Are you a good person?

[bendk]

Do you consider yourself a good person? Why?

[ramonoski]

I'm not sure by what standard I'd even begin to consider such a thing.

[njhorror]

I haven't earned Heaven yet, as far as I can tell.

[Druidic]

A man who supports women's rights, loves dogs and is openly skeptical of the truth of all religions might be a Good Man in America but a Devil in some Arab countries.
It's not an impossible question to answer truthfully but, as ramonoski implies, it is complex.

You have to have an agreed upon definition of what a good man is. A man who doesn't rob his neighbors, is charitable in his actions,and seeks truth, has characteristics that almost all societies (if not all) recognize as good. By those qualities, I'd say I'm a decent enough guy. But if you dig deeper into qualities that culturally distinguish good from the not so good, it becomes more problematic.

I don't think good and evil exist, but I frequently escape into my own Moominvalley where it is real and prop walls protecting it. I don't like "broadening my horizons".

[Ibrahim]

Hey, this is a Ligotti site.

Are we even a person?

[bendk]

Quote Originally Posted by Ibrahim

Hey, this is a Ligotti site. Are we even a person?

If you read his work carefully and pay attention to his interviews, I consider Thomas Ligotti a good person. He tells the truth about his perception of the world. His perception is devoid of placating delusions, but he empathizes with conscious life.

I prefer some values over others. Granted, I have no strong argument as to why some values are more preferable that others, giving them a delusional character.

For example, arguing there is objective value in minimizing suffering is a delusion, but it's one I personally adopt.

[Ibrahim]

i was of course merely referring, perhaps somewhat facetiously, to our personhood being a mere veneer over the essence of our cosmic nothingness...

I think a better question is can we reconcile normativity with naturalism?