Heart

“I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.”
-Anne Frank

Philosophers and thinkers from all places and across all age have thought about humanity’s true nature. Are people inherently good or evil? But to answer that, we must first answer what it means to be good or evil.

Ultimately, the distinction between good and evil is defined by the society we’ve created and the social contract that we live by. Being kind is a behavior of good people, but it doesn’t really serve any distinct purpose for ourselves or our survival. Most of the time, the people who do good are the ones who are hurt the most. They give themselves up for the benefit of others who take all that they can and aren’t obligated to give anything back. People say that being good is it’s own reward and while the satisfaction of doing good deeds does exist, the pain exists as well. However, we as a society and a culture have chosen to value kindness because in the big picture it helps us more. If we value kindness and goodness then it increases the odds that when we are in need someone will be kind and good to us. And when we are good to someone else, we are recognized for it. Evil too, or at least its strict definition, is also dependant upon society’s rules and our interpretations of it. Take murder. Murder is wrong. It is an evil act to wipe another life off the Earth, especially when we have no idea what lies beyond. Murder, regardless of culture, is recognized as an evil act when it serves no purpose. However, the wickedness of murder becomes blurred when it is viewed through different lenses. What about murder in self-defense? If one is in danger of losing one’s own life can they be pardoned for their inherently wicked crime of murder? What about a person who kills in defense of their country? Soldiers and veterans are honored for their time in their service regardless of the people they’ve killed. The lines between goodness and wickedness are now immensely difficult to place and become subjective. So we have established that good and evil, or at least our applicable interpretations of these absolutes, are founded upon our society and culture rather than something intrinsically held in humanity. Now we can answer the original question.

Is humanity inherently good or evil?

What follows is only my opinion on the subject. I believe that humanity as a whole must be inherently good. Why do I believe that? Because humanity grew to value altruism. And for a society to value and cherish goodness, that society and the members of it must have been good at some point without the reward that it currently has now. Furthermore, the people who valued kindness recognized goodness and decided to reward it without any need for reward and that act in and of itself is good. I don’t suppose that all people are good. I also don’t suppose that all people are bad. There is potential for both in every human being. Whether you are remember for goodness or wickedness comes down to the decisions you make in life and the impact you leave on this world and the people who knew you.