All those "Good" Guys

[DaughterofVana]

Is evil caused by stubborness or ignorance? And if ignorance, than nobody could truly be evil, because they don't know that their actions are wrong! Yippee...

Evil tendencies can be caused by both. Not willing to "repent" (a nice word for it) and admit that he or she is wrong is on the path to stop being "evil" and start being "good." Ignorance is another matter. I hold with the viewpoint that the knowledge of good and evil doesn't come from a particular society, because the basest definitions of "evil" behavior--murder, stealing, and the like--are univseral in all sorts of societies. It may be acceptable behavior in specific instances (war and the like), but the behaviors themselves are not qualified as "good." They are just "allowed" in specific instances. It is when the behavior gets more specific is when society really gets into it.

*So* (my God, she has a point), an entirely *good* person is someone who knows (acknowledges) what is good and what is evil behavior, and either does all good or does as much as he or she can that can be qualified as *good* and as little as he or she can that can be qualified as *evil*. Another problem presents itself... how likely is this person (we'll go with your Bob) to do *all* good? How likely is he to, when really pressed, to cast aside his own health and feelings for the "greater good," even when he doesn't "feel like it"?

To tie it to LOTR... Frodo. He steadfastly continues on his trip to Mt. Doom and his quest as the Ringbearer regardless of the danger to himself and those that he cares about. It was a different thing when he was safe in Rivendell, and filled with the words of the great, telling him how he, and only he, could accomplish this quest. A far different thing when he was in the depths of Mordor, glaring down the Eye, and under extreme physical and psychological strain from the journey and the power of the Ring. Still, he percerviered, and that is what makes him good.

But not fully good. At the end he put on the Ring, and tried to face down the Dark Lord. At the end he gave in. Is he still good? Yes. He was more "good" than "bad." But a fully "good" person would not have given in.

Till next time (my dad wants the computer now... [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] )

-'Vana