I No Longer Use "Good" or "Bad"

The longer I spend on this forum, the more I get tired to people classifying something in an extreme fashion.

For while now, I have not used or tried not to use simple adjectives like "good," "evil," or whatever word that no longer means anything.

I think everyone should do this. Avoid using overused and overgeneralizing adjectives used by preschoolers.

Instead, make a long statement and add a reference to make yourself seem smart.

reply to post by die_another_day


There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so. - William ShakeSpeare.

Thats all i have to say!

I understand what point you're getting at morals are human nature though.!

reply to post by die_another_day


Preschoolers also use the words "hello", "goodbye", "please", "thanks" etc. should we stop using those too?

There are far more important things to consider than over-analysing commonly used words. "Good" or "Evil" can still be used in complex and intelligent discussions where over-referencing becomes rather tedious!

The spectacularly beneficent, chap.

It's possible the OP is saying "Lets be more balanced". Verbal statements of "extreme" show that our thoughts reflect the the same. I and my wife have ben made aware of this and are correcting our thoughts to be more in balance.
Balance of your mind and spirit is crucial in the near future. The disturbances in our solar system and or magnetic field collapse (currently underway) is causing frequency oscilations in the surrounding magnetic field. This field is affecting our brains. Balance is key, remove negativity.

How?

too nice?
too lovely?
too peaceful?

Murder is ....
Greed is....
Hate is...

Come on!

Originally posted by cushycrux
How?

too nice?
too lovely?
too peaceful?

Murder is ....
Greed is....
Hate is...

Come on!

I agree with the OP. Being nice, lovely and peaceful is subjective in a lot of ways. Anyone can justify what another might consider to be 'bad' or 'evil'. For example. What if you need to murder to save the lives of a hundred people. Is that evil? If you need to accumulate money to make the life of your family better, is that evil? Hate is simply a byproduct of labeling something as evil.

Originally posted by Avarus

Originally posted by cushycrux
How?

too nice?
too lovely?
too peaceful?

Murder is ....
Greed is....
Hate is...

Come on!

I agree with the OP. Being nice, lovely and peaceful is subjective in a lot of ways. Anyone can justify what another might consider to be 'bad' or 'evil'. For example. What if you need to murder to save the lives of a hundred people. Is that evil? If you need to accumulate money to make the life of your family better, is that evil? Hate is simply a byproduct of labeling something as evil.

I see it more like the OP is being postmodern--and I disagree. I find post-modernism foolish.

If I am wrong, he may be pointing out how foolish it is and I agree.

Writing pretentiously is also foolish.

It's just polar terms that deem something either safe or unsafe and of course all "good/bad" is based on personal perspective. You can live in a world where everything is safe (aka the point of religion) or live in a world of constant paranoia.

Most people just don't have the critical thinking necessary or bravery to construct their own morale standards, therefore they listen to what everyone in "power" says and copies what they believe to be right. It's a scary moment when you realize that you are the one in control of reality.

But I agree...it's usually not necessary to use those words with people over the age of six. Doing so just challenges the beliefs of others, and we see where that has gotten humanity as a whole.

I remember a while back seeing a video with Robert Anton Wilson, where he said that he stopped using the word "is" in conversation. By using that word you are saying that what you are saying "is" fact, and sometimes leave no wiggle room for a debate or conversation that can be discussed without incident.

I try not to use it as much as I used to. But I did notice the difference in conversation with others, did change when the word was used less. By even not using the word "is" while saying "good" or "bad" can change the way someone else can perceive it. Example. He "is" good. He "is" bad. How about He "may" be good, or He "may" be bad. This leaves the key word up to the person who speaks it, and the person who listens.

Peace, NRE.

There are things that are highly appreciable by some, yet despicable to others, I, on the other hand, only believe that no one should ever narrow thier perception by restricting thier tastes.

I don't use em either! I use "SUCKY" and "LESS SUCKY"! Because I have found that there is no such thing as gravity. The Earth sucks.

You know what? Lets finish this duality/polarity stuff.
Its all good, life is love, life is great. There is no bad, no negative, only positive, only good, only love.
In fact duality implies the existing of two or more finite entities: separation.
Since we all are one infinite being, there is no two, there is only one, there is no duality.
Dont let your mind foul you.
Love all there is, if you do that you cant feel fear, because all is worthy of love.
You dont even need courage because you only need it as a reaction to fear.
So forget what your rational mind tells you, live by your heart and just love what life is at any given moment.
When you think of those catastrophic scenarios that cause fear, just love them, know that you will love life anyway.
This way, there is no good and bad, there is no judgment, you just love and be happy.
Come on guys, so many talk about love, so many glorious people talking about love, dont you think love is the answer after all these years?

Originally posted by die_another_day
The longer I spend on this forum, the more I get tired to people classifying something in an extreme fashion.

For while now, I have not used or tried not to use simple adjectives like "good," "evil," or whatever word that no longer means anything.

I think everyone should do this. Avoid using overused and overgeneralizing adjectives used by preschoolers.

Instead, make a long statement and add a reference to make yourself seem smart.

So it's good to avoid using these words?

Not trying to be a prick, but to make a point. Good and bad are value judgements, and value is inescapable for acting beings. One's very actions reveal one's values. Refuse to use "good" or "bad" and you will find substitutes that mean essentially the same thing.

That being said, it's good (there's that word again) to question your values. And people who manage to change their values from "Mommy and Daddy said..." to something based on an ideal such as truth, tend to be more successful.

They also completely change their personalities. For this is what a value change means when it really takes hold.

reply to post by cushycrux


They "transcend" the question all together....

This is what happens when people start worshipping the Buddhist/Hindu/Gnostic literature they start reading...

Good and evil exists.. Right and wrong choices exist, because there exists a concept of "justice" and as long as we can see and understand that some actions are wrong ie; self motivated, and hurts others, it is perfectly natural to attach a value judgement to it. I FEAR the day (and given the responses in this thread so far its not looking so good) when people start turning a blind eye to people who are evil, injustices against other men or creation....That is what is called in kabbalastic terms "tohu" chaos...

People need to make distinctions and need to establish order in their lives...Chaos is by definition something that becomes too complex to sustain itself. When people begin thinking that questions of morality are too complex and thus see the question of morality as nothing but a human invention, they bring chaos into the realm of human society. How can a society function if people think good and evil dont exist? How many people will take advantage of this lack of decisiveness in human values? Not everyone is nice, or prefers compassion. Some people are opportunists and will do whatever they need to do to become successful... Now to those who hate words like "good and evil" what would these people be? What if youre the one slighted by them? Given their attitde of evil "not existing" they would have to passively (and self righteously) deal with it, even though anyone who did such a thing would be in every sense of the word a total pushover/dimwit......

Obviously the world cannot function without these concepts simply because it is apart of the very fabric of existence. I get that there is an "infinite" world without distinctions, but in this world there IS distinctions. The unlimited decided to constrict itself, likewise, we too should constrict our understanding of reality when it comes to issues of morality - which is in essence the practice of limiting human behavior.

reply to post by die_another_day


Would you say that it is 'good' for someone not to classify things as 'good' or 'bad'?