Good And Evil: Are Humans Good Or Evil?

Are Humans Good or Evil?

In our world today, we come across all sorts of people. Some you see do evil actions and some you see do good actions. The person doing a good action might be a psychotic killer-- you never know. The other person doing the evil action, could be a priest. Not everything you see people do shows what type of person they really are inside. These people may look one way on the outside, but the world can change the way they see the world and their ultimate actions. Regardless of how someone seems, they are consistently changing because of the evil energies of the world. Humans are all born good and pure, although as we grow up we are corrupted by the evil world around us.

Humans are born pure, although everyday after that

we are put in situations that could determine just how evil we will become. Zimbardo states that if you want to “change the person, you’ve got to change the situation they are in”(Zimbardo 2:03). Everyday we are put in situations that could make us potentially evil. Whether we steal something, hurt somebody verbally or physically, etc. If that situation was altered it could save us from being evil. Zimbardo believes “Good people could be seduced across that line, and under good, and some rare circumstances, bad kids could recover with help” (Zimbardo 0:43). This line represents the “good” and “evil” side of humanity. Even those who strive and go out of their way to be good people could very easily be lured across that line.
In an evil situation there will be a powerful leader. When power is a factor, goodness is not. Zimbardo says “to change the situation you’ve got to know where the power is” (Zimbardo 2:03). Power is a very strong trait that can have control over something completely. This could cause someone to act evil under pressure. Ralph from The Lord of the Flies comes to the conclusion they “ought to have a chief to decide things”(Golding 22). Deciding a chief gives that person access to power on the island. As seen in the book, the concept of power caused countless evil actions.
There are those who might believe that humans are born evil. They believe this because when humans are put in a deadly situation their goal is to survive. They believe this because in The Lord of The Flies Ralph exclaims "'Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood! Do him in!"' (Golding 152). That is a very evil thing to do, although that does not mean they were born evil. Jack shows his original nature when he goes to kill the pig and can’t go through with the horrific action. While it is understandable that some may believe that humans are inherently evil, it is ultimately a flawed reason. This is because Jack originally can not kill the pig, but as he his pressured by the leader (who has power) he eventually goes through with the evil action.
As one can see through the several pieces of evidence shown, humans are inherently good. As we grow up, we lose our goodness to the evilness in the world. Not every human will maintain the good traits they are born with. Knowing this, as we go out in the world we have to try to not let the evil into our lives.