What does it mean to be a good person? Many people have ideas of what it means to be a good person. The article talks about how we as humans desire to be a good person, or happy. We desire emotionally to be a good person to feel in contact with other humans.
The article says that people complicate or don't understand what it means to be a good person. Herriet Lerner says " being a good person requires that we work towards that unrealized world where the dignity and integrity of all human beings, all life, are honored and respected."
Chan Phap Dung says " With repetition, we begin to see and understand ourselves better and choose to do one thing rather than another." The article talks about more people and their idea of being a good person.
For me, I am a good person, but there are times that I am a bad person. There are times where I have regrets, like last night. I did something that I'm not happy that I did, and I will have to live it forever, but she forgiven me. I think humans have good attention, but every once in a while you do something with good attention, and then end up hurting other people.
It is part of us humans that want to feel like we belong, and we are loved, and for us to know we are a good person. In my opinion, no one is good. Sure, you did more good than bad, but we are all human. Humans are bad. We all make mistakes, we all do bad things, but just because we're bad people, doesn't mean we can't help one another.
'Good' is a subjective term based on a values continuum. Some of those values are socially imprinted through family, religion, friends, and other interactions with the outside world. We each develop our own personal values continuum based on these things.
For me, being 'good' means being respectful, kind, thoughtful, considerate, supportive, responsible, reliable, helpful, gentle with those more delicate, ferocious against those who would seek to hurt the gentle. For me, being 'good' means holding myself to certain standards like trying not to lie, steal, destroy or hurt others.
It matters more to know yourself that you are 'good' by your own standards than to hear it from others who may have different standards, a religious agenda or just trying to flatter.
I like to think of myself as a good person and I strive to be someone who is viewed as very kind. In competitive online games, I used to be the kid who would constantly criticize teammates and generally spread negativity within the team. After one specific game, I messaged someone criticizing their gameplay like always. Now I don’t remember exactly what they replied, but I remember it just blew me away at how kind they were back to me and how rude I was being. Since then I have changed my attitude to be the kind, reassuring, and positive teammate. Since this reform I have had a much better time playing online games and spreading positivity.
In this question on what makes a person good and what this ‘goodness’ is, I think it’s important to realize that being good and doing good things is entirely subjective. This is why I think that goodness is more about intention, which is a lot less blurry. For example, if you were to donate a lot of money to a child relief program so that you could help the children in need, then that would be a good action. But if you did the same thing so you can be featured in a magazine and talked about on twitter then that act in less ‘good’ even if the money is helpful.
I think good and bad are very polarizing and are often portrayed at such extremes people don’t know how to judge themself. When in reality it much more likely that the overwhelming majority of people are somewhere in the middle. Which is fine, as everyone is dealing with their own lives and challenges. Overall I think it comes down to wanting to improve yourself to be better even if it is in small steps and doing things with the correct intention.
Am I a good person?
Well, that depends ,what does it mean to be a good person? There is no definitive answer for what makes a person ‘good’ causing me to wonder if one person can simply be ‘good’. I believe I’m a kind person, I try my best to be open minded and I try my best to be honest, but do these qualities make me a good person. What happens when I lie to protect the feelings of others does this make me a liar or does this make me someone looking out for a friend. Cheryl Strayed said that goodness “can be as simple as offering to let someone ahead of you in line and as complicated as making years long sacrifices of your freedom because someone you love needs your help.” and yes, those are both great examples of good deeds but can these deeds determine if the person who performed them is good? When I think of a good person I automatically think of people like Mahatma Gandhi who sacrificed his life day by day in order to ensure that an entire nation would be treated fairly. Furthermore, if Gandhi is the standard for being a good person then I am far from it ,but I’m kind and I care about others and I am always willing to help, so despite not being Gandhi I am a good person.I have good intentions and the good that I’ve done in my life out way the bad in my opinion, but then again, who am I to say that there isn't someone out there that thinks I’m a bad person.
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I'm not sure if i am a good person
I feel in between
I'm a good person and a bad person at the same time
Plus, nobody's perfect or should a say Pobody's Nerfect.
@Jennifer jay welch Aka Jess
I agree, we are both good and bad people, but that doesn't mean we can help one another. We do good things, and bad things, but doesn't mean we are good people.
In my opinion we can all be good people at times and what you do with what you have shows if you are a good person or not. Usually good people help others and care for what they have including the people around them. You might be called a good person for picking up trash and saving the world or for helping the elderly cross the street. A truly good person is hard to find because we all have our faults. So yes, I can be a good person most of the time and strive to be. I strive to help others before myself. The author and former “Dear Sugars” podcast host Cheryl Strayed said “Goodness is expressed through loving kindness, generosity of spirit and deed, and the thoughtful consideration of others.” If people were to do this often they would be considered good people. In the generation today you don’t find many good people. Most are very prideful and have a big ego because of what they read on twitter comments. They chose to believe this and hold dearly to those comments. That is why you need to be careful of what you say on the internet. Putting out positive energy and good vibes should be a priority so that everyone can be happy. Then you are a good person.
Being a good person doesn’t seem to be the best way to capture a person who commits acts that may be considered as “good.” No one can ever really be considered to be an overall “good” person. To answer whether I am a good person or not, my response would be: “I don’t know” “I don’t think I can ever be”. I can imagine an assumption from the audience that I am uncertain, or uneducated on what it means to be a good person, or frankly if a “good” person ever exists at all. Philosophy is a major contributor to my process of thinking, evaluating, and analyzing my day to day life and reflecting on what sort of encounters I can improve on. Understanding that everyone, at heart, is just a person, choosing to shift their image by the actions they choose to do is what improves their image and reputation; I would rephrase “good person” with “A person who commits acts of good.” Although my rephrasing might seem as a definition of good person, the rephrasing portrays the person’s actions as a verb rather than describing them with an adjective. There is no perfect person in the world, it is exceedingly unrealistic to make that claim. Am I a good person, am I a person who commits acts of good? I can never truly answer that question, because the good in acts is when they remain anonymous, that is when it is truly only out of the goodness of your heart..
I think I am a decent person, others like my teachers call me good but all I really do is stay quiet because I am not very social, but I do put my friend's needs before my own and when they are down I try to cheer them up and whenever I think I did something wrong, I will often try to not do it again and apologize. Often times when I play online games, I am a bit selfish and that's just me. I don't exactly know how to respond to Chertly Strayed but letting someone ahead of you in line or making yearlong sacrifices can be nice things, but that does not always determine that you're good but you have respect for others. The advice I got to be good is to stay positive and just be kind.
I feel like deciding whether or not I am a good person is an arbitrary thing to do. I try to be a kind and caring person but I don’t make a lot of sacrifices for others. “Goodness” is hard to define, but I feel like goodness is something that is seen more in the actions and intentions of someone than anything else. The actions people make and the sacrifices they make for other people, either large or small, all contribute to how “good” a person is perceived to be. Something that resonated with me in this article is the suggestion for people to hold themselves accountable for their actions. This struck me more than the other suggestions because holding yourself accountable is a very difficult thing to do when it is so easy and more convenient to pin the blame on another party. I don’t necessarily have a problem with holding myself accountable but I know that I don’t do so nearly as much as I would be willing to admit. I’ve constructed my own sort of moral code based mostly on how I have observed other people being kind and being generally “good” people. I try to stick to my own moral code as much as I can, and I feel that whether or not that code is a good one is up to me based on what I have observed. But none of that means anything if it isn't put into practice. The advice I would give to someone who is striving to be good is to create a code or find where your morals lie and then stick to that. Don't be afraid to tweak your morals if you think you can be a better person.
When measuring the factor of “goodness” it overall varies from person to person. Many view our soldiers as being good people for the sake of them fighting for our side but often look the other side when our military commits many war crimes such as killing countless civilians in the Vietnam war. “Goodness” is often characterized by being selfless, kind, and generous. Being a good person, in my opinion, is being kind and caring and empathizing with others. I believe everyone strives to be a good person but often are dealt with problems that interfere with their ability to be good. As with everyone I am not perfect and make mistakes that can cause frustration which in turn creates actions with malice intent. I’ve done many bad things in my short time here but changed overall to be a good person by being kind, empathetic and generous. Do my good actions overshadow the bad actions that I have committed; I believe this is a detrimental factor when deciding a person is good or not. Even if a person does countless actions of kindness does it overshadow the malice they have done in their life? This, in turn, is why I believe many strive to be good but often can not achieve this impossible feat, rather people try to be the best they can. Overall I view myself as the ladder, someone who tries to be good when they can, but can never achieve this feat because of the mistakes they’ve committed in their past.
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Goodness is not necessarily about your actions, but your intention. A billionaire is not a good person for donating to charity, but for caring about the well-being of others and acting as a result of this attitude. Good people don’t do things for praise; they do things out of love and respect. We don’t know the true intentions of others, but we still assume they are good; whether that is truly visible through emotions or lack of is a matter of personal opinion.
We all want to believe that we are good, and strive to do good things. But the key to true goodness is by acting selflessly. Live life for other people. Be the person to help those that may have hit rock-bottom, or those that are approaching failure. Nothing is more good and selfless than sacrificing a part of your life, whether it be in money, time, relationships, etc. Of course, you must leave room to take care of yourself, but giving just a bit of what you have out of the goodness of your heart can spark the goodness in someone else.
Many of my morals come from my religion. We are taught to lead others to a path that will free one of addiction, depression, or lostness. It doesn’t mean enforcing our beliefs onto them, a common misconception of believers and peers. There are always opportunities to help family, friends, and strangers with whatever struggles they face, regardless of who they are and what they have done in their lives. As young as I am, I still have hope that there is goodness in everyone.
"Goodness" isn't something you are, it's only something you can strive to be. Making mistakes, like saying something regretful to someone else while you were angry, is not something good, but I think a lot of people don't see that something as simple as apologizing can really lift someone's spirits. Something I've been doing lately is going over the mistakes I'd made that day and asking myself, "how can I do better tomorrow?" and I think it's really been helping me strive toward the unreachable benchmark of being truly a good person. I entirely agree with Harriet Lerner in the article, saying that "kindness is at the very center of what it means to be good". Even at your school, in fact, being silent and good in class can lower your teacher's stress level, therefore doing your teacher(s) a kind favor. I think my idea of "good" comes from the idea of "obedient", but of course goodness means more than that. If you at least TRY to be good, try to be truly and perfectly good, then I think that's pretty much as good as donating your kidney to someone in need of one. In my opinion, just doing a small act of kindness can go a pretty long way.
So that is what I think about "good".
“Goodness” is not something that can be numerically measured. Whether someone is good or not is an opinion, not a fact. People want to be perceived as good, no one wants to be known as a bad person, but some people, myself included, find it difficult to always be a “good” person. To always keep a smile when you really want to scream, to be kind to everyone even when that kindness is not reciprocated, these are hard things to do. These are things that I struggle with, and things I know many other people struggle with too. A key part of this article that really stuck with me is what Rachana Kamtekar said about holding ourselves accountable. The way I interpret this is to be truthful with one’s self, to not put up a facade, but to let one’s imperfections show. In my opinion, everyone has good qualities, no one is just “good” or “bad”, much like how nothing is just black or white, people can donate as much money as they want, they can do as much community service and good deeds as they can, but what represents pure goodness is when we “hold ourselves accountable”. If I had to give someone advice about being “good”, I would tell them exactly that, I would tell them to hold themselves accountable and to remember, that no one is one hundred percent “good”, just like how no one is perfect. People have good and bad qualities, and that’s just the way we were made. Being “good” is not rooted in doing “good” deeds, it is rooted in honesty, kindness, and selflessness.
Although everyone’s interpretation of a good person varies, uncountable amounts of people will agree with psychologist and author Harriet Lerner when she suggests that “kindness is at the center of what it means to be good.” Often, a good person is generous; a good person is selfless, and a good person is always willing to help others. Ultimately, a good person is a kind person. The media has a tremendous impact on why society defines good as kind. Everyday we come across news stories regarding people and their good deeds such as broadway violinist Martin Agee playing classical music for abused dogs or civilians paying for each other’s drinks in a Starbucks drive thru. Similarly, people witness others around them donating toys to a local toy drive. Kind acts can be big or small, and everyone has the choice to choose kindness. Not every good person will make the headlines, but they will positively impact people around them. Ultimately, I believe a good person is determined based on how one makes others feel.
What Cheryl Strayed said is true. If daily you hold the door for five people but then twice a day you go home and beat your kids or spouse, you cannot consider yourself a good person. If you do many small acts of kindness and expect them to outweigh something that you, also do daily that would not reflect good moral character, there is not a person on this planet that would vouch for you and say that you are a good person. I believe that you can be a good person one day and the next day be a bad person. Being a person of good moral character is ever-changing. You can strive to be a good person every day of your life, but we are all humans and some days we have bad days. In one of those days, you may be a bad person. Formally I believe that the definition of goodness is the negative effects that you have on others subtracted from the positive effects that you have on others.
Being a good person can mean many different things. I believe it's all about motivation and mindset. If you strive to be a good person and work hard, you can be. Then again, everyone thinks differently about being a good person. Actons are a big part to being a good person. For example, a good person's actions may be compassionate where they feel for someone and help them. As you can see, there are several factors to being a good person. Overall, I think I think I am a good person.
Many people have their own beliefs of what a good person is, they help anyone in need, they have good morals, to truly understand what a good person is people need to understand what good is. Again this can vary from person to person. I can see being a good person as being kind to everyone and having good morals, which is a very broad understanding of it, but with my limited knowledge in the world that is the best I can come up with. Personally I believe that I am a good person because of my actions and morals. I always want to work to help someone if they need help, whether or not I know them I will try to help them.
What makes someone a good person? Do you strive to be one? Honestly, No one Really truly knows if they are a good person or not. Of course everyone has been called a good person, mostly by their grandparents or a family member. As stated in the article, everyone has their own cravings in life based on what their bodies or minds have an appetite for. This can be considered a good or bad thing as sometimes these appetites contrast with others or ideals. Nick Hornby said, “I think all one can ever really do is to try and keep goodness close to you as an ambition — make sure that it’s one of the ways in which you think.” Personally I think that goodness might be a goal to everyone, even if they don't think that it is. I say this because being a good person can stand for a lot of different things. Such as, holding a door for someone or help an elderly person put there groceries in their vehicle. heck even telling someone that they look nice is a good thing to do. So i guess the answer to your Question is that, Being a good person honestly just depends on how far of being a good person. I strive almost everyday just to try and hold the door for someone and tell them that they look nice. Just a few days ago i was getting out of my car and saw a man struggling to put bags a feed into the back of his truck so i ran to help him. This man later on ended up telling me that he has just had surgery and needed another. Again, the answer to "What makes someone a good person?". Just be kind.
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Although it is impossible to achieve pure and perfect goodness, kindness and determination can put you on the right path to reaching the highest point possible. Goodness looks different for every person. What may be considered good for one person, may not be held at the same level for someone else. Harriet Lerner, a psychologist and author, told Simran Sethi that: “Kindness is at the center of what it means to be good.” She could not be closer to the truth. Personal ideas about goodness and morals are shaped by those around you and those you look up to. If the people you idolize or the people you spend the most time with are kind, those feelings rub off on you and shift your perspective on what makes someone good. Having been raised by parents who preach the values of kindness and respect, I strive to be the best person I can. I feel like I do a good job in my efforts to be good, but there is always room for improvement and growth.
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That's a really hard question to think about. I consider myself as a good person. At least I'm trying to be a person like that. All of us have our bad and a good side. Some people just have more of a “bad” than “good”. It also depends on how you will look at it. You can feel that you're a bad person but then you will take a look on some people who are doing things that are ten times worse and you will realize that you're not that bad. I mean if there would be no “bad” how would we ever know what “good” is? I would call myself a “ medium”. I did a lot of good things but there's still the same amount of bad things that I have done.
"Good." This word has long disgusted me. Though I resonate with the author's spirits to redefine what it means to be a good person, I cannot help but notice that the context and purpose the word served throughout history and in our daily lives. We use "good" to describe a person or behavior that had aligned with the previously conceived notion of being moral, disciplined, and obedient. Even with dogs, one doesn't call them a "good dog" for having individuality and personal ambitions, but when they obey the will of their masters.
Being "good" is how our society hopes to regulate behaviors that cannot be restricted by law but would benefit the community overall. But this intention to benefit society is hidden within the cultural and societal boundaries, which leads us to stop ourselves before we do "bad" things.
However, the ideals of being a good person rob one of their judgments to balance their morals. It is a hard judgment that everyone must make, as being good inevitably sacrifices certain privileges and freedoms. Giving up your spot in line means wasting those extra minutes that can be put to use. The society uses the word "good" as a weapon against people who are unwilling to make these sacrifices. Furthermore, gender discrimination is evident in how society values what it means to be a good person, as women are still held to a higher standard. A good father, for example, requires much less time and effort than being a good mother.
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Prescribing a person or yourself as "good" or "bad" is a binary way of viewing our nuanced world. No person is solely good or bad. We are all good and bad. I say this based on (1) individual values, (2) an individual's multitude of actions, and (3) infinite consequences of actions.
(1) a person's individual values are what lead them to judge the goodness of actions. Meaning, there are more than seven billion different good-bad scales you'd have to step upon to see if your action is good or bad.
(2) an individual commits actions upon actions upon actions, that range through different rankings on the good-bad scales.
(3) the goodness scale is infinitely-dimensional, considering that each action has infinite consequences on a number of people, some of which are experienced positively and others negatively.
Everything I do has consequences that impact me and the people around me. Each one of us experiences the consequences of my actions differently. Even a given action can't just be good or bad. So no whole person can be purely good or purely bad; we're more complex than that. I try not to place so much weight on being a "good" person. Instead, I choose to focus on individual actions that aim to help other people. If you put a lot of pressure on yourself to be "good," you can take a deep breath after realizing that your individual actions and you as a person will never be perceived as good by everyone and that goodness is a made-up, overgeneralized concept.
I don't feel like a good person, but I don't think I have to be. I strive not to be good, but to be better than I was yesterday. As long as I can be as true to myself as possible without hurting anyone I care about, that's all that matters to me. In my opinion, past experiences shape one's view of morality. I believe goodness comes from one's actions, and just as someone cannot be a good person and commit atrocities, one cannot be a bad person and do good things. Good is an emotional ideal that every human being is born with, but good is not a static behavioral state that every human being should expect to maintain: good arises from the struggle to act in a good way. The way that I would define being a good person is as the feeling of being true to yourself without feeling regret and simultaneously being able to care for others. Good is a fluctuating golden standard based off of being the least bad as possible.
I think being a good person is a difficult thing to define. Traditionally goodness is about sacrifice and kindness, tales of heroes striving for good. I don’t know if I am a good person, I think other people decide that. As humans we aspire to be a good person, but I think being truly good is impossible. We all have relapses, but maybe how to we deal with these setbacks defines our goodness. Treating people well, being respectable, kind to all and having good morals are important to being good. But I think everyone all has a breaking point, a day where we snap and become rude and brash. Does that mean we lose all the things that made us good? I think a lot of the time goodness is measured when everybody is watching us, but I think what makes a good person is all the little things, so I do agree with Cheryl Strayed. It's everything, little and big that is important. Some people’s values of goodness are based off their religion, I think most religions serve as a powerful motivator of human behaviour and goodness. I think religious beliefs are also shaped by our family and friends. The influence from other people form everyone’s individual principals. So maybe there isn’t a specific structure to a good person as everyone has different beliefs on what a good person really entails.
I view myself as a good person and I strongly believe that the people you surround yourself by from a day to day basis are what contribute to your actions emotionally and are what make you who you are.
Then, you look at the negative side thats present and I believe the negativity coming from those people and also directing it towards you are the people that see that you have a good life and are a good person but are mislead by the reality that they don't know they realized that they don't have that life that you've built for and expressed from yourself, the presume to grow envious and jealous and unnecessarily grow a hatred for that person even if they've never had a conversation with you.
I see it alot and to me, those are the people you really have to let know that they're heard, loved, and cared. That to me is my goal and what I believe makes me a good person, because its one thing to be good to someone who already is surrounded by it either in home or in school, but the real change is bringing good to those who don't have it.
@Paul Macdonald
I agree with you :)
I view myself as a good person and I strongly believe that the people you surround yourself by from a day to day basis are what contribute to your actions emotionally and are what make you who you are.
Then, you look at the negative side thats present and I believe the negativity coming from those people and also directing it towards you are the people that see that you have a good life and are a good person but are mislead by the reality that they don't know they realized that they don't have that life that you've built for and expressed from yourself, the presume to grow envious and jealous and unnecessarily grow a hatred for that person even if they've never had a conversation with you.
I see it alot and to me, those are the people you really have to let know that they're heard, loved, and cared. That to me is my goal and what I believe makes me a good person, because its one thing to be good to someone who already is surrounded by it either in home or in school, but the real change is bringing good to those who don't have it.
I think it is a little bit difficult to answer this question because I feel like everyone would have a different answer about me. I'm not saying that I'm a horrible person but I would say that some people would have different things to say than others because I believe that you are a different person around different people. You change your personality around your friends, family, someone you like etc. I think that if you asked my best friends they would all say i’m a good person. If you asked my younger brother.... That would be a different story. But with this being said I overall think that I am a good person. I think that it is a little bit weird to talk about because I feel like i'm being selfish by saying this about myself. Then again I do think this is sort of a hard question to answer about myself because you only know yourself from your point of view. We never see things from anyone else's shoes. Even if we asked them, they would still give us a different answer than their first impression to anything. I don't think that anyone can be a perfect person. We all make mistakes, bad decisions and say things we don't mean or don't think about. So because of that, I think it is sort of difficult to answer this with one solid answer.
Everyday I try to get better either through kindness, athletics, or my mental state of mind. What being a good person means is how you bring other people up rather than bringing them down. I personally love making jokes and love making people laugh or making their day better. Answering the question, “Are you a good person,” I don't think that a question that you can answer I mean you can be a good person in your own eyes but I guess it is just one of those things where others judge it. But yes everyday I try to do at least one thing to get better and make others better and in my eyes I am a good person in my own way.
@Korbin Pettigrew The mental state and health between that is a factor I think is something people can forget about. Genuine and authentic kindness is what makes a difference and if someones not in the right state of mind to be able to do that, then change and perspective within themselves is something that needs to become aware within them. Its an importance and making sure your a good person within your own mind is the real key factor. You nailed everything else but what I think makes that comment standout, even if its a few underlying words, is that self awareness for yourself and for someone who's in that same mindset I cant agree more.
To be good a good person means to love. It means to have your heart torn into a million pieces and still see the goodness in humanity. To be a good person means to show empathy. To accept, love and cherish someone no matter their past. It means to listen to people when they speak. To digest someone’s words and find power within them for yourself. I think to be a good person means to have made mistakes. A good person also perseveres and learns from their darkest mistakes. A good person is gentle. A good person is kind. In a world full of hate, all you need is love. A good person can love. They can love immensely hard.
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@Hailey G
I’d like to complement you on how well written your comment is, and how you were able to put what good means to you in such a beautiful way. For a term which is so relative, you’ve explained what if means for good to be applied to a person, and I love everything you have to say about it. You’re message that good means someone who can love
is something that will stick with me.
I don't think one can truly judge whether or not they are a good person by themselves, I believe that only another person can judge whether his peers are good people. That being said I think if most people look at their life they can see where they may have failed at being a good person and where they have succeeded. I find it interesting that the author says “Goodness is expressed through loving , kindness, generosity of spirit and deed, and the thoughtful consideration of others' '. I think this is a good base definition for the topic but I think everyone sort of has there own definition of how one can become a good person or not. I also for sure think that people have their own way of deciding whether or not someone is a bad person.
@Reid Barden, I strongly agree with you, everyone has different morals and therefore everyone's definition of 'good' and 'bad' has to be different and someone's ‘good’ could very well be your 'bad'. It's crazy how you can look back to a couple years ago and see how your morals have changed and how you are a different person now then you were then you were then.
Being honest, kind, modest, helpful, loyal etc.. are all traits that make someone a good person. The only problem is that no one is perfect and someone who you may see as a good person might not have every good trait. Every person has flaws, someone might be kind and helpful, but not loyal and honest. It really comes down to whether or not you care for the well-being of others. Now obviously, you could care about others in many ways. You can care by helping those in need. You can care by being kind and not bullying others for being different. You can care by being modest and respecting others boundaries. It’s important to be open to all types of people and to acknowledge that everyone has some characteristics that might not be ideal to you. Every person has different feelings and if because gets mad at something you wouldn’t get mad at it doesn’t mean there a bad person. It happens, it happens to everyone. Just care, know how you effect others, learn form your mistakes and that “perfect” won’t matter.
@Amina Malik I like your approach in regards to this topic, I agree there are many ways that one could be considered a good person. I also agree that no one is perfect and some people may lack certain traits but as long as you show some of the traits of a good person then I think you're doing your part.
The definition of being “good” is dynamic, based on the type of situation. I doubt that there is a way to always be a good person, because we are all human. Many of the insights that Ms. Sethi shares have to do with making yourself better as a person on the inside. It includes traits like being kind and being able to hold yourself accountable.
What about situations that require you to make decisions that affect two sides? Deciding one way benefits one side, and deciding another way benefits the other. Does that mean you will become a good person to one side and a bad person to the other side based on how you decide?
It is impossible to be a 100% good person, because there are outside forces and inner desires that are constantly fighting to dictate behaviors. I do think that many of us are lacking the “good” qualities, and that it is crucial for us to learn to empathize and understand others.
@Francine Wei Being good is, as you said, dependent on who you ask and what side they are on, but would you consider someone "good" if, when that person had to choose in a bad situation, always chose the "lesser of two evils?" You could apply this to any of the arguments listed in the article, but I want to talk about Harriet Lerner's approach, which talks about kindness and working towards dignity and integrity of all human beings. There comes situations where, unfortunately, you have to choose between who is right and who is wrong. That isn't based on integrity of dignity. Sometimes, you are forced to make a decision that will hurt someone's perspective of you.
Personally, I am not "good" because, like almost every human, in some situations I am selfish, lazy, and irresponsible. But every person has those traits at some point. Being good is just doing your best to bring the best out of yourself and others around you whenever you can.
It is hard to determine what makes somebody a “good person” because there are so many aspects to it. In my definition of a good person, you have to have aspects that not only care for other people, but also yourself. Self health is extremely important in order to help others, you must help yourself first. It is mentioned in the article that you need to hold yourself accountable for your actions and not always have to rely on others.
@Ellie Tarczon I totally agree that you need to care for yourself because how can you show others love if you can show yourself love. The love you give out to the ones closest to you is the same you should expect them to give you.
I feel like no one person is good or bad, you may say you're a "good person" but what are you going off of. The fact that you have never killed anyone? Maybe the fact that you have never done drugs, or drank alcohol. But people that are per se "good" have done bad things and vice versa. But how does society determine if someone is good or bad? Maybe that whole ideology needs to change. If you think about it, people that have done bad things, aren't necessarily bad people. They need help. You aren't born thinking "oh I'm going to rob a bank" or "I'm going to grow up and kill people''. No, it's what happens to you over the course of your life or what people you involve yourself in that determines what your conciseness wants to do. But not everybody can control that. Don't look at someone who has done a "bad thing" and automatically think they are a "bad person" and vice versa, maybe try and help them or if you can't, help them find the help they need to get better.
Am I a good person? Honestly, it 100% depends who you ask. The term good is so broad and has so much variation from person to person. I could be a good person, and have a completely different life and make different choices than someone who is also a good person. In the article, Harriet Lerner said kindness is at the core of being a good person. Looking at a different perspective, Rachana Kamtekar believes that a good person is defined by their motives.
When I was younger, I had an immature and biased judge of character. My narrow mindedness prevented me from seeing that someone who makes bad decisions can be a good person. My incredibly rule based 12 year old self was blinded by the vaping, or the kissing under the bleachers. Now, at almost 16 year old, I have developed a new and improved judge of character. I have found that the less I define the checklist of the characteristics of a good person, the more open minded and observant I am, and therefore, the more I can see different types of good coming from everyone
I think that I am a good person, but now that I think of it what does that even mean. People have said I’m a "good person" my parents call me a "good kid." But what have I done to be considered "good?" Sure I try my best to be respectful and nice to others, but I don't think there is something specific that should decide whether you are a good person or not. I think it’s more of label and it could be good or bad and that could really hurt someone who’s struggling.
People go through their whole lives wondering if they are a good person, but being good - or even bad - isn't as simple as it seems. The answer to whether or not you are a good person isn't yes or no. I believe that a good person is someone who actively makes a choice to be "good" and make an effort for other people. I don't think that I'm a good person because I often forget to take a step back and consciously work to be a better person, which is something I wish I did more. I thought this article was very interesting because it revealed that everyone has a different idea of what it means to be a good person and how to become better. Everyone also has different places that they learned their morals from, I've picked mine up from church (when I used to go) and things that I've noticed other people do that I don't agree with or that seem 'off' to me. If you want to truly be a good person, then you should make a conscious effort to be good.
The concept of being good is different for every individual. Some people’s idea of “good” is based off of religion while others base theirs off of globally accepted morals. Often, there are many similarities between the two that people don’t seem to recognize; both views of “goodness” hold a sense of morality decided by the person. “Good” by worldly standards is just trying to be kind and being the best possible version of yourself while “good” defined by religion is often just doing what the person feels called by the Lord to do. Also, big ideas such as murder, lying, and stealing are seen as “bad” by most normal people both religious and nonreligious meaning that being “good” is when those acts are not committed. That is agreed upon by the two people groups. Morals are often shaped by the environment that one grows up in, but many general morals are proven to be the same because of their basic foundation of treating people with love, kindness, and respect. Those all are the common basis of what “goodness” really is.
@Erin Key I like that you tied religion into this question because I would have never thought to do so. I agree with your stance on this topic, specifically when you talk about how our morals are shaped by our environment.
Treat people with kindness.
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Of course everyone has been called a good person, mostly by their grandparents or a family member. As stated in the article, everyone has their own cravings in life based on what their bodies or minds have an appetite for. This can be considered a good or bad thing as sometimes these appetites contrast with others or ideals. Example might entail someone wanting to wear a certain thing to school or work but ideals of norms might pressure that person into conforming with social norms.
I agree that happiness is never permanent as someone might like a certain thing and express it, but someone else doesn’t appreciate it even though it is complemented by others, “not everyone can be happy’ is what i'm trying to see. That's what makes presidential elections so controversial, a certain group of people might like one candidate, but another group might like a different candidate. In the end only one person is chosen for president, and one group of people who don't like them is left unhappy. I don't feel that i'm a good person as I constantly find myself silently judging people as they are conforming to social norms in which I seperate myself from, and even though I know that im judging them, and I know that I shouldn’t, and I have come to terms with it. It all depends on the person's ideals and cravings that determine what makes them happy.
Being a good person. Something that means a lot to me, the sole reason being because I strive to be a good person on a daily basis. I always find myself wondering if I’m kind enough, honest enough, happy enough, or sympathetic enough. I’m glad I remain aware of these things, but I also wish I could naturally trust myself enough to be confident in knowing that I am a good person.
I feel that it’s not just one factor or one part of a human that determines whether or not they’re a good person at heart, but rather a serious of parts bonded together that make them who they are. People make mistakes, have bad days, and aren’t nice at every single moment. This by no means makes someone a bad person. It just makes them a human being.
Trying to be perfect is unhealthy, but trying to be a good person is something that everyone should be practicing, everywhere, everyday. To be a good person truly means to be kind, understanding, generous, and to treat others only the way you yourself would want to be treated, (AKA the golden rule.) As said in the article, it’s a process. One that takes way less energy out of everyday than being a bad person.
Am I good enough? Am I a bad person? Was that wrong of me? Does this make me bad? Those are a few of the questions that are constantly running through my mind, And honestly I think that most people who are asking themselves those questions are usually good people. What makes you a good person is what im not completely sure about, I think as long as you have good morals at least in some sense you are a good person. The tricky thing for me is that most people who are bad don't believe that they are doing bad, everyone thinks that their morals are correct so who's to really say whats right and what's wrong? What's really good and bad? What if a good person for me is a bad person in someone else's book?
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The word “good” can be interpreted in many different ways. When referring to a person, the ideal situation in my mind is following the golden rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated. For me, I wanted to be respected. I do not want people to glare or make fun of me. I do not want people gossiping negatively about my personality or about my life. I do not want people mistreating me or misrepresenting my colors in life. These basic sounding fundamentals can be extremely hard to follow — demonstrating the difficulties of being a “good” person. However, all of us commit these mistakes. No individual whether White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, or any other ethnicity is perfect — not a single one. So “good” must be characterized by the amount of blemishes a person makes — like a school grading system. In order to achieve a “good” standard, certain attributes must be present in someone’s personality. Acceptance, selflessness, sacrifice, and poise are words that come to my mind. I wish I could possess all of these virtues, but it is impossible to do so. My goal in life is not to be perfect, but rather to work towards obtaining these characteristics so I can be an “amazing” person rather than a “good” one. Right now, I believe I am a “good” person, but I can be better and I believe lots of other people can also be better.
When thinking of yourself, most people would think that they are good people. I personally believe that I am a good person. I get good grades, I help out in the community, babysit, and much more. However, you must think of other people's point of view. Let's say that I made the wrong first impression because maybe that day was not a good one for me. Now in their minds, they might always think that I am a mean or a bad person based on that one encounter with me. There are many things that could make people good. One cliche is ' treat others the way you would want to be treated.' The reason it is a cliche is because it has worked overtime. I feel like I do follow this rule. I am a very respectful person so I would expect that in return. So overall, from my perspective, I do believe I am a good person.
I, like most people, like to believe that I am an overall good person. Mistakes happen and sometimes you say things that you don't truly mean but that doesn't make you a bad person. Being "good" is pretty relative to who you are asking and what perspective they have. Some say being selfless is "good" but one cannot be selfless all the time. Some say you need to give to be "good" but if you give everything then you are left with nothing, and you cannot give what you do not have. I believe that the way to go is treating all people kindly and with respect. If you do that they no matter who you ask you will be considered as good. But it is important to ask your self would I do this if no one was around to see it, because if the answer is no then your probably only doing it for the sake of being called good and not actually being good.
I do think I have some attributes and qualities of a good person, but I do make mistakes and have flaws as every human does. Being a good person can mean many things for many people, personally I believe being a good person means that you put other's before you. This means being less selfish and having other people's needs or feelings in mind before making a decision. Although, there are scenarios where the best option to take means you have to be selfish. It all depends on the situation.
I do believe I have the qualities of a good person although I do mess up sometimes just like everyone else. I believe being a good person is being able to put someone else’s needs before your own : to be selfless. Now that’s not to say that you shouldn’t worry about yourself too , but the best kind of people are the ones who are able to put their pride aside and care for the people around them .Being a good person does not just mean making everyone smile , it means going above and beyond even behind closed doors. Their work never goes unnoticed, but they do not need the constant praise like everyone else.
I like to believe that I am a good person, but I’m by no means perfect. I try to help others in any way I can but I’m not a savior. I try to help the environment but all I do is recycle. I try to spread the right message but I’m not a preacher. Being a good person is all about perspective. However, I think it is the actions we do when nobody is watching that determines if we’re good people. The question we should ask ourselves in determining our scale of “goodness” is this: Am I wearing a mask or am I showing my true colors?
@Ashton I agree with you on how perspective can change whether you are a good person or not. If you make a hard decision that includes two conflicting sides, you may be seen as good in one eye and bad in the other. If everyone saw everything the same way, there wouldn't be any conflict among ourselves. Yet history has proven us wrong as there have been countless fights and battles between people and nations. So yes, perspective does matter.
I would like to say that I am a pretty good person, but even though I say good I’m not perfect, nor is anybody else. I think a good person means that you care about others, and are always willing to help people when they need it. While everyone may have their own standard of “good” that’s mine. More than ever, in today’s society being a good person is emphasized more than ever before, and the more good in society the better. I wish I was better at just being more consistent with helping others, sometimes I can get lazy and just let some things go, even when I’m in the perfect situation to help the person out. All in all, I think I’m a good person, but I’m definitely not perfect, and there are definite ways for me to improve even more.
I believe I am a good person because I try my absolute hardest, I am not perfect and I do make mistakes, everyday I try to become a better person. I try to treat people with respect and kindness. I believe that others would describe me as a good person because I stick to my values no matter what. I refuse to go along with a group if I don't agree with the way they are acting. I try to put myself in other peoples perspectives, and treat everyone fairly.
I would like to say that I am a good person but I still make mistakes sometimes just like everyone else. I care a lot about other people's feelings and I try not to hurt them. The old saying I was taught at home and at school and “ treat everyone the way you want to be treated” and I think a lot about that. I put myself in the other person's place before I talk because I feel like if what i'm about to say would hurt my feelings then I definitely shouldn't say it to the other person because it may hurt their feelings. So I try to be as respectful and kind to everyone because that's how everyone wants to be treated.
I don’t feel like I am a good person, I don’t think anyone really is. There is not a certain standard of good that we all strive to reach. Sure, some people are better than others but we are all decent people that have done bad and good things. Being a good person can mean a myriad of things, it could mean that you donate to a charity every week or that you’ve stopped using plastic to save our oceans. They may seem small but for one person they are doing a lot. Every can be good and at the same time be not so great. It depends on the situation people are put in and there are always ways to improve.
I am seen daily as a "ray of sunshine" as I am naturally a positive extrovert. I am always thinking of ways to make school a more happy and positive experience, but that mindset doesn't come to me everyday. It is hard to always have a positive attitude and mindset about things, especially when it comes to school. I feel as I am a good person, but I do believe that there is no perfect "good" person. We all have our flaws, as it comes with being a human. Although we cannot be perfectly "good" we can strive to be as close to "good" as possible. We can do this by striving for perfection through random acts of positivity and kindness, or even just small gestures such as holding the door open for somebody.
How one defines "good" depends on how you perceive things. Good with social skills? Good with money? Good with academics? Good with being "street smart"? I think what makes a person "good" depends on how that person feels about him or herself. If they feel good about themselves, often times they will radiate positivism and that can be contagious.
@Summer Schultz I like how you acknowledged the difference between being a good person and a perfect person. Obviously, a perfect person is nonexistent. Although, many people put an exhausting amount of effort into a (failed) attempt to be perfect. So personally, I believe that you will be a better, and happier, person if instead of making a goal of being a perfect person, you strive to make your goal to be the best version of you. If you are your best self, you will radiate positivity and be a genuinely and effortlessly good person.
I dont think there are rules to being a good person. On the outside I feel like I'm really mean because I dont know how to express myself sometimes. On the inside I'd like to think I'm pretty nice. I don't think what one person sees is always the whole truth. Never put a stamp on what it means to be a good person because there are all types.
I do not feel that I am a completely good person. There are some things that I might do that are kind to others, but there are still things that I do that can be rude. Ways that I wish I was better in doing is being patient and waiting for someone to finish talking to someone else before I talk to them. I think that my ideas of goodness are shaped by my family and religious beliefs. It is difficult for me to stay kind all the time when I am in a bad mood. Sometimes I don’t realize I did something bad until I go home and start questioning it. The main reason why I think that I am not a good person is because I am not very nice to my sister and i hope to improve that.
Rachana Kamtekar, the professor of philosophy at Cornell University who’s featured in the article has a great point that finding goodness in your life can be a long process. It’s almost impossible to wake up one day and expect to be a perfect person. I strongly believe that perfection is close to impossible. Perfection has been something that humanity has tried to reach for centuries throughout history. It seems to be the one thing that we are unable to achieve. It’s part of human nature to make mistakes. It’s part of human nature to feel anger, jealousy, sadness, and hate. With the fake facade of perfection that’s constantly shown in today’s society, primarily on social media, makes it difficult for people to remember that it is completely okay not to be perfect all the time.
Throughout my life, my mom has told me that it is always better to be kind than nice. I believe that kindness is being a genuinely good person, and having a good heart with true intentions. Being nice can mean showing that you can be a good person to someone only for a few moments, not knowing or even understanding your true intentions.
It takes effort to be a good, kind person. I believe that people can choose whether or not to be so. Only you can decide the kind of person you want to be.
Although I'd really like to believe I am a good person, I admittedly have many flaws, and when joking I can sometimes come off as a bit rude or harsh. There are so many ways that I wish I could be better, being more productive, and overall more happy. I do agree with what Cheryl said about goodness, and I think my definition is overall pretty similar to hers, sacrificing for others, and thinking of others feelings above your own. Overall, just trying to help others as often as you can is what I think makes you a good person. I think the insight that resonated with me the most in this article was holding yourself accountable. I struggle with feeling guilt constantly, but overall it pushes me to do good, and to change myself for others, so that I don't have to disappoint them and feel that guilt, so when Rachana talked about how he would feel guilt if he continued to smoke, his feelings seemed very similar to mine. My ideas of goodness come from my family mostly, and many idols that I look up to, who tend to be very charitable and kind to others. I think looking up to them has definitely shaped me into the person I am today. People have always told me that I'm a good person, and in general I think that they just meant that I was kind to them, and was never rude or pushy, and these kinds of compliments did overall make me feel better about myself. These comments and others make me want to strive to be better everyday, so I would overall say that being good is a goal for me.
I do not have an exact definition of what it means to be good. Just like when I think about some other concepts like how hard something is, I cannot draw a fine line separating “good” from “not good”. To me, I need to see it or know about it in some way and decide for myself whether one individual event is “good” in my view or not. I think I am a good person on the outside, but I do know that at times I can get angry, impatient, or just arrogant and sometimes I lose my temper. To me, some qualities I think all good people should have these four qualities: kindness, respect, politeness, and gratefulness. I strive to exhibit these qualities every second of every day, but there are bad qualities in me that are harder to control.
I disagree with Cheryl when she says “can be as simple as offering to let someone ahead of you in line and as complicated as making yearslong sacrifices of your freedom because someone you love needs your help.” I believe there is a difference between a “good person” and doing a good deed. For example, if you hold the door for the person behind you, that doesn’t give you a set role of a good person, it just simply means that you are well mannered. Making a selfless sacrifice to help someone else makes you a good person because this will impact you the rest of your life, and you knowingly agreed to it.
If you don’t agree with me then let’s use a criminal for example. If a criminal does something as violent as murder or robbing a bank, they wouldn’t be a good person for saying “Thank You” or holding the door for someone behind them. Just doing a good deed doesn’t overrule all the bad you have done.
Being a good person can vary between different people and their personalities. Or, what their views of a good person are. Something I do that I see is good may not be good in another person’s view. But in spite of that my understanding of a good person isn’t their actions but their intentions. If you say out loud something that may seem “good” but you intend to do something bad with that then your actions wouldn’t be pure.
Being a good person can fall under a giant web of different aspects of your behavior. Everything from how you treat people to how you treat yourself. I do feel I am a somewhat good person. I have always thought of putting others before me even if others won’t sacrifice something for me the same way I would. So I do have traits that would fall under the umbrella of good. However, there are some ways I try to improve. Things such as my patients and neatness. It’s hard for me to sometimes listen to people all the way and that won’t impact the person in a good way. Also, I would like to improve my neatness a lot. I tend to get messy way too often while working but hopefully that’ll change sometime in the future.
All in all, it’s important to not judge people by their actions considering our differences in how we view “good”. One thing you see as good may not be the same as another person.
Goodness, and how to define it is very complex. I believe that the definition of it is different for everyone. Seeing all the different perspectives on what it means to be good proves just that. It's a broad topic that I don't think has a clear, sole answer. The way we interpret goodness varies from person to person, and as Cheryl Strayed said, it can be as simple or complex as we make it.
I'd hope that other people consider me a good person. I try to be as considerate to the people around me. But I don't think I'm a good person per se. Sometimes the things I say or do that can be seen as unkind or selfish leads me to think that I'm not all that good of a person. However, I realize that we all have our own faults and flaws, and those occasional occurrences of unkindness doesn't define my goodness. I believe that it's the mindset you have. If you are consistently striving to be kind and considerate of others, then the short-comings in your "goodness" are purely inevitable occurrences. If you aim to be good, whatever your definition of it may be, it's possible to achieve it.
Almost every person I know would tell me that I am a good person because of the things they see me do. I question whether or not I actually am. There may be many definitions of a good person that may label me as a bad person. I would say that based on the things that I do on a daily basis that I'm a good person. I'm always looking out for others and I try to stay unselfish. There are people in my own school that I would lay down my life for. This is how I am around the people that I care about. It's the things that happen on the inside that are bad. There's one time in my life when someone called my actions "evil." By definition, one could say some of my actions in the past are evil. There are some people and I hate, and there are times when I would have no problem lying right to someone's face without feeling a shed of guilt. There are times when I've taken advantage of people's trust. These are qualities that make up a "bad person", but I don't do it out of malice. My good qualities may or may not outweigh the bad ones, but I don't think that's up to me to decide. The people I meet create an image of me for themselves. What they see is what they believe, and if they only see the good in me they will think I'm a great person. If people were able to only see that bad, then I'd probably be considered evil. I tell myself that I'm a good person because that's what I want to be. People that want to do evil because it's evil are bad people.
I think people that obsessively strive to become a good person, just so they become liked and thought of as a good person, are completely disingenuous. I believe there is a distinct difference between doing good deeds because you genuinely want to, and doing good deeds so people will think highly of you. Every day at school, I constantly see people force a compliment or smile just to keep up some reputation they have built for themselves. Some people get to the point where being nice becomes so automatic that their compliment or good deed loses all sincerity due to the fact they do not mean what they say. The words lose value and become an insignificant reflex caused by societal expectations. I think genuine acts of kindness with no selfish motives are hard to find these days, and I feel that a lot of the good people in the world today act respectable due to peer pressure. I am happy that more people strive to become “good people”, but I just wish the cause of their newfound kindness was earnest, and not forced.
I’ve been told I’m a good person and I like to think I am one. I do my best to be selfless and follow the insights of what it means to be good. I treat everyone with the same respect, regardless of the past I have with someone I will either be kind or give the necessary space needed because as my mom always told me, “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” I make an effort to ask the hard questions, as well, because those conversations need to be had. In some situations, it’s hard because there’s a fine line between asking questions that show you care and asking ones that appear to be nosey and intrusive. Knowing what brought me up when I was at my low is something I have made a conscious effort to do, whether it was a friend or a loved one or a new habit I formed, I make the effort to acknowledge it so I don’t take it for granted. The area I lack most is paying attention. I have a hard time living in the moment and being aware of what's going on around me. I’m always worried about what happens next and don’t think through things before I act. That can be harmful to myself and those around me, but that doesn’t make me a bad person.
@Mackenzie Wernicke As Nick Hornby said, “I think all one can ever really do is to try and keep goodness close to you as an ambition — make sure that it’s one of the ways in which you think,” I agree with this because it what differentiates good from bad people. Good people go the extra mile to be good and bad people stay where they are and expect everything around them to change. Overall, being good is an important thing for me, I feel the most rewarded in life when I help other people in any way I can.
I get called a good person a lot which honestly isn't true. I feel like the term "good person" is such a vague title though. Everybody has the potential to be a good person, but everybody also does wrong. I work at a place where everybody before I even speak to them assume I'm a good person but the truth is I'm just like everybody else. Now, I wouldn't say I'm fake around school or work but there is definitely a difference in how I might act around my friends or out of school than when I'm in it. I think this goes for everyone though as it somewhat goes along with a previous article from last week on New York Times about can you be yourself at school which I think the answer is no. If I had to describe what a good person is to me and what I strive to be I would say a good person is anyone that goes out of their way to make others happy before thinking of themselves. There's a lot more qualities but there's nothing like seeing a person who's feeling down or annoyed and then letting them leave feeling happy and upbeat. I think if we would all just try to act this way then we would all feel like good people.
It's hard to say if I'm a good person or not. Look into my life I do charity and try to be a "good person" but a good deed doesn't make you a good person. If a murder donated to the charity you wouldn't see him as a good person. But if a person was so very generous but inside they are thinking rude things about a person. Does that make them a good person still because you can't see there bad or does that make them a bad person?
The article talks about how the steps to being a good person include accountability. Which makes complete sense. If you do something wrong own up to your wrong.allow people to know your faults in life instead of hiding them away and thinking your perfect. I would think a person who was honest about there faults is better than a person who presents themself as perfect and acts high and mighty.
I disagree with the statement that goodness “can be as simple as offering to let someone ahead of you in line and as complicated as making yearslong sacrifices of your freedom because someone you love needs your help.” I believe being a good person is a series of good actions that build upon one another. If you are usually stealing things and hurting others holding the door for someone may be a good action but you are far from a good person. If you are constantly donating your money to charity but the money is stolen that is not a good action nor are you a good person. I believe that statement is the simplest definition of goodness but goodness is much more complex.
When I was little, I have always been good, such as helping others out, helping my family, and just sacrificing my time to help others. But I think because I have a short temper, at my old school, I would be the “bully”. I wasn’t making the other kids sad or anything, it’s just that if they didn’t do what I wanted them to do, I’ll lightly kick them in the shins. If I do hurt them, my personality changes quickly and I’ll become like a mother caring for her children. I grew up learning that if you don’t do what you’re told to do, you get a physical punishment. It’s from my family and culture, and it’s hard to break from it. Lately, I’ve been hanging out with my sister more since my mom wanted me to get her to be more social (she has anxiety). But she has this personality where she would only care for herself (basically selfish). I’ve started to pick up that personality and I didn’t notice it until recently. Over time, I saw that I became more annoyed at little things like her. When my mom brought it up to me, I finally realized what I’ve done and the mistakes that I made and how it affected others. I’m trying my best to be a better person now, knowing that I’ll never be perfect. Being a “good” person has so many meanings since everyone views them differently. I myself am trying to find out what it means to be a good person. For now, it’s just being the obedient daughter, respect elders, and being kind.
My ideas and morals are mostly shaped by me. I feel that you should be your own person and do what you want to do, as long as you follow the rules. My morals are weird, lots are bad but there are some good ones. I very often second guess myself when doing something bad. These morals lead me to do stupid things, but oddly enough I don't second guess myself. On the other hand, my opinion of goodness is making other people and yourself happy. If you don’t make both yourself and people happy then what good are you doing?
I seem like a good person on the outside but on the inside I listen to all of the lies I tell almost daily to protect their feelings. I help people and give them advice and even though it makes them feel better I always feel like I didn’t help them enough because I was busy with my own things
There’s no true set definition to being a good person. It all depends on who’s eyes you are looking through. Like say you were playing a sport and your coach told you that you can’t do this or don’t even bother your gonna fail. In that moment you feel like he’s the worst person ever his job is to help you but at the end of the day it makes you work harder without you realizing. Even though he did the right thing for you, you feel like he did nothing at all.
So If I was to say if I was a good person or not it wouldn’t be right or wrong. It would all be in my own opinion and the people that I may have hurt in the past would be forgotten.
@Ashton Gray I absolutely agree, I think that every one has a different definition of what being a good person. For example I think that I am a good person because I try to go out of my way to help others and do what I would think are small deeds like holding the door for other people, but others may not see that as me being a good person, I am just being nice. Also other people can think that they are a good person, like a coach that critiques you hard, even though they just want to be helpful. I think that I am a good person, but I still think that I can be a better person because I am sometimes too shy to help others And speak my mind. I think that as a society we need to just think about others more, because our society in this age causes much hate which we really should try to decrease.
I'd like to think I do mostly good, but like many, I also make mistakes. I always try to put others wellbeing above mine and I genuinely like to help others. A lot of my ideas of being good come from my religion, Islam. Following the prophets usually leads you to making the right decisions.
Yes, I do feel I'm a good person. Yes i do think goodness “can be as simple as offering to let someone ahead of you in line and as complicated as making yearslong sacrifices of your freedom because someone you love needs your help.” no it did not resonate with me. Were my ideas about goodness, and morals more generally, come from my brain. Yes people have said I was a good person. Yes goodness is a goal i strive for. Advice I would give to theres is control your feelings.
In this world we live in, there is not really a thing as a "good person". people are very mean some times. But, after I read this article, I know that people are trying to be good. To some people this can be very hard because of school, firends, and some times are family can bring us down. But, some people are trying to help this world become a better place. But, not all of us try, but, Thats life. All you need to do is try. And you need to do is try and that can make a diffrence.
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I like to tell myself I am a good person. I have good intentions, and I try to be respectful to my peers, even when they don’t show me the same respect. I don’t really have any problems with anyone. I don’t like to get involved in drama, because it can bring out a bad reputation. I have a lot of good friends, and I believe that plays a huge factor in being a good person. I like being the person that people come to when in need, or just someone to talk to. Overall, I believe I am a good person. I believe most people have good intentions are good people, but no one is near perfect.
I see myself as a pretty selfish person, but I don't think that necessarily means that I am a bad person. I wouldn't go as far to say I am a good person though. Maybe when I was younger and a still had my innocence, I was a good person. But, as I've grown older, the experiences I've had and other factors have made me more self-centered and maybe not want to help other people as much. I don't act nice to people just to please them or get on their good side. I'm very honest even when it may hurt someones feelings. But again, I don't think that this makes me a bad person, but I am not what society would traditionally consider a good person.
Though sometimes i'm not the best person, I find myself to remain morally correct the majority of the time. My morals come from a societal stand point, typically respecting the rules, both understood and superficial, in order to fit in. However, I've noticed my own jealousy and greed tends to get in the way of my morals, for the worst. I typically try to create the most benefit for my being rather than looking out for others, unless doing so benefits me. This in it's self, questions my moral, furthering the question of if I am good person or not. This then brings the question of perspective, all morality is based on perspective, inevitably changing moral for every person. If one person find myself a "good" person, another may not, and this is why the question of if I am a good person is so difficult to answer and truly understand. In others peoples eyes, you or me may seem as if we are morally incorrect, but the real question is if you do.
I feel as though most of the time I am a genuine and good person. At times though I do believe we can all be bad and honestly I can be bad sometimes as well, and break the rules and not do what I am supposed to do all the time. Just because I don’t always follow the rules though doesn’t mean I am a bad person, I make bad choices, but I am not bad. I think what makes a person good is all about their morals. I think that I personally do have good morals and try to do my best and that’s why I consider myself a good person. I try to do my best daily to do little kind things for people and always being there for them when they are in need. I try to make the most out of life and always try to treat people kindly, but I am also not fake and that’s another reason I believe I am good. I stand up and voice my opinion if something that is happening isn’t morally good. So yes, I do make mistakes and I don’t always follow the rules, but I do believe I am good and I have good morals and I would much rather bring love into the world then hate.
As stated in the article, Plato said that “goodness is the same as happiness.” Success is the source of many people’s happiness, so does that mean success equals goodness? People are more subject to do a good deed if they’re already happy about what they are doing. Again, does that mean goodness is tied to one’s success? Oftentimes, we lack integrity because we only want to do good whenever someone is watching because we hope it will benefit us, and improve our chances for success. Because we want to be successful, some people exhibit a facade of “goodness”. With that being said, it’s hard to find people with true intentions to use their kindness for the betterment of others and not just themselves.
Being a good person requires more than what most people estimate. Most people feel that being a good person is simply using manners, being kind to others, and doing things that are appealing to the public eye. While these are some aspects, being a “good” person relies on some deeper characteristics. A good person is not only consistent, being “good” everyday at any time, but also disciplined. Out of all the characteristics of a good person, I feel that discipline is one of the biggest, most important traits. Being disciplined means a person has enough self control to do specific things, even when in private. Ultimately, a true good person performs good deeds no matter what the circumstance is. Furthermore, while some people feel that after one nice gesture, they are a good person, that is not fully accurate. Being a good person is referred to as a “process” according to the New York Times article “Are You A Good Person?” With all of this being said, I feel that I am on the correct path of becoming a solid good person, but I am not quite there yet. There are still some areas I lack in, as most of my intentions and desires tend to be pure and innocent, some tend be the complete opposite at times. Despite what I personally feel creates the foundation of a good person, others have their own set of qualifications. Neither one being correct or incorrect, just differing based on personal morals and beliefs.
I believe I am a good person. Deeply I think everyone is bad. But you make the decision weather or not you act on it. I choose to be a good person. Sometimes having to humble yourself is hard but it’s a personal decision all people have to make. THAT is what makes you good or bad. We all slip up and make mistakes but it is how you handle it. Be genuine. Sometimes that may seem more towards the bad side but if it is the truth then I believe that is right.
I feel as though I am a good person at most times. I try and be kind to everybody and treat everybody fairly. I would consider myself a really kind person, but if someone was talking I would listen to them and pay attention. I think that my friends are much better people than me. I would consider them good people. They are very kind to me, and they are very nice to everyone. There are ways that could make me be a better person however, there aren’t ways I wish I was better because I like the way that I am, and I am the way I am for a reason.
@Katie I agree with you there are always ways you can make yourself a better human. Most people feel because of one good deed they are a good person but don't realize they can still grow.
It is impossible for our lives to be perfect, and the same goes with whether we choose to be kind or not, everyone can be a good person, but it takes a different mentality to fall under that ideal. I do not think that being a "good" person is based on obedience, but kindness, as the speakers in this article said. All that we need to be good people is to treat others with respectful and loving actions. I think that the people who were interviewed were all very insightful.
I think that I'm a good person, and I know everybody wants to say that about themselves. I think I'm a good person because I think about how I treat people, even if I'm treated badly by them. Sometimes I don't feel like a great person, but you have to think about how you think about other people and their ideals if you want to grow as a person, and as a good one. Goodness can be defined differently by any person you ask, and I often agree with their views on it and add on with how I feel about it. My family and environment is what gave me this way of thinking about what makes a person good, my parents are very kind and want me and my siblings to be the same way. Even around other people who have different ideals, I don't let that get in the way of still being kind and caring towards how they think.
I would like to think of myself as a good person because I try my hardest to succeed or be an outlet for others. I try to do better by not thinking of myself too much, but the idea that someone is just good or bad is false. A person can be good but they hold the possibility to do wrong, no one is set in stone on what they are capable of. Every person has a voice in their head that tells them what they are doing is right or wrong, it is just their choice to listen or ignore it. I think it all depends on how you are raised, my family has taught me who I am today and to be such a great and confident person.
I think that I am a good person, but now that I think of it what does that even mean. People have said I’m a "good person" my parents call me a "good kid." But what have I done to be considered "good?" Sure I try my best to be respectful and nice to others. But I don't think there is something specific that should decide whether you are a good person or not. For example, just because one person sees you as a good person might not mean everybody does.
I've been told by others that I'm a good person, and I know that they believe what they're saying is true, my imperfections still cause me to doubt how good I am or could be. There are going to be people in our lives that won't change their opinions on you either way, but if there are people who truly believe that you're good, and if you don't think of anything that can be a problem and you're still doubting it, I think that you're a good person too.
I feel as though I am a good person at most times. I try and be kind to everybody and treat everybody fairly. I grew up in a christian household and in church and I think the religious beliefs and people that surrounded me allowed me to grow up loving everybody and not expressing anger or hatred as openly as others. Although sometimes, I don't always do what might be the moral or right decision. That's human nature though, right? Overall, the decision of a good or bad person really boils down to the generally accepted definition of good or bad. The moral barrier in which we separate the two. Some grow up with beliefs that some things are good while others are bad. One good example of this is that, in war, both sides think they are doing what is right for their country or their people. It's not a matter of fact or stone, it's just a matter of what the accepted truth is for the group of people.
Sometimes I think that I am a good person, but other times I am not. It depends on what situation I’m in. I wish that I could understand people better, as sometimes they say one thing but may feel the other. I want to help those people, but I don’t understand them, so I can’t help them, which makes me sad. I think that goodness is just doing good. It doesn’t matter if it is big or small, it’s still doing good. Goodness is a very important goal to me because I really like to help people. It warms my heart to see the effect on whatever I did that I think is good. I strive to be good by doing simple acts of kindness if I can. However, sometimes I say the wrong things at the wrong time, and it makes me feel super bad afterward. I want to try and make the world a better place for people, even if my acts of goodness go unnoticed, I will still feel happiness in my heart. To me, it isn’t just about the effect, it’s also about how I feel and the process in which I did it. Whether big or small, noticed or unnoticed, acts of goodness make me feel good inside and out.
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I do not feel as if I am a good person, for reasons I cannot describe publicly for a multitude of reasons, but I do not feel as if I am a good person. However, I think I could really improve with better work ethic, better responsibility, more honesty, and overall improving my social abilities.
I think I am a decent person. I am not perfect but I am not a bad person, I help out at home with cleaning things up or doing chores, and I do many in school and out of school activities. There are ways that could make me be a better person however, there aren’t ways I wish I was better because I like the way that I am, and I am the way I am for a reason.
I agree with Cheryl Strayed’s definition of goodness. Being a good person can be simple like letting someone in front of you in line or knowing that there is a person behind you, and so you hold the door for them, but being a good person doesn’t mean you have to do whatever other people tell you to or never make a mistake and hurt someones feelings, it means that you try to be good and kind and be the best to others that you can.On top of that, I believe people who sacrifice their freedoms because someone they love needs help, is pure goodness and kindness for the people they love. Being good doesn’t mean you don’t have feelings of hate, but means you choose to focus and the feelings of love.
My ideas about goodness and morals generally come from my parents or any other adult figure that is important in my life. Sometimes I get ideas from my friends, but very rarely. My friends do affect my actions and thoughts. Religion doesn’t play a big factor in my ideas of goodness and morals because my family isn’t that religious. Most of my ideas of goodness and morals come from the people close to me, people I talk to a lot and are role models to me.
I think that “good” and the idea of being “good” is all a social construct. WHo and what is deemed as “good” is highly subjective. TO some people, I am a good person, and to others I am not. I am okay with this, because being seen as good by the general public is not one of my priorities. Being “good” and being kind are two different things, and you can be kind without being seen as “good”. I consider myself a kind person, because at one point I had a plan to do one kind thing per day. Now, it just happens as a subconscious internal action. This does not have anything to do with being “good”, however, and I have no desire nor obligation to be seen as “good” from the rest of the world. I know that I do things for a reason, and my intentions are never meant to severely hurt anyone. I am not religious, and I don’t believe anything will change inside or outside of you whether you are “good” or not.
The words “you’re such a good person” has never been told to my face, but I do feel like that I can be at some points. I remember about a week ago I went to Wawa with my brother to get something to eat. We got our hoagies and chips and went to go checkout. It was taking a while to get the line moving so I looked at what the hold up was and I saw two men at the checkout station that I can assume were homeless with their dirty clothes on. I noticed that they were paying with coins and just barely missed that cut. They were buying a hoagie to share. I overheard one of them say, “I don’t think I’ve eaten in three days.” I looked back at what my brother and I were holding. We each had a hoagie and a bag of chips of our own. Seeing and hearing all of this made me feel terrible. To help them out, I gave them a few extra dollars to pay off the remaining cost. They thanked me and I later felt good inside.
Personally, I think of myself as an “OK” person. Some people say I am a good person, but it all depends on how they view the characteristics of a good person. I would share food with them and they would compliment me, but my other actions are just ignored. Everybody can have different opinions about someone. The points listed in the text are good, but I feel like there needs to be more to it. Beforehand, I have been told that I would need to behave a bit differently than now because I speak my mind too much. I act differently around other people and sometimes I do not catch myself acting harsh. I try to not be as rude towards other people and think about their own feelings as well. Everybody strives to be a good person.
I don’t think I should be the judge of whether or not I am a good person. Determining that is something that the people around me should do, and not myself. My family gives money to a hospice/charity every Christmas. Giving is one of the things you could do for people to consider you a good person. People appreciate it when you sacrifice something of your own to improve the life of someone else. It is important to look at the lives of the people around and think about how you can help them out if they are in need. That is what will make you a good person. It is not about the amount of money or the things you have, but about your heart and your kindness.
I feel that I am a relatively good person. If I am not, I sure try to be. Some people tell me that I am a good person which generally I deny but it does make me feel good. I think I deny it so often because I have had people tell me I am not. This really hurt and I still don’t know if it is true. Sometimes I feel as though they are very wrong because what they don't understand is I try everything I can to be a good person. There is no really good way to explain why I think I am a good person, it kind of just is a feeling based on yours and other people’s opinions.
I do not consider myself a good person. Sometimes, I think that I am too harsh on other people for little things. I do not think I really do anything good for the world. I would consider myself a really kind person, but if someone was talking I would listen to them and pay attention. I think that my friends are much better people than me. I would consider them good people. They are very kind to me, and they are very nice to everyone. They pay attention to each other when one is speaking, and they just do not do anything bad in general. In the article, Sheryl Strayed said, “Goodness is expressed through lovingkindness, generosity of spirit and deed, and the thoughtful consideration of others.” My friends always make me happy to see them, they are very generous, and they are considerate people. They are really good friends, and I definitely think they are good people. I wish that I could be a better person like them. I think I have to work on my attitude towards other people. I can be a bit rude or harsh, like I said, and I would be a better person if I didn’t have that attitude.
I think that being good in the eyes of someone else is pointless. If you want to be a good person make yourself seem good to yourself. If you live by someone else’s ideals of “a good person” you can’t really be free and act how you want. You only need to live up to your own standards. If what you happen to think is the right thing to do happens to make someone else feel good then it’s just an added bonus. Being “good” is subjective anyway so you might as well live how you think is right. I’ve been called a good person before and it does make me feel pretty good, but satisfying yourself is way better. For instance achieving a new years resolution to go to the gym every week is way better than holding doors open for people or something like that. I’m not saying that being kind is bad or something. I’m just saying it isn’t what makes you a good person. My ideas of being good come from my own self beliefs. I’m not saying they’re right because as I said before it is subjective. I’m just saying that this is what I believe goodness is and what I do to be good. Basically you are more important to yourself than some random guy in the street so make “you" feel good.
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@August Russell, I agreed to everything you said and especially when you said "If you live by someone else’s ideals of “a good person” you can’t really be free and act how you want. You only need to live up to your own standards. " I thought it was spot on to what I was going to say and it was really important that people understand that the idea of being a good person can be subjective and that living up to your own standards is better.
People at school might consider me a “good person” and I think I am a good person, to others at least. I think being a good person comes with a lot of sacrifices and sometimes I don’t know how to say know. These little sacrifices I make eventually get bigger and bigger. I do it so no one hates me but inside it really annoys me that people are always asking me to let them get in front of me or ask to save their spot at lunch. These little sacrifices annoyed me but now friends are asking me to loan money which is even more annoying. I might be a “good person” to other people according to the article, however, I’m not a good person to myself. I want to try to prioritize my needs over someone else’s unless I think that their need is more important than mine, which sometimes it is. My definition of a good person is a person who does good to others, but also keeps themselves in mind.
There isn’t really such a thing as ‘good.’ Everyone has different ideas of what makes a good and bad person, and everyone has different morals and standards. There are also many exceptions to good or bad things. Someone who steals money might be bad, but if they steal it and give it to the poor, like a robin hood, it can be argued that since their motives are good, so are they. Good is like a sudoku puzzle with incomplete clues, except it can be interpreted or put together in different ways. If someone completes it differently than you, that doesn’t mean that they are wrong. And since the clues are incomplete, there is never one ‘right’ answer to it. I strive to be what I think is a ‘good person,’ but we all do bad things and make mistakes. That doesn’t necessarily mean you are a bad person though since it isn’t fair to just ratio your good and bad things when certain good or bad things may weigh more than others. For example, in my standards, killing someone weighs much more than opening the door for someone. Those two can’t just be ratioed as 1:1 since they aren’t of the same value.
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I don’t know if it’s for me to determine if I am a good person or not. I can strive to be a good person but in the eyes of someone else doing good deeds might not be the only reason for someone being a good person. I try and help people as much as I can and crack jokes to make people laugh. I mean who doesn’t like to laugh right? I try and make people laugh with everything I say so people will like me. I think that, that is something a good person would do- try and give people a good time.
Personally I agree with the article about how “goodness is expressed through lovingkindness” I never think about this question but if i had to think about it I would say that I am a good person most of the time although some people may think differently because I am very shy when I'm at school, I don't talk to many people. I think a good person is a person who shows kindness and respects others. Goodness is shown in many different ways that are either simple or complex.
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I think I'm a good person, of course there are times when I question this because of a decision I made, but for the most part I think I am. The only thing I wish I would do more is think before I speak, and ask myself "is this the best decision?", maybe then I will be able to be the best person I can be, a good person.
Cheryl Strayed's idea of goodness is exactly what I think goodness is. I believe goodness is something that is simple, it's something that is shown just threw the way you act, and the things you do.
I think the basis of all goodness comes from childhood experiences and lessons, because that's the time you're most influenced by everything. That's when you learn what's wrong or right, you learn how to treat people. From there you associate kindness into the way you act.
Every now and then I am told I'm a good person, because I've done kind things, and it is always nice hearing these types of compliments. I do always strive to be good, and I think everyone should do so. The world would be a better place if we all tried to be kind.
For anyone and everyone who wants to be good you must ask yourself in situations where you must make a decision, is this the right thing, and how would this make me feel if I was the person receiving kindness?
Everybody has the potential to be a good person, it’s just whether or not you want to be. Of course though, no person is perfect and nobody ever will be. Ms Sethi discusses some of the characteristics of a good person, which includes kindness at the top of the list. She says “kindness is at the center of what it means to be good.” I most definitely agree with her because It’s hard for me to see a person being good without the skill of kindness. Respect is automatically gained from initial kindness, if it’s when meeting somebody, greeting an adult, or just saying hi to a friend. Kindness always boosts your reputation and the way somebody thinks of you. This is just one characteristic that helps you become a good person.
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I feel that there is not just one view of defining if someone is a good person, but the points mentioned in the text are good examples of some. I have been told that I am a good person by a lot of people. Honestly, I strive to be a good person and try to do what is right in my everyday life. I know there are some things I could work on such as patients and working on my thoughts. Because sometimes I catch myself not thinking the nicest thoughts about myself or even others. I also need to work on my patients, because I forget everyone works at different speeds and I don't need to lose my temper because of it.. To me being a good person is when one is kind to others, but what really stuck out to me is paying attention. When being attentive to everything around us we can decide what being a good person means to individuals.
One of the most detrimental questions to a person’s psyche is, “Are you a good person?” Striving to be good is something that almost everybody does almost all the time. Whether you are thinking about it or not, you are always wondering if you are a good person. One thing that resonated with me was when Cheryl Strayed said “the words ‘good’ and ‘goodness’ have long been associated with obedience.” It struck me because that is a factor to being a good person. When I ask myself if I am a good person, I think about whether or not I am obedient to those above me. In my eyes, respect and obedience are interchangable and being respectful is being a good person. Being a good person has many different factors. Helping others whether it be simple or grand, being respectful to those above you, and showing kindness to those around you are only some of the many variables to goodness. Many people think that to be a good person you have to accomplish all of these factors. I believe that to be a good person doesn’t mean achieving all of these factors. It means doing at least one factor every once in a while. Nobody is able to accomplish every act of kindness, so why should you try? Being good is something that I think everybody should strive to be because it can make our society better and more friendly.
According to Plato, “goodness” and happiness are one in the same, meaning people should strive to live in a way that makes them feel content. This definition of “good” could work for some, but it could be harmful for others; there are people in the world who derive joy from the pain of others. If everyone did what made them happy, the world would be overflowing with corrupt people who live every day with only themselves in mind. For many others, however, a “good” person is one who puts others above themselves. But how can humans combat this idea of selflessness with the primitive desire for self preservation? Where is the line between putting others first and neglecting to take care of oneself? On a worldwide basis, the most shared ideas of “goodness” stem from religion. The problem with basing morality on religion is that people will never agree to follow one religion, and many people do not believe in religion to any extent. There will never be a universal definition of “goodness,” so an attempt to determine whether or not a person is “good” or “evil” would be futile and uncertain.
Everyone has their own definition of a good person. I think someone that is humble, kind, and caring is a good person but others might think differently. I’m not really sure if I’m a good person. I’m not always a good person but I really try to be. It’s very hard to be a good person all the time. No one is all good or all bad. It's hard for me to be a good person when I'm upset or mad at someone.
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Headline: How To Be a Good Person.
I do not consider myself a good person. There are so many flaws. I can make a friend happy and I can make a friend calm. At the same time I can make a friend sad and I can make a friend upset. I feel like I could be a more positive person all around.
I disagree, I think a good person acts without thinking. It becomes an instinct to do the right thing, even when it is the most inconvenient action or decision.
I think the part about paying attention stuck with me. Paying attention and understanding the feelings around you can be crucial. I know a lot of people that are completely misunderstanding the “vibes” they give off. They think everyone just loves them, while everyone is really just annoyed by them and wish they would stop.
I strive to be good, I hope to make someone's day in the future, not by any relationship means but just in general. When I call one of my friends he answers and says “What’s up Justin?” This just makes me happy, it is especially his tone and connecting it with my name, it makes me feel important to him.
I feel like people could be good if they just listened more. Listening is a huge factor, if you don’t quite know the full story then things could go wrong.
I feel like I'm not that good of a person because of the past mistakes that I made which still bother me now in a way but I feel like now I'm trying to be a better person to my friends and boyfriend. I just wish that I was a more likable person and not that hated but I can't really change that.
I feel like my ideas about goodness and morals come from my friend group as their all good people but their all scarred in one way or another. They can tell what's right from wrong and they passed on their knowledge to me.
No one ever told me that I was a good person. I just sorta figured that out from some of my more good actions like helping people out and giving good advice.
@Steph Cueva I found what you said about being likable very interesting. I know plenty of people who base their goodness off of how likable they are. You don't need to be liked by everyone to be a good person. I also believe that you can be good even though you've made mistakes. Part of being good is being aware and you are aware of you're mistakes and you are trying to learn from them and I think that's really cool. Keep up being a good person.
I am not really sure if I'm a good person or not. I am in some of the explanations of goodness that the people who are interviewed suggest. I like to enjoy the present and I am aware of the things around me and I usually hold myself accountable but I don't know how kind I am. It's not really something you can judge yourself on. I have been trying to alter how I appear to others, and when I am not kind, it is most likely because I am joking around but I might take the jokes too far sometimes.
I like to think that I am good at making friends and keeping them, I will never leave a friend alone. That is my definition of goodness, how you affect the lives of those close to you. The definition of goodness that I agree with the most is Harriet Lerner's. She says that "being a good person requires that we work toward that unrealized world where the dignity and integrity of all human beings, all life, are honored and respected.” My goodness is not shaped by a religion, my parents, or my culture, it is shaped by my outlook on humanity and the world around me.
Many times the quote has been stated “Goodness comes from the inside. When you are good to other people the goodness will come back to you.” It’s hard to tell if I'm really a good person if you put the speaker in my hand because I might just say something biased. The real question is asking the people who know me best such as my family if they think so-ever so, even my friends. With what’s been happening right now in my country between the presidential elections 3.5 years ago- followed up by some massive school shootings and violence, it’s hard to see the good in people. I remember watching a document about Malala speaking to someone while getting interviewed after she was shot. They were talking about if Malala wanted to get back at the person who shot her, and Malala's response was touching. She stated that she would never want to hurt someone because of what they did to her, because no matter what they probably have a family that loves them very much and knows they can do good. It was just really touching to hear that. Even if you hold a door for someone or to let an elder sit down when there are no more chairs, goodness can come from everybody in the good and the bad times. You might just even make someone's day.
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@Maya Dixon That is a good point. The best way to decide if you are good is by asking those closest to you. Deciding for yourself could just be selfish and inaccurate. I remember hearing a lot about Malala. She has a good heart and good intentions. She sees the situation from more than one point of view, this is crucial. I remember watching a TedTalk about this. I personally do this quite often. When I am mad at someone I try and see it from their perspective and this can make a whole new outcome.
One more thing, that is so true, those small actions you make create a huge emotional feeling for those you effected. I love when people do those small things for me like hold a door open or even just say “hey.” It really shows you are cared for and that people have an interest in talking to you.
I feel I am a good person. I am not really rude to people except if I don't like them, they are rude to me, or I'm just joking around. I think that I should make it more obvious that I'm joking because sometimes my friends take things to seriously. Many people have called me a kind and gracious person. My aunt told me never to lose my kindness before that I never thought I was that kind. When I take public transportation I always hold the door for people and when I don't I feel very guilty.
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@Daren L.
There are very few times when you should be rude to somebody, although, there is a time and a place. Sometimes, people need to be put in their place! I agree, I think you should never lose your kindness. So much respect is gained from being kind and doing small deeds, like how you hold the door for people without being asked. If I were to die, I would want to be remembered for my kindness and how I treated others around me. Kindness is key when you want to be considered as a good person.
Whether I’m a good person or not depends on the time you ask me. I do good things for others, but I’ve also done some not so good things. I think I am a decent friend to the people I’m close to. I compliment people, try to help them if they’re struggling, and do activities with them. But sometimes I abandon all of my morals and make bad decisions like being rude or lying. It depends on my mood or the situation. Most of the bad decisions I've made were because I wasn't doing well emotionally. It’s hard to determine whether I’m a good person in general because I do varying levels of good and bad things. Since you can’t measure how good something is, you can’t just average all of my actions.
Also, just because someone has done bad things doesn’t make them a “bad person.” Good people can do bad things. But what sets a good person who’s done a bad thing apart from a bad person who’s done the same? Some might say that a person is “good” because they do fewer or less significant bad things. Others might say that it’s what the person does to make-up for the action. You can do a bad thing with good intentions or for the “right reasons.” Is it okay to harm one person if it benefits more people? Analyzing just one “bad” action can be extremely difficult because there are always many sides to one story. So it would be impossible to look at all of a person’s actions and see how good or bad they were. Some people seem to lean towards good or bad, but most people are in a gray area.
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I agree with Cheryl on her definition of goodness. In my opinion, I think goodness is putting others before yourself and going out of your way to do something kind for a loved one or stranger just to brighten their mood. You don’t only have to be kind to those you know and are close to. It’s even better when you don’t even know someone because it makes you feel really good about yourself. There are many times where I have been called a good person. It's something I really strive to be. I love making people happy and feeling as if they belong somewhere when they’re alone. I love making people by complimenting them, giving them things if I have things to give, letting people go before me, and more. I’m someone that anyone can come to because I’m very trusting and of course, I love to help. When I do something nice for someone, I think about it for the rest of the day because it makes me feel really good about myself. Doing good things for other people regardless of their race, sex, religion, and more is something everyone should think about doing because you never know what someone is going through in their personal life or how someone’s day was. It's good to think about others and put others before yourself to brighten their day(s).
I like to think I’m a good person. I really love making people smile. It makes me so happy. Making others have a better day is my goal. I love when I can change someone’s mood from not so happy to smiling and laughing. I do sometimes wish I was better. We all make mistakes and although it is normal, I wish I had the ability to never hurt someone’s feelings, because that is the worst feeling ever. Knowing you hurt someone’s feelings is the worst.
I agree with what Cheryl Strayed said. For me, goodness is doing something for someone. For example, buying the person behind you in line’s coffee. It will just make them smile. It is such a simple way to make someone’s day.
I have a very caring family, so I think I get my love for making others happy from them. My mom loves helping others more than helping herself. She would give someone the shirt off her back. I’m the same way. It just makes us happy to make others happy.
I do think I am a good person. I will always strive to be better, I want to be less selfish with my time and help people. There isn’t an end point to being good so you can always be better. I never want to be content with the place I’m at, then there will be no where to grow, growth shapes us. I get all of my moral values and my ideas about goodness from my religion. I am a Christian and I think being good is about loving others and accepting people. I think most ideas of goodness and moral values come from religion, how can we ever know what’s really right or wrong if there is no moral compass? No one higher than us to guide us through life. That’s how I find goodness and seek to be good, and honestly I don’t think I could give any advice outside of religion. My faith grounds me in everything I do, it shapes how I treat people, how I see people, and what I surround myself with.
I think that I am a good person. I try to do good deeds, be respectful, and be kind as much as possible. I try my best to be there for people that I call family, which can be actual family or just really good friends. I think to be labeled kind means that the person labeling you sees you as happy, kind, and respectful all the time.
Being a good person consists of honesty, being yourself, and is loving out of the goodness of their heart, not just to be labeled "a good person". I feel like being too kind can lead to being stepped on or used by other people because kind people are usually desperate for approval.
I think being a good person is about doing your best. Its doing everything you can to help others, yourself, and the world around you. This article was interesting because they spoke about ‘being a good person’ as though there were fixed guidelines and recommendations. I don’t think this is the case at all. Everyone’s best is at different points, and if its not someones personality to be a certain way in these guidelines, they still may be doing everything they can.
I strongly agree though, that kindness is a huge part of being a good person. Sacrificing pieces of yourself, whether it be a slice of pizza or looking after little siblings, is always a great way to stay humble and your best self.
I feel like I could improve as a person by being more accountable for my actions. I always feel the unnecessary need to defend myself in situations where I would be better off staying quiet. I think I could also become more self-aware and pay attention to my surroundings. Hopefully I will continue to grow as a person as I go on in life.
I think that I am a good person, but now that I think of it what does that even mean. People have said I’m a "good person" my parents call me a "good kid." But what have I done to be considered "good?" Sure I try my best to be respectful and nice to others. But I don't think there is something specific that should decide whether you are a good person or not. For example, just because one person sees you as a good person might not mean everybody does.
I've been told that i'm a good person before. To be honest it is something I strive for and think about a lot. Lately I've been thinking about image a lot. Certain actions or even words can help someone determine the type of person you are. When people look at me I want people to see a good person. This prevents me from acting certain ways in public or to adults. It also has help me analyze my friend group and see what type of people they are. I've also realized that most times it takes more effort to do a mean act than a nice one. Also its a better feeling to know you've been nice to someone than mean.
I do believe that I am a good person. I try to do what I think is right and I try to be kind above anything else. I do know that I am not perfect and make plenty of mistakes. I know I could be less stubborn and more patient. Goodness, to me, is one of those words that can’t have one set definition. To me goodness is being kind to myself and others. Paying attention is what stuck out the most to me. If you are observant you can start to define what kindness means to you. It also helps you find some people who really need goodness in that moment. Most of my beliefs about goodness have come from my parents which most likely came from the Bible. The only thing my parents truly care about is that I am a kind person. I’ve had a good amount of people tell me that I am a good person. I’m assuming that it was because I made them feel better or supported them through something. It feels really nice when people think you are a good person. Being kind gives me some purpose in life. Being kind and loving people is what I live by. I know I can’t be good all the time but I do make it my main goal. My advise is that it’s not hard to be good but it is hard to be consistent, putting a little more thought behind what you say and do goes a long way, and that you’re not going to be good all the time and thats ok.
I'd like to think of myself as a good person, but then again I'm sure that's a common human hope. I'd consider myself to be generous, a good listener, and considerate. However, my patience is easily worn thin, I'm bad at hiding my frustration, and I tend to be pretty sarcastic which might offend people that don't understand that. I have traits that could make me seen as kind and caring, but I also have traits that could make me be seen as a jerk. So the question is, am I a good person?
It's a subjective question, and there's really no one that can answer it. People might have their opinions, but they would all be based on specific interactions I would have had with them that differ from person to person. I'd like to hope that the answer for most people is yes, and it hurts me to know that there are most likely a couple people in my life that would answer no. So if everyone sees me as a good person except for one or two people, does the capability of being able to be seen as a bad person ruin my chance of being a good person?
Although I don't know if this question can ever be answered, I do know that it's still important to strive to be a good person. The article gives suggestions to be kind, to pay attention, to ask hard questions, and to hold yourself accountable. If we work on these, maybe the times that we snap and lose our patience can be overshadowed by the efforts that we make to become better people.
@Hayden Carroll I understand exactly what you're saying. We all like to think we are good people but we all make mistakes and maybe aren't always so good. Anyways, you worded this really well and I love it.
@Hayden Carroll I too agree that being a good person is very subjective. You can do nothing wrong and someone’s personal bias will get in the way of them actually liking you. I don’t think that one persons opinion should alter the way that you act. You have to know the difference between good and bad, and not let other people shape you any other way.
Part 1
I met someone last year, who I thought was a really bad influence and made a lot of bad decisions. Some of these bad decisions were made in my presence and I made my opinion clear to him that what he was doing wasn’t good for him and that he should stop. We had frequent conversations about it, and we ended up becoming really close friends from it, ironically. I disagreed with his decisions, and for some reason I thought that I was going to be able to stop him and change his actions. I knew he was a good person and that’s why I believed I could sway him.
Any adult that knew what he was doing would shame him and would think he is a terrible kid. But he isn’t. There was a kid at lunch that always wanted to sit with our group of friends, and a lot of people didn’t want to sit with him. The only person that would sit with him was my friend. He has the biggest heart and is one of the most down-to-earth people I have met. I was starting to get frustrated and worried for him, so I talked to my mom about it. The first thing my mom said was “it sounds like he needs better friends.” When she said this, it angered me because his friends were good people. Their hearts were in the right place and it wasn’t fair that she judged them off of their decisions.
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@Reilly Johnson
I too believe that a person is not as bad as there worst decision, and that to judge someone on their's is unfair. Like you, I have friends who I know to have done bad things, but I don't judge them for these actions because I know that I would not like to be judged on my mistakes. Also, as you have found out, to really be able to make your decision on whether a person is good or bad you have to know them. I have known many people who I have been told the bad things they have done, and then met them in person and found those things I know to be true hard to believe. Through a;ll this I have realized that people are not inherently bad. Everybody, no matter what they have done, has some good in them, and not all people who do bad things are terrible people.
@Reilly Johnson, Just like you I believe that a person’s actions don’t reflect who they are as a person. As I’m sorry to hear that your friend wasn’t making the right decisions, I am happy that you told him that you did not agree with him. He might be happy with his actions but you don’t have to settle for your uncomfortableness.
It takes a long journey to find out who we’re are as people and we act towards our peers. I know multiples teenagers who choose to complain about class instead of doing work which makes them upset and their time wasted. It can be easier to discover yourself with your friends around but I disagree with your mom when she said that his friends were the cause. We might be influenced by our groups but not enough to develop a new life style.
Lastly, please don’t worry. If you believe that your friends intentions are pure then stick with it. His actions don’t reflect who he is or what he will do in the future.
From my life experience, I’ve been thought as, in my eyes, as a good person. Although the decisions I make aren’t up to the potential they could be at, I believe that to be able to help someone out when they need it is as important as morality. If one were to be a very lazy person but they are very supportive I think that he would be better than someone who might be a multi-company billionaire who is somewhat supportive. The ability to help someone out is great, but when you utilize it, it not only helps you but also the person.
Part 2
Eventually I stopped trying to stop him and just decided to be a good friend for him if he ever needed me or got into any trouble. It wasn’t fair for me to try to change him because he was happy and he understood what he was doing and understood the consequences. I realized that even if he did change, I wouldn’t be making him any better of a person.
The main thing I realized from this experience was that people judge other people wrong, especially adults. Decisions don’t define a person. People are so quick to put a label on a kid without knowing their situation or who they really are.
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In my eyes yes, in others maybe not. Reading through the things they described through a good person, I feel I fit those “guidelines.” Being a good person shouldn't have guidelines. One can be a good person in one person's eyes but not another. There is no way to tell if you are fully a good person or not. You're seen through a different lens every time.
I have a very offensive style of humor. This is why I surround myself with people who have the same sense of humor. The people who see me as a bad person are the majority of the people who don't understand this. I don't see this as me being a bad person but I know how I think. Brother Chan Phap Dung mentions paying attention as well. My mind doesn't stop to think about what is going on around me and honestly I don't pay a lot of attention to most of the things around me either. Does simply not having a certain type of mind make me a bad person? I also don't question things a lot like The Rev. William J. Barber II says. I just stick to what is going on and never say a word about it. Obviously if something bad is going on i'll stop, but the questioning he's talking about it out of my mind capacity. Does not questioning life make me a bad person? How can others say what makes a good person when it is different from everyone's eyes?
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I have a very offensive style of humor. This is why I surround myself with people who have the same sense of humor. The people who see me as a bad person are the majority of the people who don't understand this. I don't see this as me being a bad person but I know how I think. Brother Chan Phap Dung mentions paying attention as well. My mind doesn't stop to think about what is going on around me and honestly I don't pay a lot of attention to most of the things around me either. Does simply not having a certain type of mind make me a bad person? I also don't question things a lot like The Rev. William J. Barber II says. I just stick to what is going on and never say a word about it. Obviously if something bad is going on i'll stop, but the questioning he's talking about it out of my mind capacity. Does not questioning life make me a bad person? How can others say what makes a good person when it is different from everyone's eyes?
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@Kali Hatcher Many people see good people as people who pander to their way of thinking, or suck up to them. While this may be the socially accepted norm, I don't think its the correct way to define a good person. A good person is characterized by what they do when no one is looking and what they do when people are not on top. It also has to do with how they stand up for themselves; people who are different. I, much like you, also have a different sense of humor and it leans towards the dark side of the spectrum. People who don't know me as well might say "he isn't a good person" the same way they might classify you the same way because they don't like something you said. Good people might say things that are different but they will always be there for you no matter how you have treated them or what you have said to them.
@Kali Hatcher I am the exact same way. Sometimes I say things meant to be funny or a complete joke, and it ends up hurting someone which isn't my intention at all. I do think it is important to surround ourselves with people who understand that, and understand the humor you use.
I do not believe that there is one definition of being a “good” person. I think that there are many factors that go into being a good person. It can be based on your personality, how you act towards others, etc. I think they key to being a good person is how selfless you are and how accepting you are. Obviously, there are more things that are involved, but these are the top 2 traits that I focus on. Putting people before yourself shows how much you can care about others along with accepting everyone for who they are or who they want to be.
I find that “being a good person” is something that is incredibly difficult to define. I try my best to be what I think is a good person. I go out of my way to say hi to people in the hallways, to ask people how their day was, and to just be a kind person to all around me. I am of course human, and therefore, I make mistakes sometimes. I have bad days and sometimes I am rude to people around me. I wouldn’t say I am a “good person” but I am definitely trying. If you are an enneagram person, I am a type 2. A lot of my friends come to me with their problems and I try my best to give them the best advice I can. Life isn’t about being a good or bad person, just about trying to be the best you can be.
I think that I would consider myself a good person. Some people would consider otherwise because they just have a sense of humor. Some people that don’t like my sense of humor would think that I am not a good person. If I am doing something that seems like not always the right thing to do, most of the time it is a joke. I help lots of people behind the scenes. Again, it is just my sense of humor. Also nobody is perfect. As much as you try you can never be perfect. I try my best to not judge people. I feel being a nice person doesn’t mean that you have to be a nice son to somebody like you are a grandma. You can make jokes and things like that all the time but you just have to know your limits. Also, you don’t have to be so nice that you let other people control your life. Be nice to people but don’t let them boss you around. So if there was something that I would have to say, it would be to try your best to be nice.
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My definition of a good person is that you have to be a nice, kind, supportive, etc. throughout my life I always have thought that I was a good person of being able to be to talk to a friend about one of their problems and they can always talk to me about that I’ve herd everything to the worse. sometimes I’m not a good person like annoying people out of their minds but I always make the situation better.
@Ralph Gabric
The definition you have in your mind can be very different from others. This is why I try to not worry about what certain people think. I can be a "bad person" for simply accidentally bumping into someone. In your definition though I couldn't fully say I am a good person. I may not be nice, kind, and supportive to everyone. I chose who I express these emotions to. In this same way you may not fit what I think of as a good person. I think you worry to much about coming off as a good person. If everyone's minds are different how are you supposed to please everyone of them
I’m used to being asked to buy something for someone, or just for money in general. A lot of people classify me as “nice” or they say things like: “You’re such a good person, I wish I could be as wholesome as you!” But, in reality, money has absolutely nothing to do with being ethical or not. Behind all of the money taken or given, you can’t assume someone’s actual behavior is good. Like in the article, goodness has to do with integrity… honesty… exception... patience. Usually, people pair goodness with physical or verbal actions, and sure, it depends on what those might be. A lot of people immediately think they’re doing the wrong thing if they don’t give money to that homeless person or they don’t donate to that charity. But a big part of goodness that people forget about is being good to yourself. If I were to think about all the times I’ve made good actions and all the times I’ve made bad actions, I would say the good outway the bad, but I really wouldn’t know without a clear statement on what it means to be good. I have good intentions, although I’m not always honest… I’m kind to strangers, but I don’t always give them money. All of these “random acts of kindness” that people take the wrong way, can actually mean you’re a good person.
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If we’re being completely honest here I could be a better person than I am now. Once in awhile I’ll hold the door for someone or help them if they ask just because I think that’s what’s right. I have no problem doing anything for anyone and I’ll help if I can. The reason I don’t think I’m that good of a person is my temper though. The thing is that I have a really short temper and so when I get mad I kind of take it out on everyone around me. I don’t mean to I just can’t help it, afterwards I usually feel guilty because I know I’m not the easiest to handle when I’m upset or mad. So I think that if I learn to control my temper I’ll be a better person.
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@Brianna K.
I think we can all always be better. It's really cool that you can acknowledge things that could help you become better, I think this can help everyone to become better. Seeing things that we are doing wrong and making a conscious effort to fix it.
Well yes I have been called a good person almost everyday several times in my life. To me I think ¨your right but you are also wrong¨. I honestly don´t know if I am or not. But I am a boy scout and I also go to a good school full of some good people but not all but however I do strive to be my best at all times.
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Being a good person isn't necessarily about constantly giving and giving, or putting all else above yourself. Being a good person doesn’t mean you never get angry, or you constantly donate to charities and do volunteer work. Being a good person is all about your intentions. If you intend to be generous that doesn’t mean just give and give to people. Being a good person is definitely not about saying yes all the time, that is when people take advantage of you. And if you let that happen, you are not being good to them or yourself. Of course it's difficult to always make the right choices, and naturally, you will always make mistakes. But if you never intend to hurt anyone or anything, and always clean up the messes you leave behind, that is a good person in my book.
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I do feel as though I am a good good person the majority of the time but then it comes down to my attitude and my mood. I do try my very best to be good, nice, and respectful, it’s just that I know that I have a very short temper and my attitude from certain situations that get me mad, can last a long time throughout the day. But other than those days, I am very nice and I do good things. I make sure to keep myself around a positive group of people and if I do hang around negative people, I make sure I either leave, rub my goodness onto them, or make sure their actions don’t affect me or rub off on me.
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The definition of a, “good person” or having “goodness” is up to everyone's unique interpretation. Presidential elections, and such would not be necessary if we all had the same definition of what it means to be morally good or right. To me specifically though when I am thinking about traits defining a, “good person,” I feel like just knowing and being aware of what other people may be going through is a big part of it. By having this ability you automatically are less likely to hurt people emotionally, and can connect with them and help them through rough patches. My interpretation of being “good” is specifically based off of what I value, and I hope to be. Although no one is perfect, I try my best to abide by this because I do not want to hurt people the way that I feel as though I have been hurt throughout my years on earth.
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Often times, when I see someone struggling or in need of help, I will help them. I do not want people to suffer while watching others walk past them. But, I will help in all means necessary. Helping is a priority and sometimes you have to be a good citizen. We can all enlighten our moods and other moods. Helping will achieve us a better world. With all this violence going on, I feel like I should put a smile on someone's face. I have been called a good person when I helped an elderly man with groceries as he was climbing up the stairs. It was a small thing I could do, compared to the substantial things other people do. For example, many Youtubers have been recently paying random peoples rent or mortgage. There is nice in the world and I will hope for more.
1
Being good is a point of view. Some people think a certain politician is good, but some people might completely despise them. So what makes somebody truly good? Well, I think that the matter of being good is one of being obedient, but more than that. A good person would do things for others, and put others before themselves. A good person would be humble, kind, caring, and trying to be the best person they can be. But as I said, good is a point of view.
As for me, being good would be following the rules of the bible, and being obedient to my superiors, then people might call me good, but does that really make me a good person?
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@Elliot C I agree that seeing someone as a good person is a point of view. I agree with you because I could really like a person because of what I think is considered good. But someone else could define being a good person differently from me.
It depends, sometimes can be a good person and do good deeds but I can also be a bad person at the same time. In my opinion, no person can be a good person 24/7 because everyone can do something bad even if they don’t realize or want to admit it. There are also differing opinions on what a “good person” is. One might say who is always do good deeds or one that is very selfless or one that is nice most of the time. Everyone thinks differently, one person might say someone’s a good person, but another person might say the same person isn’t a good person. I don’t think that it is fair to hold people accountable for everything they do because if we do, could anyone truly be a good person?
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I think the definition of a “good person” is really broad. Like others said, good is not really measurable as it is based on opinion. There can be many definitions of good and my definition may not be the same other’s. I think only a person themselves can determine whether they are good or bad using their own definition. Humans are also really complex, so I do not necessarily think good or bad are adjectives that should be used to describe someone. I think only actions and intentions can be described as good or bad, but there are too many aspects that make up who a person is to be reduced to just good or bad.
No. I am not always a good person. I can have good moments where I’m nice, but I don’t think I'm genuinely pure enough to be that kind and sweet and perfect. I don’t think anyone is, really. There’s too many things happening in this world to be a good person. The show “The Good Place”, is about people, when they pass away, get sent to the Good Place or the Bad Place. And the main characters find out that the reason people weren’t qualifying to get into the Good Place is because of small things. For example, a good, genuine person goes to buy fruit. But they have no idea how the fruit got there. Turns out, the fruit was harvested by children doing labor, a.k.a child labor. And just because that person got that fruit, they wouldn’t go to the Good Place. I feel like it does come down to that eventually. Should we hold people accountable for their actions, or should we let it slide?
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I would say I am an "ok" person. It’s hard for me to judge myself about something because my opinion will be very biased. The only way to find a true answer is to ask the question to someone else. I do agree though that I have performed good actions like holding the door, giving an elderly person my seat on a bus, or just saying good morning. I like doing good actions because it makes me feel good. Sometimes in the mornings, if i'm feeling inspired, I will get up, make coffee for my mom, and empty the dishwasher out for her. I like doing this because when my mom gets very happy and thankful, it makes me feel good. I think that the little gestures in life are more effective than big gestures.
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I don’t know if I am a good person, but I try to be. People always tell me that I’m nice and friendly, but I always think about what I’m doing, and it’s sometimes hard to make decisions because in some cases it’s not clear on what is good and what is bad. In my opinion, a good person is a person who is willing to help others, is a good friend, and is generous. If you are trying to be a good person, my advice to you is to do what you believe is the right thing to do. Do what you think is good, not what other people think is good.
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I think that I am a good person. I don’t have a definition of good but I like to help others and I try to be as kind as possible by doing simple things like giving someone a compliment and things like that. I feel like we can always be better people but that would be very easy without emotion. I rarely get angry outside of being hungry. I am not that emotional which is why I can focus on being a good person. I have been told that I am a good person by many people I like to make peoples days a little bit better by making them laugh or other things. When people say that I am a nice person it makes me feel happy knowing that I have made a person's vision of me as a good person. Good people in my opinion like to surround themselves with good people and I think that I do that I think that my friends and family members are good people. A suggestion to people to become a good person is to do one thing a day that makes someone smile or do something that you wouldn’t do that is selfless. Those are my thoughts on being a good person.
1
I do feel like I am a good person, but there are many ways I wish I was better. Being good is hard, though, because you don’t know what might negatively affect someone. Something that is good for you might be bad for them, and you can’t perfectly conform yourself to everyone and what they think is good. Also, there is the question of being good for yourself and being good for other people. Are you a good person if you are being good for yourself, or is it only when you are doing something good for other people? Many people in my life say that being good is being kind, honest, caring, and many more positive attributes, but I honestly think that just wanting to do the right thing makes someone a good person. Even if something they do isn’t good for everyone, the tried to do the right thing and I think that is enough.
1
In my experience, I do feel that I try to put others before myself when it comes to most aspects. This is mainly a result as my mom always stresses the importance of having a humble personality. Primarily, her reasoning resides across the lines of how it will allow others to hold higher opinions, to just the feeling that you have done something beneficial to others will have overall control of your own choices. Though does this truly present someone as good? Personally, I feel that mentality is outweighed by progressive actions to help others or the overall general public. Therefore, the procedure of presenting if you are or aren’t a good person would reside with a person who spends at least a brief time with you. From this knowledge of mine, I was able to agree with Ms. Sethi’s statement of, “Kindness is at the center of what it means to be good. It may require very little from us or the opposite. It may require words and action, or restraint and silence. Everything that can be said with kindness”.
1
My idea of what goodness is revolves around being kind to others. My sister is one of the kindest, most generous people I have ever met. She has changed the way I see good in people. Being kind to people and they will be kind back, at least if they are a good person. My thoughts on goodness can also be like the Golden Rule. Goodness is something that I strive for but I feel like I fail to do it because of times where I might be harsh on my sister for literally no reason or clearly demonstrate that I don’t want to go gardening with my mom. When I do stuff like this, I feel worse and whoever I’m dealing with feels worse. Being good is just a matter of caring for others.
1
In my opinion, I’m a good person to those who treat me well and make me happy. This is because I don’t want to be good to the people who treat me badly because it’d make me look weak. I agree with Cheryl Strayed because anything you do for someone else that benefits them in a good way is best. My definition of goodness is the quality of showing an act of kindness towards someone or something. My ideas about goodness are shaped mostly by my family because they have always taught me to treat others the way I want to be treated and they are so nice to neighbors, relatives, etc. Goodness should be an important goal for everyone because showing acts of kindness makes others feel welcome and happy and you’ll feel good that you are showing good quality. I definitely strive to be good, but it is really hard because there are those people that treat you badly and make it hard for you to be nice to others. For others who seek to be good, as long as you try your best to show an act of kindness, that is still good.
1
I’m not really sure if I’m a good person or not, because sometimes, I do the right things, and I’m nice to people, but then, I’m not sometimes. So, I’m not a really good person, but I’m also not a really bad one either. It depends on what I do. I think for the most part though, I’m generally a good person. There’s just some days when I don’t really seem to be a good person, and other days, I am. It mostly depends on what has happened to me previously. I agree with Cheryl Strayed because any act of kindness, no matter how small it is, is ever wasted. It can be something simple, or not simple, but any act of kindness changes the world in a positive way. Being a good person is definitely a goal I have, and I’m working on it every day, and I think everyone else should, too. I strive to be good in any way possible, even if it’s just something really small because I know that any kindness I show, no matter how small, it will always make a difference in the world.
1
Personally, I believe ‘good’ is so relative to each and every individual. However that’s a whole other conversation; for me I’d like to believe I am a good person. Unfortunately, sometimes even if my intentions are pure and with the other person’s well-being in mind, the outcome may not always be ‘good’.
For example, I am a very overbearing person and love to check up on my friends and family often, I love gift giving and hugs, and to most people that alright, to most people that’s ‘good’. However, I recently met someone who is unlike any of my other friends. He is rather closed off and quiet, but he can be extremely social and loquacious if given the chance.
To him, my actions may not always seem ‘good’, they might seem like a cover for something else- or my actions may even be an inconvenience to him, or actually create a negative impact on him. Now his personal opinion on my gestures and actions do not make him ‘bad’, he simply has a different view of what ‘good’ is. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed each and every conversation and interaction I’ve had with him, since it’s taught me so much about other people’s idea of ‘good’.
At the end of the day, just because you’re doing something that you believe is ‘good’ does not make it so for those around you. When push comes to shove, take into account others feelings and desire and act upon that, not your own personal definition of ‘good’.
Simran Sethi’s checklist of what a survey suggested that qualifies people as a good person was shockingly but accurately short in my opinion. In truth, what qualifies a person as a “good” is subjective as well as ,as the article proves, the definitions of the word itself. However, I believe most people would agree that being kind, paying attention, asking difficult questions, and holding yourself accountable are qualities that good people have. Having established these attributes that good people have ,though, Sethi, fails to mention that these qualities alone do not make a person good. We all know a person who can do all of these things on the checklist at certain times, yet we still consider them a bad person. They can even work towards a good goal, like ending world hunger or building a business from scratch, and still be a bad person. Instead of only trying to be a good person, I think we should be more specific. We should strive to be caring people. We should strive to be observant people. We should strive to be mannerly people.
The definition of a "good person" is not as important as the definition of "goodness". Some people believe that "goodness" is determined by the motivation behind a person's actions, whereas others measure goodness by the results. Should a person's bad actions be negated by good outcomes, to make them a good person? Should a person's good intentions be negated by the terrible consequences, to make them a bad person?
Hitler believed he was doing a good thing when he ordered the murder of millions, that he was creating the "perfect race"; however, history agrees that Hitler was everything a bad person could be. When Henry Truman ordered the nuclear attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he believed that he was doing the right thing for the greater good, by ending WWII; however, history argues that Truman was wrong in his means.
When deciding the "goodness" of a person, judges should consider both intentions and outcomes. They must each, individually, look through the lens of was his humane, their own moral compass, as well as the perspective of the one being judged. When all things are considered a person can only be judged from the way their actions affect others, for goodness is never awarded for selfishness.
To be a "good person" is to measure the necessity of one's actions against the consequences, to determine the goodness of the action, not to act rashly for selfish gain. To be a good person is to not always do the "good" thing, but to strive to always do good.
In the article, several different individuals suggest what it means to be a “good” person within society. Goodness has always been a topic I struggle to figure out because there are so many unique ideas and interpretations of what it means to see good in a person so I’ve always questioned whether or not there could be an established definition. My ideas of goodness come from politics, culture, and media as discussed in the article. It’s easy to be influenced by these things and even easier to form an opinion on any of these topics, but what makes a person “good” comes from happiness and the desire to obtain a prime sense of self and understanding of what is best. As explained by the author of the article, being good is impermanent and often difficult for human nature to acquire but it “should always be struggled for.” Therefore, my ideas of goodness are not based on a comparison to others or determining the level of obedience in a person, but rather knowing whether or not an individual is striving to be better.
Being a good person does not make you good. There isn't an exact definition of a good person. I think it comes down to one's moral beliefs or what the standards of a certain society requires for someone to be considered good. When you look at the Bible, thousands of people saw Jesus as a good person because of what he did. He would always put others first, offer shelter to the poor, love on the "unlovable", preformed many miracles in order to help people, and accepted death for everyone. He was sinless and the son of God. However, there are people who do not think he was "good" because they may not believe in those christian beliefs. To me, it all comes down to how someone treats other people to be considered "good" and what is going on inside their head. Cheryl Strayed said that goodness "can be as simple as letting someone ahead of you in line and as complicated as making yearlong sacrifices of your freedom because someone you love needs your help". I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. There are degrees in which it can be considered good. It all matters about what is in the heart for someone to be considered a good person. How are they treating people and how are they talking about people when they are not around?
Cheryl Strayed said that goodness “can be as simple as offering to let someone ahead of you in line and as complicated as making years long sacrifices of your freedom because someone you love needs your help.” I do not necessarily agree with this statement. While yes it is good to help those around you, that is now how "goodness" is defined. Goodness is defined as being the quality of being morally good or virtuous. Based on this definition, every person can have a different version of what is good because our morals are all different. It may be in your morals to help those who you can, but other people may believe that they should only help those who are in desperate need of help. Personally, I would say that Strayed's statement is correct, based on my morals, because I am obligated to help anyone in any way that I can. Other people may not feel the same way as I do, so they aren't going to feel that this statement is correct.
I don’t mean to sound self centered or narcissistic, but I would consider myself a good person. Maybe to a fault, I put others before myself. I try my best to consider everyone and many times I overthink the simplest things to try to be as considerate as I can be. I agree very much with the quote from Cheryl Strayed “[Goodness] can be as simple as offering to let someone ahead of you in line and as complicated as making year long sacrifices of your freedom because someone you love needs your help.” I wish I was better at doing more for me at times. At the end of the day, I think the greatest joy in life is doing something for others. This way of life influences everything I do and ultimately makes me feel the most fulfilled and therefore, happy.
To a certain extent I would consider myself a good person. I’m aware that I’m not the best that I can be or even close, but I’m getting there. When I think of what it means to be a good person I think about character and intentions. In my opinion what it means to be a good person is someone who just has good heart and pure intentions. I don’t necessarily think that our actions determine if we’re good or not because sometimes people make mistakes and it doesn’t mean that they’re not good. At the end of the day “being a good person” is very subjective and hard to judge. My religion teaches me to assume the best about people so whether or not someone is good, is none of my concern. I’ll just continue to focus on my self and becoming a better person.
Being a “good person” is a difficult thing to do. For one, you can’t quantify how good someone is. Are they good because they helped someone once, or are they good because they avoid bad things? How can you measure the “goodness” of one’s actions? And then on top of that section, you now have to categorize actions. Do donations or public work count more than being successful? When you further consider the multiple facets to each and every person on this Earth, you then have to weigh every single aspect of them to determine if they are a good person. At this point, you might as well break out a calculator to figure out the quality of a person. In these modern times, where every action can be uncovered one way or another, you have to be good in order to stay in the public’s good graces. However, there is also superficial goodness, which essentially nullifies the impact of legitimate good work. Despite the stresses of society, one should still strive to be a good person.
The definition of being a “good person” is very wide and general: what I think makes someone a good person is doing good deeds without thinking or being asked. Even when it’s inconvenient to yourself you try to put others ahead of you. Being helpful and selfless results to better outcomes for yourself. For instance, if you are naturally resourceful and well mannered you might get a raise in your job or even become head manager. I think the more you help others the more respect you will get in return. Your life shouldn’t be a competition with your colleagues but a competition with yourself to be the best you can be.
Being a “good person” means different things to different people. Our definitions of “good” vary so widely and each one of us has different morals and values; there is no right answer or definition to being “good”. Despite that, I think that being “good” or being a “good person” means living life the way you wish to without hurting others. The idea of doing everything you can to get to where you want to go has limitations; limitations that keep you for being a danger to the world. Being a “good person” means considering how your actions will affect others who are also considering of you. These definitions of “good” have been implemented into my life since I was younger. I was always told “Respect others” and “Good things come to those who do good”; those phrases still sticking with me while growing up. I would say that, everyday, I find ways to help others, complement others, or make others feel better. To me, there is no ending to being a “good person” and continuing to work towards that goal will always be a part of my life.
There isn't an exact definition to "good". It differs from person but for society, it defines as an dominant intent towards a betterment of people or society. A societal defined "good" person would not only promote betterment, but would proceed to help physically or mentally, directly. Good and evil, for them, you are either of those because you can't expect a majority of people to evaluate the factors that led to your decision: emotions, mindset, familial relations, impressions of other people. This would require an in-depth research about the said person, and of course, since nobody will do this except the people in your close relationships , they are tempted to make classifications and distinctions to make it easier for the themselves. This analysis is not especially correct,but in this universe which consists of a lot of branches for people to work on, stuff not related to routine life - contemporary society revolves around daily life because everything people do right now is to improve the society or their personal life for future or present - has to be simplified,even if it results in not fully thought ideas. For people to consider you as a good person, you have to be partially selfless and affect people in a way to promote their benefits. With human nature- selfish, curious and critical-, everybody prioritize themselves and their family, which indicates various factors people need for others to consider.
1
I would like to think of my self as a good person because I try my hardest to succeed or be an outlet for others. I try to do better by not thinking of myself to much, but the idea that someone is just good or bad is false. A person can be good but they hold the possibility to do wrong, no one is set in stone on what they are capable of; for instance, a criminal has the chance to change to not do wrong and access that good in them they have ignored. Every person has a voice in their head that tells them what they are doing is right or wrong, it is just their choice to listen or ignore it.
One concept I would like to bring to the table is that I do not believe in the black and white idea of an individual either being a good person or a bad person. Goodness should be thought of as a spectrum, with good and bad as extremes on either end, and individuals' goodness falls within the scale. The four insights of goodness mentioned at the end of the article are all characteristics of a good person; although, what makes an individual "good" is entirely subjective to that very individual and those who witness their behavior. People are nurtured throughout their life to understand how to be a good person and how to perceive a good person. Because no individual shares the same perspective, these ideas of "good" people are nuanced from person to person. I believe that, through my perspective and culture, I lean more towards the classification of a good person than a bad person due to the fulfillment of cultural values that I practice - such as being kind and helping others - and the satisfaction of my peers as a result of my "good" deeds.
For me, it is very important to try and be a good person; to try and consider the feelings and needs of those around you, while also taking the time to be good to yourself. I would like to believe that I take these things into account, and I certainly try my hardest to take these things into account, but sometimes it can be easy to get distracted; to get angry, sad, and depressed, pushing all light and kindness away from yourself. So, in moments like those, I try and remember who I am as a person, and what I stand for; I have to remember that our lives on earth are fleeting, and that taking the time to spread good to those around you is important, even if it be an action as simple as holding a door open for someone. Though, I concede, taking the time to hold a door open for someone is not an action to be looked over, for to the person you held the door open to it could have made their day. I think what im trying to get at is that it isn't possible to be good all the time. But, although you may be doing something that is mean or bad, those actions don't necessarily condemn you as a bad person; it is the choices you make after that make you good. As long as you have the right intentions, and try your hardest to be good, that is all that matters.
It is impossible for me to determine if I am a good person, no matter what happens, or who I talk to, I can never come to a conclusion. Sometimes I feel as if it would be callous or self-centered to call myself a good person, other times i just spend so much time focusing on mistakes to ever see any good come from me into the world. People tell me that I am kind, caring, respectful, and many other compliments, but I never agree. As I see it, my job as a person is to make my friends and family as happy as possible as often as possible, as any good person would try and do. Yet I feel I am never able to reach these goals, happiness never stays, and hardly lasts long, and so I question myself constantly. Am I a good person? I never get a cut and dry answer from it, despite this people say I am good, that what I do is good, and until I can definitively determine for myself whether or not I am a good person, I’ll just have to rely on what those around me say I am.
I would like to say and believe I’m a good person, but I’m not sure. There isn’t really a definition of being a good person since there are so many factors that go into it, but I guess my definition would be someone who holds their actions accountable and strives to be better after making mistakes. That being said, I guess I’m not a good person. I feel like there’s a part of me who’s scared of being a bad person, but at the same time, I’d rather just push that into the back of my mind and not care. But if I were to try to be a good person, I guess I would just consider what kind of impact my actions have on other people before doing something.
To me, goodness does not have one set meaning. It involves caring for yourself, others, the space around you all at the same time. It means promoting a sense of well-being by doing what you believe is right. This can all be very difficult when you have conflicting information, obstacles in the way, or a tough decision to make, but all the tips in the article have a part in choosing what you think is right. I think that step 1 to being a good person starts with being kind to yourself. This means that you are optimistic about what you do, caring for yourself by thinking positive thoughts, being nutritious, and identifying what makes you happy. If you are kind to yourself, the chances are higher that you will be kinder to others, becoming more thoughtful about the present time and considering how you are making an impact in shaping the future. When you are in a bad mood, you may be less pleasant to be around, and might not not set off good vibes with the people around you. Do you want to live in a city where it is so polluted that people suffer from breathing issues? No. So, do you want future generations to live in that situation either? No.
I believe I'm not a good person because I don't fit my definition of being a good person. My definition of a good person is similar to Cheryl Strayed statement. I believe that being a good person is helping someone when you have the choice to help them or not and without expecting something in return. Not to mention, being a good person isn't always being nice towards others, it's also bettering yourself. A good person is dependable, honest, and empathetic to others. My ideas about this topic come from family, friends, and stories. There are many definitions of being a good person and you can't measure being a good person because it's hard to classify what's good or not.
I don’t feel that I'm a good person most of the time because to me a quote-unquote good person has to make a large or lasting impact to at least some of the people who knew about them. I would like to do a good deed that’s anywhere from no less than extraordinary to beyond groundbreaking at least some point in my life, like donate a massive amount to a charity or school. I partially agree with Cheryl Strayed’s opinion about the definition of goodness, but I feel as though it’s something larger, believing that the most general descriptions I’ve heard aren’t general enough. Something so philosophical like goodness should have a complicated definition, but it should also have a short definition, because something to this level is explainable in a vast extent of connotations. The concept of asking hard questions struck with me the most, because it’s beyond personal gain, potentially changing the world, and that’s groundbreaking, even changing the definition of the person who brought it about. My definition of goodness came from genuine belief and agreement with philosophy, my native Chinese, Greeks like Aristotle, and more modern thinkers like Nietzsche, among others. Many have mentioned me being a kind person, and I’m slightly inspired by that, although I don’t think being kind is quite enough to achieve my perceived philosophical goodness. The goodness I see has always been a keen ambition, and I will strive to achieve it at some point in life. To whom strive for goodness, try.
Being a good person could have many interpretations. Examples such as physically good, mentally good, morally good, etc. It could also be how good you are, scaling from a compliment to sacrificing yourself for a loved one. Overall, I think I’m a good person because my parents, siblings, and I always push ourselves to look for a better solution in a certain situation or life. Being a good person is one of my morals in my religion, atheism. Being good should be a light task for everyone but sometimes it isn’t. I agree with Cheryl Strayed because sometimes, you have to be a little selfish in order for you to be the best you. I can’t give a correct definition of good because it would most likely be biased and be true only for me. However, in the long run, being a good person is not as simple as you think but it would be nice for everyone to just try and be nice at least once a day.
There is no way a person could be all good or all bad. Being good has many definitions, and can be considered as a spectrum. Some people may take it as being obedient, while others say it depends on kindness. Not being good doesn’t necessarily mean you are bad, and vice versa. I consider myself to be in the middle, as I’m not always obedient and kind, but I’m not always misbehaving and unkind. However, many people may say they consider themselves a good person, and they’re not wrong. Everyone has their own opinions and morals, and when they say they consider themselves a good person, they imply that’s what they think is true, based on their own definition of good. Villains don’t think they’re villains, as they have their own reasons for their actions. As twisted as the reasons may be, they’re still reasons that the villain may believe supports them. This is true for so many people out there, which brings the question “Am I good?”. But, as unfortunate as it may be for some, there is no exact answer.
Many people say that I am a good person, but I don’t see myself that way. I have this habit of mostly seeing the flaws in myself, and I can tell that there are many places where I can improve. Also these people that are telling me that I am good have a biased opinion, as they are mostly friends and family. There are many qualities to a good person. They have to be responsible, respectful, polite, generous, honest, and most importantly, kind. I do not fully fill in these categories, as there are moments where I have to do the opposite, even if it is for a good reason. I really need to improve my honesty, responsibility, and how kind I am, because those are very important and are what I need the most.
I agree with Cheryl Strayed in her statement that good can be doing something small and simple, or large and complicated. Being good isn’t measurable, and it’s not an easy thing to decide. Smiling at someone on the street could be as impactful as donating money to another person or helping them find a job, or any other big thing. I think being good is seeking out happiness from others, and being happy when someone else is. Being good is being thankful for the things you have, and being happy for others who have more than you. I think being good isn’t just the things you do, but it’s also how you respond and adapt to bad things as well. If something traumatic happens to you, you can turn to violence or manipulation to get what you want, or you can recover from it and continue to make others feel loved. But, it could be complicated because somebody can be doing good things for the wrong reasons or doing the wrong things because they think they’re being good. If you do bad things because you think you’re helping people or making the world better, does that still make you bad? Some part of being good is also just how society views you. Even if you’re a good person, society may view your acts as deceitful and nobody will try to prove them wrong.
2
I’m not a good person. If I was I wouldn’t fight with my younger siblings, or rudely disagree with parents. I never would’ve almost gotten lunch detention with Mr. Saintclaire, and I wouldn’t have a 90.22 in English Enrichment. I would’ve been a Cadet Lancer at my summer camp, as well as a Middler Herald. But, despite all this people still call me a “good person”. Why? I guess in their eyes I’m better than them, and my wrongs outweigh my rights, even when the person who called me a good person is probably a better person than I am. I guess that afterall I don’t want to be a “good person”, because if I was, life would never be fun. Mocking teachers behind their backs, and complaining about their boring classes is just part of life. I guess what I’m trying to say is, even though there is a person in your life who you think is perfect or a “good person", isn’t, because, though they look like it, they couldn’t possibly be a “good person”, because a “good person” is perfect, and if you’re perfect, your not human.
2
I feel like I am a pretty good person. I can, of course, make many mistakes that result in bad traits or negative outcomes but that’s only human. Making mistakes is natural and people can often make them. And even though I make mistakes, I can also be very helpful and nice. I love helping out people when they’re in need. I think that it is good to help out others because that good can come back to you. I also try to be nice to people because you never know what they’re going through. I think those are two qualities that make up a good person. I for sure wish I could be better. I feel like no one is perfect and everyone can always do better. I think it takes time to become a better person and I want to work on myself to make that happen.
Being a good person is complicated because there are so many aspects of a person. Every single person in the entire world has some good things about them and some bad. I think that I agree with Harriet Lerner that kindness is the root of being a good person. If you go into the world and you are kind to the people that you meet and talk too, then I would say that you are a good person. The concept of goodness is so controversial because everybody is going to have a different opinion on what is the most important aspect of somebody's character. For example, I would say that I am a good person but I am not saying that I don’t have flaws. Every single person has flaws even the best of us and that is why it is so hard to tell if you are a good person. Some people will only think about your best traits while others will only think about what you have done wrong.
2
This question is a bit difficult for me to answer because the concept of goodness is so broad and overused that I can't really narrow it down. What is goodness? 100% on a test or a 100,000 dollar donation? And how simple can goodness be before it can no longer be considered good? Well, nevertheless, I guess I do consider myself good. I try not to make anyone upset and am compassionate to people and animals. Sure, I'm not a saint, but I don't think one has to be to be a good person. To be good, you should strive for goodness, you don't have to achieve it, but you have to truly want it. However, goodness doesn't always have to be your top priority for you to be good, it just has to be somewhere on the list.
2
I believe that everyone can be a good person if they choose to be. I also believe the opposite that everyone can be a bad person if they choose to be. I think it all depends on how you feel about yourself and whether or not you think you are a good person. When I see someone being mean or I being mean to I put myself in their shoes and ask myself why are they doing this. I feel that being a good person is something that everyone wants to be (myself included). I try to be what I think of being a good person, and I know that it is not my place to judge others on whether or not they are a good person.
I try to be a good person. If somebody asked me that randomly, then I would probably say yes, I am a good person. Often I doubt myself and wish I could redo something I did, to be kinder or to do something better. But being a “good person” could mean lots of different things. The suggestion I most agree with is being kind. I think being kind is very important, and that everyone should try to be compassionate and empathetic to those around them. However, that doesn’t mean I’m good at it. I usually use humor to cheer someone up. I am very bad at apologizing, or comforting people, so I make jokes. Sometimes I wish I was better at comforting people, and feel like I just made everything worse by joking about it. But I don’t think anyone could ever be a truly “good” person. Everyone makes mistakes and does bad things in their lifetime. So even if I feel like a horrible person at times, I do believe I have good inside me.
2
My definition of being a good person is to be kind to someone. Even the simplest thing like holding a door for someone is being a good person. Being a good person is good for the community and yourself. But being good is a very broad topic, so what makes you a good person? I would always remember that if you do something 10 times and one of the times you did something bad, then all of the 9 other times could go wasted because people tend to look at your weaknesses than at your strengths. Sometimes you know you did something bad, but doing something bad once doesn’t make you a bad person. If you own up to the bad mistake you’ve made, then you are still considered a good person. A good person owns up to his/her mistakes and tries to do everything well from that point on. Being a good person, you have to be modest from your positives. If you have done something well, people may look up to you, but if you brag too much, then people will think that you are not as good as you say you are and are just bragging that you are. Being a good person means a lot of things, but this is what I think it means.
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Am I a good person?
It's a question all of us face, including me. I do try to be a good person. I end up regretting some choices, wishing I had done something else. My parents tell me, "Don't be too hard on yourself." My dad always says that he is the same way and when he makes a mistake, he will continue to regret it. I am always conflicted about this. Should I be hard on myself? It will probably ensure that I won't make the mistake again in the future. But there is always going to be me, regretting my decision, wishing I hadn't done that. It isn't good to beat yourself up. You should learn from your mistakes- reflect on what you did wrong, and how you could do better next time. I know it's cliché, but it's true. Don't be mad at yourself for forgetting to do one little thing one time. In the grand scheme of things, it's nothing. Keep it in mind, yes. Worry your sleep away with it? No. One small thing isn't going to kill you, just keep your eyes up and keep going. This is why I would say my number one rule to being a good person is to learn. Learn from your mistakes. Take a mental note of it and move on. How are you supposed to be a better person now when you care more about the past than the present?
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I don’t know if I’m a good person or not, because if I were to judge myself, I would say that I’m not a good person, I can be very nice, but sometimes I can be mean. I have done very mean things in the past that I regret and think back to a lot, but if it were a friend or a teacher, I think that they would say I am a good person. I think that I’m pretty nice in general mostly because I’m very shy at school.
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I believe that I am a good person most of the time. Sometimes I can be in a bad mood, or just mean. A good person in my mind is a person who shows kindness and respect to others. I think that I do this a lot, but not every single moment.
In my opinion goodness can be shown in many different ways that are very simple or very complex. An act like making a friend laugh is an act of kindness. Anyone can do simple things like that and they’ll be a good person. I’ve been taught to be a good person by my parents and friends. Both care about me and they want me to be a good person. I personally am not religious but many people can seek goodness from their religion. It’s your choice.
My friends tell me I’m a good person when I give them love, appreciation, respect, and food. I also make them laugh a lot so there is another reason. If you are seeking to be good I recommend to be funny and respectful. Don’t be mean and selfish.
In the article what caught my eye was when it said that goodness is a lifelong process and can never be perfect. I really agree because it’s simply impossible to be good all the time. We have our ups and downs and our ability to be good also really depends on that.
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I think that most people’s idea of good has come from their parents or whoever they grew up around. If someone’s parents teach them certain morals or beliefs when they are young than that child will believe those things since they are not old enough to form their own opinion yet. Once the kids start growing up their views might be altered or changed completely as they are exposed to new ideas and media. I think that religious beliefs play a huge role in what someone believes is right. Many religions include certain rules that are believed to be followed by a good person or follower of that religion. These beliefs may affect personal opinion but should not be used to shape the rules of society as a whole.
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When it comes to being a good person it is not something that I am always thinking about. I feel that I’m a good person, but I don’t try to be a good person for the pleasure of other people. I only want to be a good person for me, my parents, and my friends because I really don’t care what other people that I don’t know think of me as a person. I don’t strive to be disrespectful because I will still be nice to others, but if someone I don’t know is being rude then I won’t be respectful towards them. I know that there are ways that I could be better, but I don’t know what that could be. I could possibly start with being a nicer person in general except sometimes it can get hard. Overall I can’t remember the time someone called me a “good person” and I don’t really feel the need for someone to call me that, I would take it as a compliment but it’s not really a goal for others to call me a “good person”.
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@Theodore Loshi I think that's what the problem may be, your apathy towards others. Being a good person isn't about trying to get others to like you, it's about doing the right thing even when circumstances aren't in your favor.
Like you said, sometimes it's hard to be nice, but it's not hard to be a good person. It just requires thinking outside of your immediate self, and the effects your actions will have on others. The idea that we are good people to receive validation from others, is ignorant, it defeats the whole purpose of being a good person. It's not for personal gain but for the impact you have on others.You mention that if someone is rude to you, then you’ll be disrespectful in return, but what does this accomplish. Intensifying the problem won’t ever lead to a resolution. Acting in spite of others and only for personal gain, quite frankly makes someone a bad person. Honestly I think it's quite simple to be a good person. Just like Ms. Sethi said, be kind, pay attention, be accountable, and just think about your impact.
For my standards, I’m a decent person. But again, that's my standards. People probably think differently. Some people call me nice and others call me mean so it's not really a perfect answer. I do things that make people proud and stuff that disappoints people. I get good grades in school and I feel that I’m a good student. But my mom always complains about me not doing my chores or me making a mess. Then she compares me to other kids. Which to me doesn't make sense because I’m not living the same life as any other kid in the entire world. But she always finds something to complain about. My dad on the other hand never really complains about anything. I set my own standards and if I don't meet them then something is wrong. Because I’ve realized I’ll never be perfect because there will always be something “bad” about you that people will exploit. Whether I’m good or bad to other people doesn't really bother me that much. Because they really don't know my full life either way.
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I do believe I am a good person, but “good” is just too general and subjective of a word. Good people can be boring sometimes, and I don’t necessarily think that being kind equates to being good. Again, the word is too subjective. Sometimes it is good to be greedy and look out for yourself before looking out for others. My definition of a “good person” might be something along the lines of “someone who has done well for themselves and wishes that others have the same opportunities as them.” I would also agree that “goodness” and “happiness” are the same because referring back to my definition, one should feel content with themselves in order to give back. How will you care for others when you cannot do the same for yourself?
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I do not know if I am a good person but I know I always strive to be one. I think that being good is to be generous, a good friend, and to always strive to be as helpful to others as you can be. I think that what you think makes someone a good person changes based on our community and family but also based on our life experiences and who we have seen and been with.
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I can’t particularly say that my concept of goodness has become anymore clear after reading the article. I’ve always had a hard time defining goodness, and what it means to be good, but it’s not a term which is set in stone. Good is vague, and good is complicated. There isn’t a scale, and there isn’t a step by step guide on how to achieve it even though some might. To me being good is having morals, and half of religion exists just to figure out what those morals are.
Are there morals that are bad, and are there morals that are wrong? Is goodness measured by how you think about yourself, how you think about others, how you treat others? Can a person just be naturally bad, or is it learned? Can they change? I often wonder about these things surrounding goodness. Universally it includes being kind to others, and not causing them harm. One thing I can say is I do agree with the article that goodness is a journey, and it’s a process filled with learning, questioning, and acting, but I believe that journey is different for everyone, and although someone may seem like a bad person now, they just might be at a different step in the process.
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@Sydney Pugh
Part 2:
I’ve struggled with the concept of defining goodness my whole life, and whether or not I am a good person. I try to be kind, generous, and understanding as much as I can but I still can’t shake the feeling that I’m not a good person. I always thought that being good was caring about others and only others, and putting themselves before you, and making sure they’re happy although you might not be. Even me dwelling about being good would make me feel like a bad person, because it made me feel as if I was only worried about the title of being good, and not the cause itself. Something that helped me when I was little define the line of goodness for myself was my mother teaching me about the Golden Rule, a principle which is as simplistic as treating others the way you would want to be treated. That helped me finally start to realize that being good isn’t just one sided, and it isn’t just your sacrifices to another, but it’s how you treat each other.
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“Goodness” can’t be measured with numbers. Whether someone is good or not is your opinion, it isn’t a fact. When asked “Are you a good person?” almost everyone will answer “yes.” We all believe that what we’re doing is for the good in some way, and sometimes others will agree. To be considered “good,” it’s other people that have to say you are. You might think of yourself as better than others, but others will probably see you as just another person. Most of us will think that ourselves are better than we really are. So when I’m asked, “Are you a good person?” I’ll say yes, but I’ll know to some people, I’m not.
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@Michael Huang I agree. When you are good it doesn't really matter how you feel. It matters if other people fell that you are a good person
@Michael Huang
I agree with your statement "goodness can't be measured with numbers." This is completely true, as our emotions and thoughts could never be put into a calculator and be solved. We humans have emotions and personalities that allow us to be our own and the best version of ourselves. We all can strive to be positive, but if we don't feel positive inside of us, will we be genuinely positive and encouraging to others? I don't think so. That's something to think about, as it affects many others greatly.
If I'm being honest, of course I'm not always a good person. I think that I can be a good person when I want to be. If it's a bad day then I might be really sour but if it's a good or okay day then I can be nice. I can be very nice and generous sometimes but other times I can be pretty mean and unapologetic. I wish that I was more forgiving, lenient, and obedient. Sometimes when my mom will tell me to do something I will be really lazy and I won't do it, but I wish I did. Sometimes I like to hold a grudge. Not that it's a bad thing because I don't want to be hurt again, but I wish that I could be more acceptable. I feel like someone that is good is: compassionate, obedient, generous, loving, hard-working, friendly, understanding, and many more things. I strive to be all these things, but then I would be perfect and that's not possible. To be good is not to be perfect, but to be an all-around nice person. You don't have to be all of these things all the time, but it's good to be most of them pretty frequently.
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A suggestion that I would give to a person that wanted to be “good” is that being good doesn't require something big. In most action movies, there is a good and a bad, but never a gray area. That gray area is where most people are, and are on different sides. For example, a regular person may be someone who only thinks about themselves and rarely does something for someone else because it is the right thing to do. A good person could be someone who gives to people in need, because they know that those people need it more than they do. Another common misconception is that you are good if your mistakes are outweighed by your positive actions. In my opinion, being good means not that you don’t make mistakes, but that you learn, truly learn, how to fix what you did and feel actual remorse. My last word would be this. You don’t need to be a human superman to be good. You just need to care enough about the world to fix your mistakes, therefore fixing a part of the world that was broken before.
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I don’t really consider myself a good person but I also don’t feel like a bad person. I wish that I was more willing to make sacrifices but I can’t really and it sometimes feels hopeless to try to be better. Most morals and pictures of goodness have been shaped by religion in things like the bible and the Quran. My personal value of goodness has been mostly shaped by my friends and family. This can be strange though as many other people have lower or higher standards of goodness, creating stress as I try to see how they see goodness.
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I believe I’m a good person but that’s what almost everyone says when they’re asked that question or in public. I am one of those people and I do question my actions in my everyday life because I’m always wondering what’s good and bad. Being a good person doesn’t necessarily means you have to be kind, as there are more qualities to be considered good. For example, responsibility is a good quality to have because the more people depend on you, the better you feel. What makes a person good is if they have an impact on someone else’s lives. Having a significant impact on others that result in positive news gives everyone a happy feeling that can hopefully spread to other people.
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I think being a good person is a very broad concept, there are so many different things that go into it, some of which are hard to explain in words. I try to be a good person by being kind to people and taking their wants and needs into account. I also try to be respectful of the environment and do what I can to keep the planet clean. I over analyze almost everything I do, so I often think about how my actions will affect others, and try my best to do the right thing. I still make a lot of mistakes and don’t always do what’s right, but acknowledging your mistakes and learning from them is one of the best ways to be a better person.
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I think everyone thinks of themselves as a good person. We have a false sense of superiority that says that “yes, I am a good person”. But, of all the people in the world, what if you are in the bottom fifty percent? I’ve thought about that a lot lately. Am I more “good” than the average person? I’ll obviously never know the answer to this because “goodness” can’t exactly be numerically measured, but it had me thinking about how realistic people are about how “good” they are. The phrase “hold yourself accountable” really resonated with me in this article because I feel as if so many people let themselves off the hook when they do blatantly bad things because they think “I’m doing the best I can”. I am guilty of this and I think everyone else can think of a time where an action that they did would have horrified or offended them if done by someone else. I’ve been trying to call myself out lately and I think I am doing much better for myself and for others than I had been previously doing. I would encourage an objective lens to one’s actions in order to live by one’s own personal morals and not claim “goodness” when in reality we let ourselves off the hook too often. By avoiding this hypocrisy and by constantly questioning ourselves and not making excuses for our actions, I think we can all become better people in word and in deed.
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@Molly M I agree with you. Generally, everyone thinks that their action is best, because if not, they would not do it. It might not necessarily be best for everyone, but they see it as the best option, even if it is selfish and unkind to others. I've often thought to myself, "How would I have felt if someone had said/done that to me?" or "How would they have felt if they had heard me say that?" and sometimes find myself regretting an action, and not feeling "good" about it. I think that others can relate to this feeling, but what is crucial is that we realize what we have done wrong or how we can improve in the future. In addition to relating to the phrase "hold yourself accountable" like you mentioned, I think this also relates to the idea of "paying attention" and gaining a better sense of your own thoughts, emotions, and surroundings.
@Molly M
This was really inspiring, and I agree with you so much! The one thing I disagree with you on is when you said, " I think everyone thinks of themselves as a good person." because in my experience the opposite is true.
@Molly M I agree, most people think that they are a good person. I'm also starting to wonder after reading this, am I better than the average person, or am I average, maybe even below? No matter how "good" you are you can never stop being a better person.