Welcome to Atheist Discussion, a new community created by former members of The Thinking Atheist forum.

Poll: The Nature of People?
You do not have permission to vote in this poll.
Most people are good with a few jerks
25.00%
6 25.00%
Most people are jerks with a few good people in the mix
25.00%
6 25.00%
I want a brownie Wink
50.00%
12 50.00%
Total 24 vote(s) 100%
* You voted for this item. [Show Results]

Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Poll: The Nature of People
#51

Poll: The Nature of People
I wouldn't vote for it, I can tell you that.
Robert G. Ingersoll : “No man with a sense of humor ever founded a religion.”
Reply
#52

Poll: The Nature of People
(06-10-2019, 06:23 PM)Jenny Wrote: This is a poll based on your own personal experience.  In your opinion, do you view people as generally good or generally bad? In other words, do you think most people are good people with a few jerks thrown into the mix or that most people are jerks with a few good people thrown into the mix?

Thanks for this thread, Jenny.  Honestly, I'm not sure.  I would say that in terms of goodness, there are certainly some remarkable, unique individuals out there (I'm not one of them).  

As a matter of curiosity, I've often wondered whether humanity is capable of constructing a world where it has learned to embrace itself and to constructively manage their differences/conflicts without the need for violence.  Currently, I'm not sure that this is possible. Furthermore, is such a goal just another means of imposing a particular bias (i.e. non-violence/peaceful co-existence) onto other groups who think differently, such as those who prefer to have a world with negative conflict management/violence and actually gain meaning, purpose, and fulfillment from that (to what degree has negative conflict/violence resulted in progress?)?
The following 1 user Likes Kernel Sohcahtoa's post:
  • Jenny
Reply
#53

Poll: The Nature of People
(06-12-2019, 03:35 AM)Kernel Sohcahtoa Wrote:
(06-10-2019, 06:23 PM)Jenny Wrote: This is a poll based on your own personal experience.  In your opinion, do you view people as generally good or generally bad? In other words, do you think most people are good people with a few jerks thrown into the mix or that most people are jerks with a few good people thrown into the mix?

Thanks for this thread, Jenny.  Honestly, I'm not sure.  I would say that in terms of goodness, there are certainly some remarkable, unique individuals out there (I'm not one of them).  

As a matter of curiosity, I've often wondered whether humanity is capable of constructing a world where it has learned to embrace itself and to constructively manage their differences/conflicts without the need for violence.  Currently, I'm not sure that this is possible. Furthermore, is such a goal just another means of imposing a particular bias (i.e. non-violence/peaceful co-existence) onto other groups who think differently, such as those who prefer to have a world with negative conflict management/violence and actually gain meaning, purpose, and fulfillment from that (to what degree has negative conflict/violence resulted in progress?)?

I think you’re pretty unique and remarkable  Smile
The following 2 users Like Jenny's post:
  • Kernel Sohcahtoa, vulcanlogician
Reply
#54

Poll: The Nature of People
(06-12-2019, 04:05 AM)Jenny Wrote:
(06-12-2019, 03:35 AM)Kernel Sohcahtoa Wrote:
(06-10-2019, 06:23 PM)Jenny Wrote: This is a poll based on your own personal experience.  In your opinion, do you view people as generally good or generally bad? In other words, do you think most people are good people with a few jerks thrown into the mix or that most people are jerks with a few good people thrown into the mix?

Thanks for this thread, Jenny.  Honestly, I'm not sure.  I would say that in terms of goodness, there are certainly some remarkable, unique individuals out there (I'm not one of them).  

As a matter of curiosity, I've often wondered whether humanity is capable of constructing a world where it has learned to embrace itself and to constructively manage their differences/conflicts without the need for violence.  Currently, I'm not sure that this is possible. Furthermore, is such a goal just another means of imposing a particular bias (i.e. non-violence/peaceful co-existence) onto other groups who think differently, such as those who prefer to have a world with negative conflict management/violence and actually gain meaning, purpose, and fulfillment from that (to what degree has negative conflict/violence resulted in progress?)?

I think you’re pretty unique and remarkable  Smile

Thanks, Jenny.  I'm sure there are plenty of individuals in this community who would say the same about you.
The following 1 user Likes Kernel Sohcahtoa's post:
  • Jenny
Reply
#55

Poll: The Nature of People
(06-12-2019, 05:47 AM)Kernel Sohcahtoa Wrote:
(06-12-2019, 04:05 AM)Jenny Wrote:
(06-12-2019, 03:35 AM)Kernel Sohcahtoa Wrote: Thanks for this thread, Jenny.  Honestly, I'm not sure.  I would say that in terms of goodness, there are certainly some remarkable, unique individuals out there (I'm not one of them).  

As a matter of curiosity, I've often wondered whether humanity is capable of constructing a world where it has learned to embrace itself and to constructively manage their differences/conflicts without the need for violence.  Currently, I'm not sure that this is possible. Furthermore, is such a goal just another means of imposing a particular bias (i.e. non-violence/peaceful co-existence) onto other groups who think differently, such as those who prefer to have a world with negative conflict management/violence and actually gain meaning, purpose, and fulfillment from that (to what degree has negative conflict/violence resulted in progress?)?

I think you’re pretty unique and remarkable  Smile

Thanks, Jenny.  I'm sure there are plenty of individuals in this community who would say the same about you.

Awwww  Smile
Reply
#56

Poll: The Nature of People
(06-12-2019, 01:26 PM)Jenny Wrote:
(06-12-2019, 05:47 AM)Kernel Sohcahtoa Wrote:
(06-12-2019, 04:05 AM)Jenny Wrote: I think you’re pretty unique and remarkable  Smile

Thanks, Jenny.  I'm sure there are plenty of individuals in this community who would say the same about you.

Awwww  Smile

Uh... do you guys need a room?     Tongue
I'm a creationist;   I believe that man created God.
The following 1 user Likes SYZ's post:
  • Jenny
Reply
#57

Poll: The Nature of People
(06-11-2019, 10:56 PM)Fireball Wrote:
(06-11-2019, 09:06 PM)mordant Wrote: For a long time, I felt that my atheism was a salubrious antidote to the deeply pessimistic view of my past evangelical handlers, that humans are basically unworthy, corrupt pieces of shit who would pillage, rape and burn apart from the restraining / "leavening" influence of believers.

I came to the view, gradually, that most people, given half a chance, mean well and try their best to do well. Warts and all.

But then Trumpism came along and all the progress you could kid yourself that we've made on fronts like racism, equality, and addressing climate change, was actually just that we had suppressed the true feelings and expressions of an awful lot of asshats who are now gleefully expressing themselves like it's 1950 again.

I still hold the view that there is much goodness in people and the world, bad as it is, is way less bad than it was 100, 500, or 1000 years ago.

But I'm no longer nearly so confident about it.

Yes, they are legion. But they represent a minority of the US population. A large minority, but they can be made to crawl back under their rocks with decent leadership.

With better than decent leadership I think they could actually be changed and marginalized enough that they could never make a comeback. I don't think we ever came close, TBH.

There are a lot of people who still see Trump as an anomaly, that when he goes away, everything will go back to the way it was, as if by magic.

But he has done permanent damage that will be the work of generations to un-make.

Trump didn't spring fully-formed from nowhere. Neither did Brexit or the anti-immigrant movements across Europe.

It appears one can't get them to crawl back under their rocks and stay there.
The following 3 users Like mordant's post:
  • Jenny, Fireball, Szuchow
Reply
#58

Poll: The Nature of People
Sadly, I guess I agree. Once emboldened...and they used to run rampant.
If you get to thinking you’re a person of some influence, try ordering somebody else’s dog around.
The following 2 users Like Fireball's post:
  • Thumpalumpacus, Jenny
Reply
#59

Poll: The Nature of People
(06-13-2019, 10:17 PM)Fireball Wrote: Sadly, I guess I agree. Once emboldened...and they used to run rampant.

As was said somewhere by one of those wise guys who started this country, "eternal vigilance is the price of freedom."

We got lax, now we have to clean up the mess.
On hiatus.
The following 2 users Like Thumpalumpacus's post:
  • Jenny, Fireball
Reply
#60

Poll: The Nature of People
Two people stranded on an island. One is a potential cannibal ... and the other is potentially dead.

And, the one that gets killed and eaten's last wishes was to eat the other one.
My Argument Against Free Will Wrote:(1) Ultimately, to control your actions you have to originate your original nature.

(2) But you can't originate your original nature—it's already there.

(3) So, ultimately, you can't control your actions.
Reply




Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)