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[Criptfeind]

Not really, so very very many people are stupid, and I say this as one of them, in their teens, you get over all the self-realization and angst and yes intellectual mastrubation, it really does seem to me to be a phase.

Makes sense. Teenagers become obsessed with creating meaning in life, and then promptly overdo it and become like the OP, all "Beyond Good and Evil" in the literal sense. Then the angst directed at life for seeming empty and unfair. Feelings of standard superiority over everyone else, followed by feelings of intellectual superiority. Most certainly a phase.

Normally I avoid saying that because “it is just a phase” is so overdone but the fact that this forums seems to have quite a bit of these people has ticked me off somewhat. I am glad that you agreed, it boosted my frail intellectual pride.

I mostly agree because I remember thinking like that up unitll about half a year ago. The OP and I are both 16, so it isn't very suprising.

I am only 17, it seems that maybe this thought is only a phase!

[Astramancer]

To quote D&D (specifically, 3rd and 3.5 edition)

Good Vs. Evil

Good characters and creatures protect innocent life. Evil characters and creatures debase or destroy innocent life, whether for fun or profit.

"Good" implies altruism, respect for life, and a concern for the dignity of sentient beings. Good characters make personal sacrifices to help others.

"Evil" implies hurting, oppressing, and killing others. Some evil creatures simply have no compassion for others and kill without qualms if doing so is convenient. Others actively pursue evil, killing for sport or out of duty to some evil deity or master.

People who are neutral with respect to good and evil have compunctions against killing the innocent but lack the commitment to make sacrifices to protect or help others. Neutral people are committed to others by personal relationships.

Being good or evil can be a conscious choice. For most people, though, being good or evil is an attitude that one recognizes but does not choose. Being neutral on the good-evil axis usually represents a lack of commitment one way or the other, but for some it represents a positive commitment to a balanced view. While acknowledging that good and evil are objective states, not just opinions, these folk maintain that a balance between the two is the proper place for people, or at least for them.

Animals and other creatures incapable of moral action are neutral rather than good or evil. Even deadly vipers and tigers that eat people are neutral because they lack the capacity for morally right or wrong behavior.

I really, really like how the writers of D&D put Good and Evil (Law and Chaos, not so much).  Basically, good means protecting the innocent, even at the cost of yourself.  Evil means hurting, oppressing, and killing others.

This means it's about intent and actions.  Of course, it also means nearly everything is in the grey area.  You want to feed the homeless?  Great! That's good!  Except that you're feeding them the flesh of the innocent... (beef)

One of the best stories I've ever read about good and evil is Looking for Group.  It's a work in progress, but one of the very first comics demonstrates this view of Good and Evil perfectly.

Richard, evil undead sorcerer, kill someone, horribly, in front of Cale, a sickeningly sweet good guy.  Cale tries to shoot Richard, only Richard grabs some dude and shields himself with their bodies.  Cale was trying to do good (punish an obvious evil-doer), but ends up doing evil (and is heartbroken over it).  Through the course of the story, Cale gets more and more used to the casual atrocities committed in front of him (but still generally tries to be a good guy), but he also gets more and more involved in the Greater Good, trying to set up a system where those atrocities don't happen, even if that means he has to commit a few himself along the way.

To quote Ash, from Evil Dead:  "Good, Bad...  I'm the guy with the Gun"

History has shown us that might really does make right.  Joan of Arc was famous for, amongst other things, being pretty good at killing people.  Quite a few "good guys" in history is a good guy because they're really, really good at killing people (or worse, really good at convincing *others* to kill!).  And yet, killing is bad?  Killing is wrong?  Then why do we respect people like Churchhill or Patton?  I'll give you a hint:  It's because they won.

If you kill 100 people, you're a psychopath.  If you kill 100,000 people, you're a hero.  Funny how that works, eh?

[Realmfighter]

Good = Beneficial to the majority.
Evil = Detrimental to the majority.

How do you define Beneficial/Detrimental?

The Majority?

Beneficial = Something that improves the condition of something in some way.  Detrimental would be the opposite.

The majority are bacteria.

Improve? Condition? Someway? Opposite?

[Lucus Casius]

Good = Beneficial to the majority.
Evil = Detrimental to the majority.

How do you define Beneficial/Detrimental?

The Majority?

Beneficial = Something that improves the condition of something in some way.  Detrimental would be the opposite.

The majority are bacteria.

Improve? Condition? Someway? Opposite?

It all has to do with the movement of cheese.

[Chutney]

Good = Beneficial to the majority.
Evil = Detrimental to the majority.

How do you define Beneficial/Detrimental?

The Majority?

Beneficial = Something that improves the condition of something in some way.  Detrimental would be the opposite.

The majority are bacteria.

Improve? Condition? Someway? Opposite?

only one of those actually have subjective definitions.

[Realmfighter]

It all has to do with the movement of cheese.

Cheese?

What kind

[Astramancer]

It all has to do with the movement of cheese.

Cheese?

What kind

Lunar Cheese, obviously

[Muz]

Good = Beneficial to the majority.
Evil = Detrimental to the majority.

How do you define Beneficial/Detrimental?

The Majority?

Yeah, I use the beneficial/detrimental description too.

Majority is simply whichever has the most people you're morally inclined to help. It depends on your morals. For example, it is good to kill a deer to feed your family. Nothing wrong with murdering deer. It's evil to take an excess amount of food from your family if they're starving.

And between bad things happening to people you know, it's always good to help them, even if it harms people who you don't really empathize with. There can be two good and evil sides to a war, which is what happens in the Israel situation.

Or if you want a more precise set of morals, that's what religion does for you. Some religions preach materialism as good, some preach being free from it as good. They'll tell you who you can murder and who you can't. It might also be safe to assume that whatever the Church of Satan preaches is evil, though not downright stupid.

[Rooster]

This conversation is going to be so cheeeesy soon, that we will be using cliches,

Wouldn't only insane people want evil over good?
What about people that thought they were doing good, yet are regarded as evil?

Funny that D&D came up, because it was one of the major influences.
People hate others of the differences (thinking of others as evil), but if all of that is subjective, then I'm even more of a angsty teenager than I was 2 years ago.

How do adults manage in this crazy world? Jeez!

You're mad, I'm mad, we're all mad!

[Muz]

Wouldn't only insane people want evil over good?

Evil people actually want more "good" people, unless they get in the way. Good people would most likely bake cakes and stuff for evil people, which makes them happier. Good people also want more good.

But nobody really wants more evil in the world, because it leads to a very not fun place to live in. The more evil there is, the more competition there is for the evil people. The closest you can get is an evil person putting down the morals of a good person.

What about people that thought they were doing good, yet are regarded as evil?

Happens all the time. There's a lot of philosophical outlooks on this, and you could spend literally years debating it.

[Criptfeind]

This conversation is going to be so cheeeesy soon, that we will be using cliches,

Oh too late.

Wouldn't only insane people want evil over good?

Sorta not really as pointed out by your next question.

What about people that thought they were doing good, yet are regarded as evil?

Then they are wrong, nothing insane about it.

Funny that D&D came up, because it was one of the major influences.

Really? What? That system of morality is build on black and white pidgin holes. No wonder you are screwed up if you are taking advice about life from a game that is made as a escape from life.

People hate others of the differences (thinking of others as evil), but if all of that is subjective, then I'm even more of a angsty teenager than I was 2 years ago.

Despite the little sense that made I will respond with a yes you most likely are.

How do adults manage in this crazy world? Jeez!

By cooling down and not over complicating things.

You're mad, I'm mad, we're all mad!

I doubt it.

[Josephus]

Somebody explain it to me because over the years of self development intellectual mastrubation free of outside influences, I've lost the ability to grasp the concept.

Fixed.

Yarp. Also I think any real study of good and evil happens far, far away from the Internet, where action, application and real life occur.

Nenjin is right. OP, step away from the intellectual and go back to regular masturbation. It's healthier.

[Muz]

But intellectual masturbation is fun! The Internet is probably the best place out of anywhere to intellectually masturbate.

[nenjin]

Somebody explain it to me because over the years of self development intellectual mastrubation free of outside influences, I've lost the ability to grasp the concept.

Fixed.

Yarp. Also I think any real study of good and evil happens far, far away from the Internet, where action, application and real life occur.

Nenjin is right. OP, step away from the intellectual and go back to regular masturbation. It's healthier.

At least you'll feel more productive. Debating good and evil on the internet is what sports forums are to organized sports. A bunch of people talking about something they have little to nothing to do with. 

[Little]

Somebody explain it to me because over the years of self development intellectual mastrubation free of outside influences, I've lost the ability to grasp the concept.

Fixed.

Yarp. Also I think any real study of good and evil happens far, far away from the Internet, where action, application and real life occur.

Nenjin is right. OP, step away from the intellectual and go back to regular masturbation. It's healthier.

At least you'll feel more productive. Debating good and evil on the internet is what sports forums are to organized sports. A bunch of people talking about something they have little to nothing to do with.

/thread