What is Good and Bad?
Are you a good person or a bad person?
Before you actually start reading this, I need you to truly ask yourself are you a good person or a bad person? Don't worry, take your time because the only way you can really appreciate this is if you answer that question first. Now, most of you probably said you're a good person and others might say that they think they're a pretty shitty person. Now I want you to take that word good and, bad whatever you characterize yourself as, and throw it the fuck out the window. Honestly, many people believe they are a great person and I agree there are great people, but everyone has a trait in them, some sort of characteristics that makes them shitty, and the same goes for people who are seen as bad; they too have something about them that is good. In saying that, I'm not talking about all the truly evil people. I'm talking about the school bully or the asshole who cut in line at the Starbucks. Was it a shitty thing for the guy to cut in front of you — of course but is this guy a bad guy just because of this one action?
If a guy who lost his job and his home and family asked you for $5 to get food, would you give it to him? Some say no, others say yes. Researchers say that more than 95% of the world is charitable and very giving, but what about the other 5%. Is that 5% of the world population bad because they're not as giving? I believe in my heart that they're not, because when it comes down to it, less than 30% of people who do donate do it because they really care and are doing it not to make themselves look good. Now when I say that, they still have the selfishness of feeling good because of the action they performed. There is no pure goodness in the world, because people are never selfless, so no one can really perform a selfless act or be truly good.
The only way to truly be a good person is if you gave everything you have to someone you just met and even laid down your life for them and that action didn't bring anything good to yourself. Now I, for one, wouldn’t do that, would you? Even if you say yes, will you really do it? I mean, in this world it’s easy to say you would do something than actually doing something. I think as humans we have failed each other in the fact that we can't be selfless. If you think you have truly done something selfless please share it with the world, but remember if that action ever brings you happiness or some form of happiness at any point in your life, may it be right before you die, that action will then be a selfish act. Many of you will be angry at this, but if you really calm down and listen you will understand that it's true. No one is better than anyone else and I think in today's society and honestly, throughout history, we have never understood that. One day I hope my dream, and I am sure some of you readers out there have the same dream, that we all stop fucking around and really come together and make the world a safe happy place to live where no one is selfish and no one is above anyone else comes true.
Something that got me started feeling this way was when I was a little younger and just about to get into high school. I watched this documentary about the homeless and how they live and how they are treated and it truly made me feel heartbroken. I thought to myself: why the fuck are we just sitting here not doing anything to really help them? I wanted to give those people everything I had. Something that really stood out to me about the film was in one of the scenes a homeless man is given $5 and he went and bought food for a dog that lived on the streets. The man himself had not eaten in weeks and did something not for himself, but for this starving dog. I really believe the closest thing to a selfless act is that action. A man who has nothing giving up a meal that he so desperately needs to survive and gives it to a dog. It really makes you think how can we say we are good people if there are people who do that.
We all have a part of us that is good and bad. I believe that with all my heart and soul but there are things about everyone that are just shitty. I remember just in October, so not too long ago, my girlfriend and I were walking down the road and a man asked if I had a few dollars I could spare and I said no, because I only had $20 bills. Now, the first thought that came to mind when I think about this is I am a man that doesn't have much money himself, but is that a real reason why I can give to this man that needs that money more then I did at the time? Would you have given the man the money or done the same? Even if I did give that man money and felt shitty about it, I know that I would feel good about it later in life when I have more money and I would look back at that moment and it would bring me happiness.
Another example of this would be a few months ago I donated to a charity and right after I did it I had to think to myself was it to make myself feel good or because I really cared? I still think about it and I don’t truly think I will ever know the answer to the question. Yes, I care but in the end, it's still selfish and really no one who is selfish can truly be 1000% good.
I know I said donating to charity doesn't make you good, but at the bottom of the page I am going to link a few charities you should donate to or at least visit and consider donating too. Yes, this may still be a selfish act, but really fuck it. Your donation and mine will still somewhat add up to helping someone and if we feel good about it, fuck it. We are still helping our fellow humans out. In the end, I think we all just want to look less shitty than the truly evil people in the world.
Links to 5 Charities to check out:
About the Creator
Robin Toope
I write about what I feel and different views I have that others might share.
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