Is Being a Good Person Really Worth it?

[serendipity11]

Has anyone else ever wondered if being a good person is really worth it? Seems like we spend our lives conforming to societal standards, playing by the rules, obeying the law, and what do we get for it? Overworked and under payed in some shit 9-5 job with a boss on a power trip. Sometimes I think the drug dealers, robbers, thugs, muggers, and thieves of society live more exciting lives.

Society likes to tell us that crime doesn't pay because if people figured out that crime does pay, then society couldn't exist.

Well no good deed goes unpunished. That being said. I wouldn't stop being "good" for the world. And I personally don't even believe morality exists. Not in the sense that most do. It's an artificial and vague concept that is dependent on any particular culture. For example, some believe that having sex outside of marriage is bad. But marriage itself is also artificial proving the point that morality is a human concept. Regardless I still feel like it's important for a stable society/culture. But morality still isn't black and white. Say someone steals. Stealing is considered immoral in almost every single culture. But does a particular culture take into account *WHY* they stole? Was it pure greed? Was their family starving and they stole bread to feed them? Does it matter either way?

I have my own set of moral codes. Which I follow. Essentially anything is permissible unless it (unconsenually) harms another directly, or indirectly as a result of recklessness. It only applies to sentient creatures and goes into far more complicated details but that's the short of it. "Do unto others as they want done unto themselves" and "Don't be a dick" are good summaries. I decided on these because of attempting to form a moral doctrine that was fair and equitable. Still, my moral doctrine is permissive to the use of illicit substances (Such as drugs). And society at large tends to disagree with that. Morality is a huge perma grey area. Even the simple ones such as "Do no harm" and "Do not kill" aren't black and white. Because throughout history harming and even killing has found justification.

Still I stick to my doctrine, and try to avoid people who violate it if I can. I participate in society and it's laws even if I disagree with some of them.

If you're looking for a simple "yes/no" answers you're not going to get one from me. Because it also depends on how you personally define worth. Especially considering Worth/Risk. As in being a hitman can make lucrative currency incomes. But it's also risky. It's a risk if you're ever caught by law enforcement, or even a target of revenge. Each person weighs in their skills, their opinions, and their idea of worth versus risk and makes a decision in life, well a multitude of them. Even from a moral nihilist point of view there are negative consequences for doing things society considers "bad". and thus positive consequences for doing things society consider "good" so even if you believe that morality is not innately relevant beyond the scape of reward versus risk. It's still an important factor.

However many people believe in morality deeply. Some believe their state in an eternal afterlife depends on their actions in this life. So out of self preservation and interest they aim to do "good". But again this comes from worth versus risk. " Is true altruism a thing? and if it is, It's not logical or beneficial. Because if you're only a "good" person to get into some eternal heaven after death, are you really a good person? And if you steal to feed your starving family are you really a bad person? What matters more? The action, or the intent? Or both equally? How is morality calculated? It's all subjective incredibly so.

Some people are "good" because it gives them positive feedback in one way or another. Perhaps a "warm fuzzy" sensation for doing something that benefits someone else. Or perhaps their super ego rewards them. Some do "good" to others because they believe it increases the chance of others doing good unto them. Make the world a better place so to speak. It's really impossible to say for any certainty.

I can't tell you if it is or not. This would be something for you to decide for yourself.

- - - Updated - - -

There can be a difference between being a decent person, and being a law-abiding person.
　

In fact. For some these might even be mutually exclusive. A prime example of this is Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. Who was considered a criminal in his time. But he did what he felt was right. In modern times we consider him a hero of the civil rights movements and helped pushed our society into a brighter, and kinder, more accepting age.

A quote I quite enjoy from MLK is thus "Just as we have a moral obligation to obey just laws, we have an equal obligation to disobey unjust laws"

[llubtoille]

Entirely depends upon you emotions. If the thought of being 'evil' sickens you, then it's probably worth it. Otherwise probably not.

[Valette]

If you actually are a good person, yes. You're not a good person because you follow the rules, you're a good person because you want to follow the rules. And fulfulling that want is the "reward", not anything monetary.

You dont help an old lady who slipped on the ice because you think she will pay you, or cause people around you will think better of you, you do it because its the right thing to do.

[Lightbull]

Depends on the type of person you are. If you're expecting some kind of reward for being good, then you probably don't want to be a good person.

With that said, I can't imagine why you would want to be a bad person either. It just seems to cause conflict and misery.

[Unhinged]

If you live your life being an a-hole, a train could fall on top of you and no one would even feel bad about it.

And if you live your life as a good person and a train falls on you, you will be dead. So whatever other people think of you won't matter as you are dead.

This isn't promoting assholes, but this logic is silly.

[Deleted]

Every single action you do can either tilt the world towards Heaven or towards Hell.
With your every decision, you get to decide for yourself, and everyone else if the world is going to be a better or worse place.
The price you pay for your human existence is the ultimate burden: the responsibility for everything. Everything you do matter, and everything bad that happens happanes simply because you are not good enough.
On the other hand, everything good you do will echo out, and better the entire world.


What is more grand than that? What do you have to do in your life that is more worthwhile than bettering yourself with the end goal of bettering the world? It is the grand adventure of humankind.

[gaymer77]

Has anyone else ever wondered if being a good person is really worth it? Seems like we spend our lives conforming to societal standards, playing by the rules, obeying the law, and what do we get for it? Overworked and under payed in some shit 9-5 job with a boss on a power trip. Sometimes I think the drug dealers, robbers, thugs, muggers, and thieves of society live more exciting lives.

Society likes to tell us that crime doesn't pay because if people figured out that crime does pay, then society couldn't exist.

Being a good person is the road to being the president. Just ask our current president Donald J. Trump. The man is practically a saint and look where it had led him. I dream of being as good of a person as he is.

I try and live my life as good as I can. It usually gets me screwed over by assholes looking out for themselves. They don't typically care about anything or anyone else. The difference is, at the end of the day I hold my head up high when I cry knowing I was a decent person and didn't hurt anyone else or step on anyone to get where I am now!

[Dawnrage]

If you have to ask this question you are not a good person.

Too many people do 'good deeds' simply because they expect something out of it at the end.

Though in my opinion, being a good person isn't worth it if you care about advancement of any sort. Some of the biggest scumbags and assholes I have known are the ones that are making headway in their life faster than others.

[Anevers]

If you are seeking any reward other than feeling good and making the world better by being a good person...no.

[Airlick]

I found this question really hilarious, and I don't mean that in a derogatory way. I studied philosophy as an undergrad, and then as a graduate student at Stony Brook University, and to be perfectly honest this thread is full of a surprisingly good overview of a variety of ethical systems. I won't comment, I just want to say I appreciate you all.

If you are genuinely interested in this question, it is the central problem and point of discussion of, probably, the single most influential piece of philosophy ever written - Plato's Republic.

Try Xunzi, his works on human nature fit the post you've quoted even better. Great read if you're into more pessimistic view of human nature and society.

[Blobfish]

Well considering that the ladies like bad boys..it probably is not worth being good

Also , there is a lot of people that go to church & are in a religion that reckon they are good people.

A lot are supposedly good people, but a large majority are probably A-Holes too ..

[Thelxi]

For sure. I plan on cashing in everything after I'm dead.

[prwraith]

It's not even fun to play the good guy in video games let alone real life

[Grimbold21]

That's not what being a good person necessarily means

[Protean]

Has anyone else ever wondered if being a good person is really worth it? Seems like we spend our lives conforming to societal standards, playing by the rules, obeying the law, and what do we get for it? Overworked and under payed in some shit 9-5 job with a boss on a power trip. Sometimes I think the drug dealers, robbers, thugs, muggers, and thieves of society live more exciting lives.

Society likes to tell us that crime doesn't pay because if people figured out that crime does pay, then society couldn't exist.

What you want isn't to be bad though. It's to be bad while you enjoy the protection of everybody else being good.

But the more people stop acting good, the worse conditions get and the less incentive people have to stay good. Just look at Africa and ask if you want that, next time you're thinking muggers and thieves have it good.

[Sorrior]

Not really but teying to be a dick really fucked me up and doubt i can ever truly be my old self again..but suck at being a dick sooo back i go lol.

[Protean]

Well considering that the ladies like bad boys..it probably is not worth being good

Also , there is a lot of people that go to church & are in a religion that reckon they are good people.

A lot are supposedly good people, but a large majority are probably A-Holes too ..

They got a new incels website, you don't have to troll here.

[Deleted]

It is worth it.

Ok, if you really have an urge to live like billionaires, then it's not for you, but if you want to live a fulfilled life being around people, having fun, then be good, it pays, it really does. I have friends everywhere and living itself is so much more of a joy. People love me where ever I go, I make friends everywhere in an instant, it's just who I am.

Be positive, enjoy your life and be happy. Always remember to enjoy your life!

[Raakel]

I recommend watching "Deconstructing the Human Game" by Brandon Gilbert

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okWbUZMNWvI

His channel has a lot of good stuff about human relationships and paradigms that made me come to the conclusion it's not about beeing good or bad but understanding the general setting first. Other stuff from him is bla bla to me though.... Within certain boundaries you can be bad if that makes you feel good but I'm not saysing you should harm others.

In general I would say I feel better if I'm being nice as it kind of mirrors back to me. But sometimes I think a punch to the face of that douchebag would feel so satisfying. Don't judge me.

[Lochton]

Has anyone else ever wondered if being a good person is really worth it? Seems like we spend our lives conforming to societal standards, playing by the rules, obeying the law, and what do we get for it? Overworked and under payed in some shit 9-5 job with a boss on a power trip. Sometimes I think the drug dealers, robbers, thugs, muggers, and thieves of society live more exciting lives.

Society likes to tell us that crime doesn't pay because if people figured out that crime does pay, then society couldn't exist.

It does pay out in the right society but you'll always experience people that'll attempt to ruin and abuse it.