Empirical truth about memory is that it is not a reliable source of information no matter how confident one feels on how things occur. Check out your own memory and see how it fares. Note that many a historical/religious documents were written based on memory, it is prudent to take ancient literature with a skeptical mind.
Its possible for more assertive people to get most of the people to do many “evil” things in the proper environment. Its also possible for “stronger personalities” to force a certain dogma on anyone incapable for thinking for themselves.
It is critical that we develop our sense of right or wrong to prevent ourselves from being swayed by external forces.
Watch milgram's obedience to authority study: parts 1-5 in How to Videos | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com
Creating and maintaining a good environment is very important.
Compare your state of mind in a clean house vs a very dirty house - how do you feel? What is your motivation level at? How we maintain our environment affects our psyche. It takes work to keep ourselves feeling motivated, cleansed and happy. It is also healthy to keep a clean environment. A pleasant environment also is conducive for a happier friends and family interaction, as people are not tripping over things, and the focus is on living life, enjoying what we enjoy, and not worrying about cleaning up.
Adding good color, art, scent and decor to the environment takes things a notch up in terms of pleasantness. What house do you live in?
Its always easy to “see” trickery after it has happened and someone discovers it using their logic. Unfortunately people are quick to believe something if they are told that there is a higher force at play. Be this force a “miracle” or “government secret ability”.
The news article below illustrates a con artist profiting from people’s vulnerability to “believe”.
Its prudent to question question question, and be suspicious of anything new told to us. Then research research research before committing to anything. There are too many evil people out there scheming to take advantage of your gullibility. (eg. internet scams, phone scams, robbers, pickpockets, cult preachers, snake oil sellers, quack doctors, mediums, psychics, etc.)
Both evil and good do things in the name of good.
No evil person has ever said: “I want to do evil.”
If both good and evil speak the same language, how does one tell them apart?
Here is the litmus test.
Does the living thing which receives the “good” deed feel happy about it?
Is the “good” deed considered legal by the court of law?
What will the general population say about this “good” deed?
If the litmus test fails at any level it identifies an evil deed.
Some “evil”, like say killing a chicken for consumption, while evil to the life being killed, is acceptable by general society and thus not widely condoned. Killing that same chicken for the sport of killing or for “fun” or via torture is seen as unacceptable and deemed a true evil deed.
Evil people are people who do evil things occasionally, and without regard to what others might think. Their primary motivation is self gratification.
Evil has other forms like cruelty, meanness, rudeness, being selfish, etc…
Why be good?
While evil lurks in many places, and we have an equal change of running into it, the probability of running into evil increases if you are also a source of evil. Likewise your probability of running into evil decreases if you do no evil.
Let me explain. If you do evil, the good makes a mental note never to deal with you again. Only other evil minds more accepting of your evil deeds remain around you. Its only a matter of time when these evil minds do evil onto you. As time goes on, and as less and less good surrounds you, you are surrounded by more evil and you are more prone to be subject to be recipient of evil deeds than good deeds.
© 2008 EmpiricalTruth.com