'Good' and 'Bad'

I have heard and keep hearing many people saying:  ‘He is a good friend of mine’ or ‘He is a bad person’ and sometimes ‘You be a good boy’ and so on, which triggers the thought of how we can classify individuals into a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ category.  This does not limit to individuals.  It is also applicable to places, things, and/or any subject that a human can think about.  There are always at least two views on every topic, which by interpretations fall into the two general categories: ‘good’ or ‘bad’.  I do not disagree on some of the neutral approaches, which I believe mostly happens when ones mind is in a stage of false doubt or uncertainty to classify into these categories, which ultimately tends to make a decision based on convenience. 

What is actually ‘good’?  Is it an acceptable statement; an acceptable philosophy; an acceptable facility; an acceptable tradition; an acceptable ideology; an acceptable system; or an acceptable place and so on?  If so, what would be acceptable to you?  Is it just a matter of comfort; meeting your expectation; agreeing to your views; accepting your statements; providing you satisfaction and so on?  Will the opposites be bad?  Can you justify your conclusions for ‘good’? 

Whom do we classify in the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ categories?  Is it a friend; or an associate; or a person whom you know personally; or a person who is popular in some fields; or a leader; or an inventor; or a social worker; or anybody who comes into your memory or is it everyone?

What are the factors that persuade you to classify an individual into a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ category? Is it your personal view on the person; a disagreement with the person; your emotions to that person; your expectations from the person; or a combination of several factors?

Recently I happened to read an article on ‘The Erring Human’ by Captain Samir Kohli, which highlights some of the major damages caused by Human Errors.  It says: “To Err is Human.  To blame it on somebody else is even more Human”.  The same principle comes into mind when thinking about human classifications.  It is just the most common human tendency – to find mistakes in others , blame others and classify others and finally interpreting  individuals/situations into ‘good’ or ‘bad’ categories.

This has been the case since human evolution and has been adopted by all philosophies, beliefs, religions, and teachings.  This is when ones religion becomes bad for others.  One’s philosophy or ideology is not acceptable to others etc.  There is no real natural and universal good or bad.  It’s just an interpretation and expression of one’s view.

Human by nature is neither ‘good’ nor ‘bad’.  It is their tendency to respond to the environment and analyzing situations by prioritizing personal needs and expectations; emphasizing personal thoughts and beliefs and finally interpreting to situations in a most convenient manner, which finally tends him to make decisions on others as ‘good’ or ‘bad’.  Let’s agree that this is just a simple human nature, a simple human error and not the reality.  Will continue……..