Some Philosophy: Do bad people really exist?

Growing up in a rather judgmental community, I heard a common phrase that as the older I got, the more repulsive it became. It would come up in the discussion of how we should strive to be in our life and in this discussion, people would share examples of others who “weren’t living righteously”.  The examples would usually consist of the smaller and more relatable things such as  people who cuss or vape. It’s the phrase “they’re such an awful person”, or, “I don’t like them; they’re a bad person.” First of all, this says a lot about your character if you base someone off of a life choice they make that you disagree with. Second of all, who are you to give anyone the title of being a “bad person”?

The stereotyping of a group of people is something I’ve never been able to do as I’ve been stereotyped against my whole life and will never bring that upon anyone else.  It’s the same as being called something you’re not simply because you are misunderstood. You can’t blame people for misunderstanding if they have never been taught, but the best thing you can do is teach them in that moment as to allow them a better understanding. 

Every time I hear someone say they don’t like someone because of a life choice they make, I question their thinking process with, “why should that have anything to do with who that person is?” I don’t understand how it can be so hard for people to dissociate others from their sins. They see them do something they don’t agree with and somehow think “Oh they’re a bad person.” But people are not their mistakes or their habits. 

Especially recently, I try to focus on the good in people. It is hard for me to think someone is a bad person based off of a life decision that they’ve made or continue to make.  I’ve come to notice that everyone has redeeming qualities in them that make them beautiful in their own way. It’s easy to look at the world as an awful place– it can be. But I try to look at it optimistically because I’ve seen how wonderful it can be. 

In one of my favorite films, The Dark Knight, the morality and goodness of people is tested and studied by the greatest villain of all time, the Joker. In every one of his experiments, people turned against one another and killed each other over decisions they felt like they had to make. This supported his theory that he was trying to prove– that all people are bad and will choose evil given the right circumstance and if the right amount of pressure is applied. 

However, there is a scene where people are trying to leave the city due to the chaos in Gotham, on two separate boats; one with the prisoners, and one with the citizens. A bomb was planted in each boat and a remote to set off the other boat’s bomb was placed on a wall. In order for one of these groups of people to survive, they must kill the other group. If neither of them actives the other ship’s bomb, they both die. 

Now. I know this is dark- but it’s run off of the Joker’s thought process. He expects either the citizens to blow up the prisoners ship because prisoners don’t deserve to live over them- or he expects the prisoners to kill the citizens because they have no morals. Consequently, both groups of people die with this logic. 

But as it turns out, The Joker was wrong. Even though the situation given was crucial, neither of the groups could kill each other. In fact, one of the prisoners took the remote and everyone around him suspected he would blow up the citizens ship, but instead, he threw the remote out the window. 

With the comprehension that the prisoners wouldn’t kill the citizens, the citizens couldn’t kill the prisoners either. To Joker’s surprise, both groups were willing to die rather than killing one another. 

This is my favorite scene in the movie because it is the first time that the groups find their humanity and value other lives other their own. Through this scene, we find that everyone has good in them– whether they be a prisoner or a law-abiding citizen. 

This is not to say that you should always let the good overshadow the bad,  but at least try not to let the bad overshadow the good– because if everyone has good in them, then they are human just like you. 

Now for the closing: The question in the title asks if bad people really exist. First of all, you have to realize the difference between diseased mind and an evil mind. Also, the situation in which the sin committed should always be considered as should the question of “Are they a bad person? Or was the situation which they were placed in bad?” Anyways, to put it plainly: there are most definitely bad people in the world. But I know for a fact that there are more good people than there are bad, and with that in mind, it is up to you to decide if someone is bad or not. But keep in mind: don’t let one bad thing about them distract you from seeing them as a person that has good. 

Thank you for reading:) I hoped you enjoyed this post and I hope you have a wonderful month.

Author: Katie Spiers

"You can't do all the good the world needs, but the world needs all the good you can do." - Jana Stanfield This is my favorite quote and is what I find myself striving towards everyday-- to do the most good I can.