Good evening guys, dolls, unicorns (lovely windy evening here),

What makes one a good a person in your own eyes?

Yes, a very simple question and yet not so simple.

When we live our own life & let ppl live there own life.

When you are the only person left.

Quote from: Chris on May 03, 2008, 07:57:23 PM
When we live our own life & let ppl live there own life.

Yep, my philosophy too. 

Quote from: lisagurl on May 03, 2008, 09:13:14 PM
When you are the only person left.

In the end, there can be ONLY ONE!!!

Quote from: Nero on May 03, 2008, 07:15:21 PM
Good evening guys, dolls, unicorns (lovely windy evening here),

What makes one a good a person in your own eyes?

Yes, a very simple question and yet not so simple.

i think people are actually very sweet and wise deep within.

but i think most people do not have the training or the luck to discover their terribly sweet inner self.

even those who have sensed that the core personality really exists, still have to work  hard to allow it to live and breathe. (my friend Sara was very surprised when i revealed to her that "i have to work very hard to keep from being an idiot," but it's true.)

the superficial layer of consciousness is bitchy and self-serving, but we often think that's all there is. and why should we think otherwise? who is there to tell us otherwise, and help us along toward true mastery of ourselves?

-Ell

I think that thinking of others and using your talents, skills and experience to help others, but not at the expense of your own self, makes you a good person.

And taking time to smell flowers, pet cats, and rub dogs' tummies doesn't hurt.

Dennis

When they make you feel warm and fuzzy and protected by your mate, and return it with love and care to your mate, and yes, empathy for all around you.

A person with empathy and actions to go with it.

I beleive that people are neither good nor bad, only that they have good traits and bad traits. Good traits and qualities will vary from person to person based on individual opinion. I think the biggest quality is selflesness. I think one must realize that sacrifice for the cause of a fellow living being is a manditory part of being alive. One should also never boast about such sacrifices.

Someone who shares in the emotions of others.  Someone that you can rely on and that will treat your problems as if they were their own, checking up on you to make sure everything is okay.  Someone who is there for you not only for the good times but the sad times also.  Someone who will see all sides to every story before reaching a decision.  Someone that doesn't prove to be a bad influence to you in any way and always respects your state of mind and what you choose to do and most importantly, someone that understands.

depends on what your definition of "good" is. but ok let's see, someone who is trustworthy, has integrity, admits when he or she makes a mistake and takes responsibility for it. someone who isn't always thinking about their past or their future but is present in the now of their life. Someone who chooses to be happy and optimistic and proactive. someone who knows when and how to stand up for her/himself. Someone who is generous with their time and occasionally with their money. someone who doesn't have to buy their friends to have friends. someone who isn't an emotional vampire. someone who does what they ought to do and not what they want to do.  that's about it, me thinks.

The best answer I have ever seen to the question of what is a good person is The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Speaking the truth, living simply, really doing the work (instead of just taking credit for it), helping when you can (and stepping back when you can not), having something beyond yourself that is of value, protecting those that need it, confronting those that need that too, being good to your word, and a sense of humor does not hurt either, if only because you are really going to need it at some point.

This may be a little odd, but I've always thought that positive qualities don't make a person good.  Rather a lack of negative qualities is what is needed.I also believe that people are inherently neutral, so for me a lack of ignorance is most important.  Followed by a lack of arrogance and greed are the two big things for me.

It's the "I wants" and the dangerous "I needs" that can really run out of control.  I'm not saying people can't want things, nor do they not deserve things. But it's when you want too much, and when you think you deserve things that have harmful effects on other people.

Any positive qualities on top of that are like icing. 

-Floating

I think it's really hard to define, but you know it when you see it.

Amanda

I always liked this one.  It might not make you 'good' - but it at least makes you worthwhile.


A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. -

RobertHeinlein

Quote from: Dennis on May 04, 2008, 12:09:03 AM
And taking time to smell flowers, pet cats, and rub dogs' tummies doesn't hurt.

Me an my dog charlie are good at these ones. He's my mate, he lives with my parents and I probably miss him more than i miss them. We sync.

Quote from: tekla on May 04, 2008, 09:25:49 PM
I always liked this one.  It might not make you 'good' - but it at least makes you worthwhile.


A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. -

RobertHeinlein

I'm not good. I can do only one of those. And working on a second one.

When I get a job fixing harps and all my tormentors are in hell shoveling coal.  "Hee, hee, hee." Just kidding but even an empath can have such a fleeting thought and I think we earned it.

Cindy