and what they don’t. It is the responsibility of a man or woman to make moral decisions. If someone is in a very serious fight with their parents, there are a variety of possible outcomes. Whether we want to believe it or not, the fight could either be a small quarrel, or the fight to escalate to the point of death. It is up to man to be responsible for their actions. However, men do not inherit evil.
Good People Do Exist
Not everyone is born evil, which implies mankind isn’t inherently evil. How can one assume this? Even though there is a long list of wicked men in history, there is also a long list of noble people. “Politiques” like Henry IV and Elizabeth I of England can be regarded as ideal political figures, while people like Jesus or the Buddha may be regarded as religious figures who do not make mistakes. Then again, there are people who have two sides.
Conscious People Make Conscious Decisions
No matter “which face you put on,” there are no excuses for committing immoral acts. Extenuating circumstances do not justify extenuating actions. However, it is not everyone’s intention to do unethical things. In Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr. Jekyll is a well-respected man and scientist. He was experimenting and found he could enjoy the good sides of life by becoming the deviant Mr. Hyde. Jekyll, in his letter, stated, “the moment I choose, I can be rid of Mr. Hyde” (Stevenson 114), but later Hyde starts to consume Jekyll’s body.
Dr. Jekyll succumbs to Hyde, and eventually he brings his life to an end. This represents the two sides, or “duality” of every man. No matter what one thinks, he or she is a different person around teachers, elders, or authorities than they are around their family or friends. Everyone has a good side and a bad side. The decision one has to make is which one they want to take over.
Peer Pressure
Sometimes, expectations set by others people to be evil. A great force that controls society today is peer pressure. In the Charles Manson Biography, Charles Manson is described as a cult leader responsible for organizing around 35 murders. He was constantly neglected by his young mother growing up, and spent a large amount of his life in prison. In 1967, he organized a group of young delinquents and followers as his “family” to live with him in San Francisco.
These children did not feel like they were committing evil acts; they felt they were obeying their father. They didn’t question their gut feeling. They could not distinguish the boundaries between good and evil. A human must distinguish these boundaries, or they might lose control of themselves.
The Line Between Good and Bad
Dr. Phillip Zimbardo examines how humans can turn evil; he conducted research and wrote The Lucifer Effect. The ‘Lucifer Effect’ describes the point in time when an ordinary, normal person first crosses the boundary between good and evil to engage in an evil action.” This shows that an ordinary person can learn to become bad. Some of the most notorious people were normal too. There was a transformation where one learns they could do immoral things and still try to fit in society.
Are We Born Evil?
Are bad guys good, or were they bad all along?
In the show, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, a trustworthy detective turns into a cold-blooded killer in a matter of seconds. Bad guys who used to be good can even be found in popular kids shows. In The Lion King , even though they he is an animal, Scar portrayed man-like qualities. Scar just wanted a chance to be king. He and his brother Mufasa got along, until power and greed came into play. Also, in Kim Possible, Dr. Drakken and Shego did not always plot to be evil. Dr. Drakken used to work with Kim’s dad, Dr. Possible, but then he figured he didn’t get the credit he deserved. Shego had a family of superheroes by her side, and one day she left them because she felt she didn’t belong.
Heros and villains can be found everywhere. Were heroes ever bad, and were villains ever good? Humans sense the right and wrong behavior as they grow up. It is up to them to make the decision as to whether or not they want to be bad. Regardless of how they grew up or ideals they were taught, mankind should listen to their conscious. Though men don't inherit evil, they surely can develop evil tendencies.
I believe everyone has the want to do evil things. Humans have their own free will; they decide what they want to do and what they don’t. It is the responsibility of a man or woman to make moral decisions. If someone is in a very serious fight with their parents, there are a variety of possible outcomes. Whether we want to believe it or not, the fight could either be a small quarrel, or the fight to escalate to the point of death. It is up to man to be responsible for their actions. However, men do not inherit evil.
Good People Do Exist
Not everyone is born evil, which implies mankind isn’t inherently evil. How can one assume this? Even though there is a long list of wicked men in history, there is also a long list of noble people. “Politiques” like Henry IV and Elizabeth I of England can be regarded as ideal political figures, while people like Jesus or the Buddha may be regarded as religious figures who do not make mistakes. Then again, there are people who have two sides.
Conscious People Make Conscious Decisions
No matter “which face you put on,” there are no excuses for committing immoral acts. Extenuating circumstances do not justify extenuating actions. However, it is not everyone’s intention to do unethical things. In Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr. Jekyll is a well-respected man and scientist. He was experimenting and found he could enjoy the good sides of life by becoming the deviant Mr. Hyde. Jekyll, in his letter, stated, “the moment I choose, I can be rid of Mr. Hyde” (Stevenson 114), but later Hyde starts to consume Jekyll’s body.
Dr. Jekyll succumbs to Hyde, and eventually he brings his life to an end. This represents the two sides, or “duality” of every man. No matter what one thinks, he or she is a different person around teachers, elders, or authorities than they are around their family or friends. Everyone has a good side and a bad side. The decision one has to make is which one they want to take over.
Peer Pressure
Sometimes, expectations set by others people to be evil. A great force that controls society today is peer pressure. In the Charles Manson Biography, Charles Manson is described as a cult leader responsible for organizing around 35 murders. He was constantly neglected by his young mother growing up, and spent a large amount of his life in prison. In 1967, he organized a group of young delinquents and followers as his “family” to live with him in San Francisco.
These children did not feel like they were committing evil acts; they felt they were obeying their father. They didn’t question their gut feeling. They could not distinguish the boundaries between good and evil. A human must distinguish these boundaries, or they might lose control of themselves.
The Line Between Good and Bad
Dr. Phillip Zimbardo examines how humans can turn evil; he conducted research and wrote The Lucifer Effect. The ‘Lucifer Effect’ describes the point in time when an ordinary, normal person first crosses the boundary between good and evil to engage in an evil action.” This shows that an ordinary person can learn to become bad. Some of the most notorious people were normal too. There was a transformation where one learns they could do immoral things and still try to fit in society.
Are We Born Evil?
Are bad guys good, or were they bad all along?
In the show, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, a trustworthy detective turns into a cold-blooded killer in a matter of seconds. Bad guys who used to be good can even be found in popular kids shows. In The Lion King , even though they he is an animal, Scar portrayed man-like qualities. Scar just wanted a chance to be king. He and his brother Mufasa got along, until power and greed came into play. Also, in Kim Possible, Dr. Drakken and Shego did not always plot to be evil. Dr. Drakken used to work with Kim’s dad, Dr. Possible, but then he figured he didn’t get the credit he deserved. Shego had a family of superheroes by her side, and one day she left them because she felt she didn’t belong.
Heros and villains can be found everywhere. Were heroes ever bad, and were villains ever good? Humans sense the right and wrong behavior as they grow up. It is up to them to make the decision as to whether or not they want to be bad. Regardless of how they grew up or ideals they were taught, mankind should listen to their conscious. Though men don't inherit evil, they surely can develop evil tendencies.