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Permalink Reply by John Galt on March 13, 2013 at 8:21pm

I am a good man. I am a bad man. I am neither. I am both.

It all comes down to perspective.

Moreover, it comes down to reasons. If you do the right thing for the wrong reasons, does it make you a good guy? And vice versa.

All we can do is try to follow a moral compass, never needlessly causing harm to our fellow men.

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Permalink Reply by D.J. on March 14, 2013 at 1:18am

Am I in a confessional?

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Permalink Reply by Rick Shelton on March 14, 2013 at 8:07am

There is not one person in this whole world; now or ever. that is completely without sin (excepting Jesus of course).  The question is how far one goes.

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Permalink Reply by Carl Monster on March 14, 2013 at 9:09am

I'm no angel.

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Permalink Reply by Corey C. Jordan on March 14, 2013 at 11:54am

This doesn't require a degree in philosophy, or any self justification....

Unless you're a sociopath, you know right from wrong.

Often, doing the right thing is harder than doing the wrong thing. Many people are just lazy.

Remember this? "Character is how you behave when no one is looking".

The Golden Rule; in all things, treat everyone as you would want to be treated.

So, just do the right thing.

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Permalink Reply by swmnguy on March 14, 2013 at 11:59am

Very true, all of it.

It is, however, pretty easy for people to let themselves think they have no choice but to do the wrong thing; even when they do know right from wrong.  They're almost always sorry, and right away, but then the rationalizations kick in.  That's the thing I always try to watch out for in myself.  "Am I just making excuses for myself?  When have I really, truly, not had a choice?"  The answer is usually "Never."  You always have a choice, at least to some degree.  The hard part is to make sure you're not letting yourself be lazy, as you put it.

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Permalink Reply by David F. on March 18, 2013 at 9:42am

Economically?

As a consumer my purchases to effect lives.  Buying cheapest boosts the common person of developing economies at a loss for the common person of the developed economies.  So am I a Villain or a Hero?    

Buying online helps the shipping workers of my community but not the small shops.

 So am I Villain or Hero?  Depend who is hurt and who is helped.

Career?  Or perhaps I am a Hero for not being a Villain?  I have looked at careers and wondered if it would be slippery slope for my morals.  Would it be easy to be at a distance making calls about systems and people I really don’t know or only know from one aspect?  Would I get jaded or would I just say I’m just an engineer and pass the moral responsibility along the chain?    

I am neither Hero nor Villain.  I am a man trying to make his way in the world to provide a good home for his wife and son and decent life.  I do try to look at the balance of forces and choose paths for which if I am called to justify I can.  But a truth is that at the end of the day justifications are excuses.  

I don’t think there is really is clear right and wrong in the real world.  To any clear line in the sand one can find a situation that would cause people to cross the line.

 

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Permalink Reply by Augustin on March 19, 2013 at 12:48pm

I am my own worst enemy; I am my arch-nemesis who I aim to surpass and defeat in all aspects. This is really how I see myself. 

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Permalink Reply by Jeff "Jeffro" Kylberg on March 19, 2013 at 2:46pm

Every mans' life is like a checkered pavement. As the pavement is made of both black and white tiles so is a mans life made of both good and bad.

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