Good people see the good in people.
Bad people see the bad in people?

True I would say.
The worst thing about a liar is not his lies,
it is his inability to believe anyone else..
same thing.

A lie, according to Homer Simpson, always needs two people. One, who tells the lie, and one, who believes it.


OT ... I always see both sides of a person. Not sure now, am I good or bad.

I think it's an accurate statement. If bad people do see decency and goodness in other people, their first thought seems to be how they can exploit this to their own advantage.

The way I see it is ~~~~

Good People seems to always see the good in others...

Bad People know they are bad, but take advantage of those that see the good in others... Knowing they are gullible and will help them for the Good People give without judging them~~ Which all the Bad People are after, is what they can get from others...

I think honest people see both really. 'Good' people try not to dwell on the bad though.'

Which seems to be most of the driving force in most soap opera "daytime drama" shows! (My friend watches GH.)

I believe there is no such thing as "Good People" and "Bad People".
That is judgemental prejudice relative to the observer.
I believe all people have the capacity for good 'and' bad.
They exhibit the personality traits of the one they feed.

The baseline concept of good and bad is always relative to the observer (the ones making the judgement). In societies, unity of judgement defines good and bad based on common prejudice.

As our species unites under a common society (global communication) those defining concepts of good and bad become more common to more people.
To old world Vikings, raping, pillaging and burning villages was seen as good to the Vikings but bad to the towns they invaded.
In some cultures today, stoning, suppressing and degrading women is good to that culture but most of the rest of the world see it as bad.
To free people, oppression is bad but to dictator regimes, freedom of people is bad.
Its all relative to the observer.

I know me.
I know I have the capacity for good and bad.
I choose which to feed.

Choose wisely...

Cough
Bo11ocks

While the notions of good and bad might be relative ( what's good for one might be bad to another) the intentions, particularly of the bad, are not.

Yes they are relative.
Intention, when assessed by an observer, is always relative to the observer. People don't always broadcast their intentions. People have the capacity to act in contrast to what they do broadcast.


The focus of the thread is people's judgemental prejudice of others.
Judgemental prejudice is always relative to the observer.

Think of it as...
A person who feeds the good in their life focuses on the good in others.
A person who feeds the bad in their life, focuses on the bad in others.

You have three people.
One who focuses on good, one who focuses on bad and the one those two are observing.
The one focused on good will see the good in the subject being assessed and the one who focuses on bad will see the bad in the same subject.
Both observers will try to predict the subjects intentions according to their own alignment.
Neither assessment defines the subject the same.
Their assessment is prejudiced according to the alignment of the observer.

While I agree that the OP is couched a little loosely, their meaning is clear and intended as most people would understand the terms.
Observation is one thing but action is something else, especially if it causes measurable harm to others. It is quite rare that a "bad" person can refrain from doing such harm, even if they initially act in a seemingly benign way. This is simply a ploy to gain the trust of those they intend to harm. They appear to be unable to refrain from acting on their impulses and while this is not the root cause of their deviation from the norm, it is certainly the thing that leads them being considered "bad".

Good people can see the bad in people ! Bad people see no good !

The opening statement, has a generalized
falsity to it.

Genuinely good people, don't seek validation,
or, a "pat on the back", for being good people.
A good person, does good, because it's the right
thing to do.


Bad people, go into hyper-overdrive, seeking
accolades and validation, for being good.
. Generally, right after they've done
something very bad.

As to what is seen?
Both good, and bad people, see good and bad.

either should be able to see the bad in people to avoid it

^^^^ This. It's not that when being a good person you're blind to reality.
You just don't attract negative/bad people so much, and you move away from them.

Congratulations to all on an ongoing and fascinating thread.

I agree on everything but the last. Good people always see the good even when the person is bad. They always think well they can do good be good. And bad always does take advantage because they know that's how it is.

In fictional worlds we see human behavior focused on the intent of the story.
Good and bad is always separated.

In real life we encounter many shades of grey in people.
There are people with a predilection for bad and others with a predilection for good.
In society, there can not be a pure utopia nor a pure dystopia.
In people, the same applies.
Nobody is purely bad and noone is purely good.
Just like society, people are a mixture of both. Some darker shades of grey some lighter shades of grey.

Wisdom is gained by experience.
Deeds define how others judge you.
However, deeds seen by one person in a specific time frame may not be the deeds seen by others over a different time frame.

Before you met someone, they might be known as caring and warm.
You experience them as hostile and rude.
That person is not good or bad, they just don't like you.

Your child is warm and loving.
In 10th grade, he gets suspended for fighting and bullying.
He is still warm and loving, his experiences outside your frame of reference are such that his reaction to certain others becomes bad.
He doesn't go to school wanting to fight but has to fight for reasons he determines at the time.
He isn't a bad person, he isn't a good person, he's just a person making choices.
Anyone can be good or bad depending on their choices.
Sometimes its easier to feed the monster than to feed the angel.
Sometimes the monster appears to be the angel.
Sometimes the angel turns out to be the monster.
Wisdom defines the angels and the monster.
Some people have poor wisdom.

We military struggle with this concept.
I know how to kill.
I have killed.
I could kill again.
Am I bad?
I choose not to kill.
Am I good?

Generally, people think its their job to define others.
If you define me on your terms does that make me bad or good?
Do YOU live behind my eyes?

In life, you encounter many different types of people.
You 'align' with some and you 'avoid' others.
Your wisdom guides you.

You see your boss as a good person.
You really enjoy his company.
Then you find out he goes home at night and beats his family.
Until you knew this, he was a good person.
Now he is a bad person.

Flip the coin.

You see your boss as a bad person.
He's mean and rude to you at work.
Then you meet him at a social function and he is warm and friendly to everyone.
Is he now a good person?

This is judgemental prejudice relative to the observer.
If you expect the worst from someone, you won't be disappointed.
This is because you focus on the bad.
If you focus on the good in a 'bad person' many times you will be surprised unless you are blinded from seeing the good by your own expectations.