Better than worst?

[Kreskin]

I once heard the the quote "people are better than the worst thing they've done". Yet a person can do one horrible thing in life and that's what they are forever judged by.

Or is it better to look at it like "people are only as good as the worst thing they've done"?

 

[L Gilbert]

Heh heh. I kinda prefer, most people are generally good, but fk up once in a while.

 

[karrie]

no one action in any person's life is a defining point. The sum of the whole is necessary for everyone.

 

[Kreskin]

In reality is it that way? When we see a guy interviewed in prison is he a regular guy who committed a crime or is he just a criminal? It seems some exceptional behavioral mistakes forever become the driver of peoples lives. It's pretty standard for business to not hire anyone with a criminal record. That person's character is forever judged by the one event. I guess there isn't much else for those of us to judge them on, but some mistakes become terminal character judgments.

 

[karrie]

In reality is it that way? When we see a guy interviewed in prison is he a regular guy who committed a crime or is he just a criminal? It seems some exceptional behavioral mistakes forever become the driver of peoples lives. It's pretty standard for business to not hire anyone with a criminal record. That person's character is forever judged by the one event. I guess there isn't much else for those of us to judge them on, but some mistakes become terminal character judgments.

What sort of criminal record? I know plenty of men who are employed despite criminal records. My dad is one of them. But, we do give different crimes different weights. It's generally considered that nothing you can do will outweigh a crime committed which strips someone else of their life, or their human rights. I may be a complete and utter saint, teaching children to read, feeding the homeless, planning the church picnics. But, if I decide one night to murder my husband for the insurance money, it outweighs pretty much everything else. On the other hand, if the worst thing I've ever done is drive drunk, then chances are, despite it being a federal offense, people are going to let the rest outweigh my mistake. It's a matter of weighing out all the good and the bad, in my opinion.

 

[able]

It takes 10 pats on the back to get 1 "good boy". It takes 1 "aw s**t" to wipe it all out. Human nature being what it is, we find it easier to believe or accept the worst about people, and that is the problem with the human race. It makes us no better or worse, just a pain in the a*s.

 

[Pangloss]

Kreskin:

I prefer to go with Aristotle's "People are what they repeatedly do."

If you are kind more often than not, well then you're mostly kind. Same with every other characteristic. Repetition is what shows who we are.

To judge someone by one thing they've done might have some value, like an act of heroism or barbarism; while it might never be repeated in their lifetime, it gives some insight into who they are. But it's the everyday things that I think we are judged by, for the most part. If you are consistently friendly, happy and nice, why wouldn't people think well of you and want to be around you?

If you then did something bad, maybe then it wouldn't be so hard to get back into people's good graces.

Same goes for an average person in a generous. low-stress environment. Since there is nothing at stake, if you did a bad thing, simple contrition might be enough to get back in everybody's good graces.

But what if you live in a competitive environment? Well then, betrayal and mean judgment might abound. The slightest slip and you're an outcast forever.

Sorry I can't give you a simple answer - people and the world we create well - it's all so complicated.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Pangloss

 

[Pangloss]

Karrie:

I just noticed you wrote my whole damned post in two sentences.

Smartypants.

Pangloss

 

[karrie]

Karrie:

I just noticed you wrote my whole damned post in two sentences.

Smartypants.

Pangloss

I try, and on the rare occasion succeed. lol. Thanks.

 

[sanctus]

I try, and on the rare occasion succeed. lol. Thanks.

Karrie, your new avatar looks neat. Who is the character?

 

[eh1eh]

No one should be judged on their worst deeds. Conversley, are people worse than their best?
I find people are usually greater than the sum of their parts.:smile:

 

[karrie]

Karrie, your new avatar looks neat. Who is the character?

She's a character from Stephanie McMillan's comic strip 'Minimum Security' It's a unique little strip if you get time to check it out. I can't say I share all her views, but, she has a unique way of presenting them.

here's the precise strip my av's from.

http://newstandardnews.net/content/?action=show_cartoon&itemid=3446