Can bad people do good things?

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. There are some absolute monsters in history there are some now for that matter but I’m thinking more about history but during their reign did any of them do anything good. For instance Chairman Mow. He took power when China was fractured and he unified it in the most brutal way possible. He was a monster in many ways but he Did unify China.

So My question is can bad people do good things?

Reply 1

Sorcerer's Storm

It's Mao and not Mow. And of course, depends on scale. Even murderers and rapists can be loving with their partners and other people, care for them, get them presents, protect them and so on. Just as good people can also be mean and do nasty things. I think you'd be very hard pressed to find an example of someone who only ever did bad things in their whole life or only good things.

Reply 2

Crazy Jamie

Careers Forum Helper

I appreciate the question is based on someone who wielded incredible power, but as has been said, even individuals who have committed horrific crimes are so often highly respected within their own communities, and were perfectly capable of doing good things. The 'good' actions of individuals like Mao are always going to be larger scale changes and so the debate is a slightly different one, but even at community level everyone does good and bad things throughout their lives. It's just a matter of the balance between the two.

Reply 3

londonmyst

Yes.
Whether they are doing so for show, their own gain or ever have any good intentions- all of these are another matter.

Reply 4

Islaoliver

Original post by jonathanemptage

It's a hard truth, we as human for a reason of game called politics we pretend "to do good" to tell the world how trustworthy we are. In reality it is and will always be a game of the mind in order to get power from others. You will never see anyone doing good for free, is no such thing in this world, as it is always some interest behind a good will, where is for personal gain such as, money, fame and you name it, or emotionally gain, to feel good about themselves for whatever guilty they feel in life, either way the good is never free. One may say it's a complex topic, but I don't believe so. I think is rather clear, but we pretend it is not in order to perpetuate our specie in a veil of ignorance. To answer your question from my point of view, we are all monsters in that sense, pretending to be the good sheep to have access to gains, even if one can't see as his action may come from the subconscious. One who can seek for the truth need to understand that the truth can hurt in many ways, one example is the Allegory of the cave by Plato, it shown us that not everyone is ready for the truth, and one may be killed or been treated as the mad man .

Reply 5

RoadtoSuccess

Chat Forum Helper

I believe yes and no, as a lot of people that have committed severe crimes once released end up following the same path eventually. On the other hand, there are people that have learned to become a better version of themselves but it totally depends on the severity of the crime or misfortune they have done.