The Turning Point

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The Turning Point

Life is a mystery. There is so much that we do not understand and so much we have yet to learn. Many questions we ponder frequently involve human nature. We often ask why people do certain things and why we act the way we do. Most of these highly debated topics will never be answered. We can only contemplate why everything occurs. One issue that is consistently brought up is that of good and evil. For centuries this subject has been disputed and countless theories have been created to try and solve this difficult puzzle. Are humans good or evil? That is the perplexing question that has stumped philosophers and writers for a very long time. There are certainly good people in this world, but at the same time there will always be those who are evil. So the question is not whether we are good or evil, but what makes a person good or what pushes someone to be evil. The answer is best described through Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s infamous quote, “Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains” (Kishlansky 564). The famous philosopher was trying to say that humans are born good, but society can alter them into becoming something that is evil. In every person’s life there seems to be a turning point that decides if they are to turn out good or evil. It all depends on how a person is raised, what they have gone through in their life, and what has influenced them. Under the right circumstances, anyone can become cruel and unfair. People are inherently born good, but the events in their lifetime and society can corrupt them.

Every moment of a person’s life shapes them into who they will become. It is often said that a childhood is the most important part of someone’s existence because it is the foundation for a p...

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...periences there is a turning point that ultimately decides what kind of person they will be. Are you good or evil?

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