Good vs Evil: Sofi Tzouanakis

On the subject of good and evil, I do not have definite opinions, but rather discombobulated thoughts and musings possibly thought of as somewhat of an opinion. Therefore, to help myself start with this post, I used the power of the internet to find the most concrete description of words less concrete than our own morals. Here are the definitions of good I found:

adjective, bet·ter, best.

1.

morally excellent; virtuous; righteous; pious: a good man.

2.

satisfactory in quality, quantity, or degree: a good teacher; good health.

3.

of high quality; excellent.

4.

right; proper; fit: It is good that you are here. His credentials are good.

5.

well-behaved: a good child.

6.

kind, beneficent, or friendly: to do a good deed.

7.

honorable or worthy; in good standing: a good name.

8.

educated and refined: She has a good background.

9.

financially sound or safe: His credit is good.

10.

genuine; not counterfeit: a good quarter.

11.

sound or valid: good judgment; good reasons.

12.

reliable; dependable; responsible: good advice.

13.

healthful; beneficial: Fresh fruit is good for you.

14.

in excellent condition; healthy: good teeth.

15.

not spoiled or tainted; edible; palatable: The meat was still good after three months in the freezer.

16.

favorable; propitious: good news.

17.

cheerful; optimistic; amiable: in good spirits.

18.

free of distress or pain; comfortable: to feel good after surgery.

19.

agreeable; pleasant: Have a good time.

20.

attractive; handsome: She has a good figure.

21.

(of the complexion) smooth; free from blemish.

22.

close or intimate; warm: She's a good friend of mine.

23.

sufficient or ample: a good supply.

24.

advantageous; satisfactory for the purpose: a good day for fishing.

25.

competent or skillful; clever: a good manager; good at arithmetic.

26.

skillfully or expertly done: a really good job; a good play.

27.

conforming to rules of grammar, usage, etc.; correct: good English.

28.

socially proper: good manners.

29.

remaining available to one: Don't throw good money after bad.

30.

comparatively new or of relatively fine quality: Don't play in the mud in your good clothes.

31.

finest or most dressy: He wore his good suit to the office today.

32.

full: a good day's journey away.

33.

fairly large or great: a good amount.

34.

free from precipitation or cloudiness: good weather.

35.

Medicine/Medical . (of a patient's condition) having stable and normal vital signs, being conscious and comfortable, and having excellent appetite, mobility, etc.

36.

fertile; rich: good soil.

37.

loyal: a good Democrat.

38.

(of a return or service in tennis, squash, handball, etc.) landing within the limits of a court or section of a court.

39.

Horse Racing. (of the surface of a track) drying after a rain so as to be still slightly sticky: This horse runs best on a good track.

40.

(of meat, especially beef) noting or pertaining to the specific grade below “choice,” containing more lean muscle and less edible fat than “prime” or “choice.”

41.

favorably regarded (used as an epithet for a ship, town, etc.): the good ship  Syrena.

noun

42.

profit or advantage; worth; benefit: What good will that do? We shall work for the common good.

43.

excellence or merit; kindness: to do good.

44.

moral righteousness; virtue: to be a power for good.

45.

(especially in the grading of U.S. beef) an official grade below that of “choice.”

 

Initially I began to sift through this pile, looking for a granule coinciding with righteousness, but then I had a thought: if even the dictionary does not have an succinct definition for good, why should I?

 

Good and evil will never have a true meaning while us humans are around to twist it with our wars, and our violence, as well as our generosity, and our inexplicable emotion known as love. What will exist is the human mind, allowing good and evil to have millions of different definitions unique to each person's experiences and life. For example, an impoverished boy in India's definition of evil may be the last stitch he sews into his 12th Nike shoe that day, but evil to a teenaged boy is the parent who does not buy him the $99.00 shoe. (I am not saying I am not subject to this, I am simply showing my awareness of the fact.)

 

The only thing society can strive for in such a confused world is the knowledge of right and wrong in good and evil. But wait... what is the difference in right and wrong, in good and evil? Maybe another blog post for another time, yes?

 

 

“In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.”
― Anne Frank

 

 (By the way, I did not upload this after the due date; I realized I had not put a title so I put one. Hopefully you saw it was originally uploaded on Saturday!)