istoba: Guten tag!

jASON: Wie getts?

i: Es geht mere gut!

j: Nicht schlect.

i: haha

That's the extent of German I know.

j: Der weinerschnitzle

i: 2 dogs for 2 bucks

Breakfast too!

I like their 'Eat what you like, fattie' marketing as well.

j: hahaha

i: Literally. Their bags tell you not to diet

j: That's good marketing!

I have to go a little early tonight

But I had a good ponder.

That many have pondered before.

i: No problem. I have some homework as well.

j: But we haven't

It has been asked and pondered before

Are people born 'evil', and learn to be good, born 'good' and learn to be evil, or born neutral and learn either.

What do you think

?

i: *pondering

j: Right

i: I would say, born neutral. I'd probably say that anyway, but it does help that I just read an article in WIRED magazine - an interview - with the inventor of the PALM personal organizer device. He had a realization some time ago about how the brain works.. and this he's apparently also taken an interest in since 4 years old, and has studied quite a bit on...

j: Did you renew your subscription?

i: No, Barnes & Noble did :D ... he says that humans are born with their minds as a completely blank slate. It is from this slate that we begin to perceive things against (like an empty movie screen), and that the way the mind works, is by predicting future events or things, based on everything we accumulate on that first empty slate. He's building smart computers that learn, and apparently more successfully than any other before him.

j: Hmmmm

i: But. I would say our genes are involved somehow. I don't know how, but they seem to incline people towards certain chemical productions... leading to the tendencies toward certain actions.

j: What I was thinking

Well first, I'll define what I mean when i say 'evil'.

Devoid ov compassion, basically.

i: I'd say that's a worthwhile definition.

j: Someone who doesn't care about hurting others, esp to get something they want.

Stuff like that.

And I was thinking- our bodily functions are designed for a reason

Pain is a warning sign, for example.

So I was thinking about crying

We do it (mostly) when we are sad.

And it's the most visible ov all emotional signs.

You can't easily tell when someone is mad or even happy- they can cover it up well.

Most all emotions

Except sad.

Because we cry, and that's very apparent.

So, for some reason we are designed to broadcast when we are sad.

i: And you see it as relating to evil, or people acting without compassion.

j: Well, that would point to people not being born, or suppose to be, evil.

Because if it was bad for us to broadcast being sad, then we wouldn't do it.

I think we do it so that other people can help us.

They see that something is wrong.

It's a sign "I need help."

If people were born evil or neutral, I don't think we'd do that.

i: Interesting. Many times, for me, crying has released a lot of whatever it is that I have been experiencing that has been painful. I always feel much better after crying. I suppose I have had few experiences where crying was brought on by experiencing external suffering or inflicted pain. I think I would cry then too, but also plea for help to whomever was inflicting the pain.

j: I think that people are born self-centered

i: Not me!!

haha

j: The focus on the 'me'.

i: NOT ME!!!

j: hahaha

i: haha

j: But not selfish

There's a difference.

Self centered people think ov themselves first, and more than others.

But they care about others.

Like a little kid- they want what they want and don't usually think about how it might affect others (except in extreme circumstances.)

But if you explain to them that it would hurt others, they usually will change their mind.

While a selfish person wouldn't care if it hurts others.

i: Does selfishness relate to evil in a way?

j: Yes

If you don't care how things affect others

I think that's evil.

i: Do you think it's possible to understand, in a practical and effective manner, the things that incline a person towards evil?

j: Well

I guess they learn to deaden the part that makes them be able to understand or feel for other people's pain.

Usually because they get something in return.

i: Like safety?

Or the feeling thereof.

j: Yeah

Or whatever they want.

Like a thief or politician.

Rapist

They get something by hurting others.

i: I think the example of the rapist most clearly illuminates the selfish relation you mentioned. It's easy in that picture to see that the person raping someone else wants to feel good. And they achieve that regardless of how it affects that is the means to that end.

j: Exactly.

i: Interestingly, I was thinking about something related on the drive home. About, if I ever had the experience of going to jail, what if I was raped in prison. Even just thinking about the possibility was very saddening. Because it emphasized very realistically the idea that there are people who will cause other people pain, who seem completely closed to reason, completely shut off from how their actions affect others.

j: I don't think you are born that way.

i: Neither do I. And it makes me feel a lot of compassion for people whose lives turn that way. Compassion mixed with fear, and confusion.

j: hahaha

Yeah

i: Which is a confusing mixture of emotions as well.

j: You have to wonder.

i: Do you think society at large is resigned to asking or trying to find answers to these kinds of questions and the situations - realties - they relate to.

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