A Thunk is a beguilingly simple-looking question about everyday things that stops you in your tracks and helps you start to look at the world in a whole new light. © Ian Gilbert
Thunk 35
If you acted as if you were a good person, does that make you a good person?
13 comments:
Well, you could look at this in two ways.
One) If one would put on a facade to merely try and impress or convince someone that they were a good person, they wouldn't really be a good person per say , since it's just a deceiving act.
Or two) if by 'acted as if you were a good person' you meant, helping people in need, donating to charities, being polite, kind and etc. then yes I believe to an extent that would make you a good person. However, this would only apply if your intentions behind your actions were based upon benefitting and helping others, instead of doing it just so you can build up your reputation or try to look good infront of people
The question itself is framed in such an ingeniously tricky way, because it creates this notion that the person is not originally good for having to “act” good.
But at the same time, if we think about it, it presents itself as a paradox as, if you were to extensively think about it, actions are what speak louder than words, since they are much harder to manipulate.
Here, once again, the words “as if” suggest that the person is not originally good. Through this arises the question of intention. For if a person were actually to make the effort of being/ doing something good, simply their consideration of doing so, would have already tipped the scales, as they are willing to change.
There are of course exceptions such as psychopaths / sociopaths or any other person with negative intentions who simply deceive to gain a person’s trust to abuse later. Here, the intention is charred and cruel and thus, such an action makes them far from a good person.
Those are relatively extreme cases, if one were to simply say “you look beautiful today”, when someone looks like a miserable wreck, the intentions are quite simply pure.
In reality, the good, the bad and the questionable are subject to society’s understanding, tolerance and acceptance that is a never ending topic of discussion.
Thus, I believe that there are different situations where “acting as if” you were a good person can truly be someone striving to be a good person, or on the other hand, someone trying to take advantage of another, or maybe even the grey area in between!
Simply put, in my honest opinion, if you are 'acting' like you are a good person than that does not make you one.
The word 'act', 'acting', or to put on an act is synonymous to pretend. Meaning that this is not where your true nature lies.
That is not to say a human being can not have a change of heart. In this case their portray of goodness is genuine, not a temporary show or a concealing cap.
If you wake up one morning with a genuine plea for goodness, then there isnt any need to pretend. You've become a good person.
The answer is within the question itsef.
...I've always been of the belief that intention counts very little in the grand scheme of things. If something is beneficial for the "greater good" then does it really matter if the person acting good is actually good? That's not for me or anyone else to judge, let it weigh hard on the person's conscious instead.
Their hypocrisy is irrelevant to me. If it helps other people, then really, whatever. But I do agree with Priyanka, "it creates this notion that the person is not originally good for having to “act” good."
In my opinion as long as the act it self is selfless and somehow it can concur a change in others lives than the act is more important the one who's done it.
Anyone and Everyone are capable of " good things ", no matter what the person's back ground or personality is, people should concentrate on the act it self.
a few months ago in Iran, after 23 of imprisonment, one day while the guy was walking back home he saved a woman from getting raped, the guy (forgot his name) was sent to prison for murder, but that day he was a " good person ".
What I'm trying to say is that by every single good act, you get one step closer to being a "good person ".
I don't agree with Ramin on a specific point he made- just because the man had saved the woman from being raped one day doesn't make him a ''good person''.. Maybe he committed a good deed that day. I mean, he was in prison for 23 years for murder! Murder= not a good person, in my books. :P
Then again.. he did spend 23 years in prison, so maybe he'd ''learned his lesson'' and had actually just become a better person? A good person, maybe?
^ That kind of makes you think about whether you can actually go back and forth.. Whether you can change from being a ''bad'' person into a good one, or vice-versa?
Personally, I believe that if your actions are that of a good person, you are automatically a good person. I believe this, because.. I think everyone thinks bad thoughts, or thinks about wrongful deeds at some point. It's whether they actually act on it that makes them a good person or not, in my opinion. We all noticed that it asked ''if you ACTED as if you were a good person..'', but even so- even if they ARE just putting on a facade or trying to impress someone, I think if they keep it up for all their life, they can very well be a good person. If one has never committed a bad deed, they're a good person, aren't they?
I read somewhere that there are two wolves fighting- the good wolf, and the bad wolf. It's the eternal struggle in each of us. Which one wins? It comes to down to which wolf you feed.
'Acting' being the operative word, you instantly get a feel of pretense, manipulation and an ulterior motive. I believe that to BE a good person, one must have control over the bad or dark side of their natures... no one is completely good, but a person who can distill the thoughts in their head and act upon only the good or in the best of intentions, and overcome any selfish, mean, or sadistic thoughts or impulses, and who basically internally 'good-ify' themselves, are good people.
I think to some extent, aren't we all acting? Man, at the very core, is an animal that has been tamed by social norms and expectations. We behave in a certain way only because societal pressures require it in order to be accepted as a part of the community. What, then, is the difference between acting and being?
One can say that we have reached a stage in our evolution where we have become so sophisticated a being that our behaviour has become more or less instinctive. We no longer rely on society to direct the way we behave, but have created a sort of inbuilt GPS that that tells us if we're heading in the right direction. I just think we've reached a stage where acting and being have metamorphosed into one.If you act it, you are it.
For me, being a 'good person' is not just about what you do, but why you do it. A rich celebrity could donate millions of dollars to charity for the sole purpose of improving their pubic image. Sure, it was a good deed, but that doesn't necessarily make them a 'good person' as their reasoning was for self-benefit, rather than helping others.
Actions do speak louder than words, but then where do intentions come in? I'm sorry but just 'acting' good does not make you good- I don't think being a good person is just another role to be played. There are still people out there who do good things with pure and selfless intentions.
Also, the question itself states "if you acted as if you were a good person.." , which implies the person may not have been good in the first place but is now 'acting' the part.
Say the words were different: "if you acted as if you were a bad person, does that make you a bad person?" Then what? It all comes down to who the person really is. It could be a student behaving badly out of peer pressure or problems at home- that doesn't make them bad people.
So no, I believe acting good does not make you a good person. I don't think acting any way makes you a specific kind of person- that's why it's called acting.
Yes definitely. You're intentions might not be as true but does that matter? The action has already taken place, you've done a good deed and that's all that matters and of course doing good deeds is what makes a person good. I'm sure in one way or another you trick yourself into believing that being good is something you enjoy anyways. It's only when you're acting isn't actually actions does it not make you what you are, if that makes sense. Such as a person who acts like he's the greatest in the world will eventually believe he is great but that doesn't make him great because his actions are what makes him great not what he believes.
You have to look at it from both sides.
''Acting like a good person''
This phrase can be defined as being polite to someone. For example complimenting a meal which you didnt enjoy.
''Acting'' pretending to enjoy a meal out of politeness.
Another way to see it is, after commiting a crime or vandalism your pretending it wasnt you ''acting like a good person'' pretending to be innocent
It purely depends on what you are trying to portray. For example if you were a high class, rich and well educated individual, who did charity events and donated large amounts of money to orphanages to cover up the fact that you beat your wife/husband and children at home, you do not deserve to be called a "good person".
However in some ways you have actually helped charities and orphans, which does count for something, but your intentions lie elsewhere. Which still in my opinion does not make you a "good person".
I do not believe that acting like a good person classifies you as one. It's to do with the 'acting' label, adding a certain theatrical element to anything is enough throw people off. Why not just be a good person? Seems easier than acting like one.
Christian Bale (brilliantly) acts as Batman, does that mean that he is a real caped crusader at night? Nope.
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