Orig. written: June 27, 2006

One of the unforgettable lessons I learned in Religion class in high school was that man was created in God's image and likeness therefore he is good in nature. It was the evil and temptation around him that makes him susceptible to do bad things. It's weakness that makes him go astray, not his genes or his soul. Even the most notorious criminal still possess some goodness in him.

Then on Sociology class in college we talked about Social Norms. Social Norms dictates the we live on Trust. For example, we trust the food vendors that they would not poison the food they sell to us, we trust the drivers of public vehicles to transport us safely to our destination etc. We coexist harmoniously because somehow, someway we trust those around us.

However today, it's sad to see people being so mistrustful of everyone around them. They think the people are out there to do them harm. That nobody is up to no good. That there are no goodness anywhere at all. Where was the trust that social norms should have instilled in us? Where is the belief that man is good deep inside? Does this mean they also think of themselves bad?

I think that until and unless these beliefs were reinforced back to mankind, the world would just continue to deteriorate and produce more evilness. People had gotten so paranoid to the point of madness in my opinion. People judge other people so quickly without even trying to get to know them better. People were so pessimistic and always cautious with everything because of the lack of trust in humans and in themselves.

I got dismayed when I see this happening around me. Probably because ever the optimist and so trusting, I still believe that there are still goodness in men. There is still hope. I still continue to trust and believe that NOT all people in the streets (and online) would do me harm. I know God and my guardian angel is looking out for me and would not let harm come to me.

I guess I am just too trusting for my own good then. I give strangers my trust easily and the chance to get to know them. If in the end they cannot be trusted then that's fine with me. At least I did not judge them so quickly. And I think I let the good in me outshine the temptation of shutting them out before having the chance to get to know them.

It doesn't hurt to be cautious but most of the time people shut themselves out just because they are cautious. And I think it's the same as shutting their hearts out to strangers who might be needing them. Isn't God's commandment summed up in one line that says "Love your neighbors"? If a person is faithless towards fellow mankind then I don't think that person follows God's commandments at all.

I know that doing good would make a person unpopular. People would always snigger behind his back and he will be ridiculed. That is the price to pay when doing good because goodness is so rare these days. I guess some people doesn't want to be ridiculed and made fun of for being good so they go along with the flow and instead of acting on their nature, they give in to temptation. Thus it is not always easy to do good.

My choice: people can ridicule me and make fun of me all they want. I still continue to trust strangers and give them the chance to get to know me and them.

What is your choice?

Labels: essay, good, human nature, man, nature