Are We Good? Or Are We Evil?

To Kill A Mocking Bird.
Separate Lies.

Atticus Finch (To Kill A Mocking Bird): "If you just learn a single trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it."

Two movies I watched last weekend. Two very different movies, different stories. At first glance, nothing in common. But they both raise an interesting question. Are we basically good or evil?

There’s a beautiful simplicity in the Atticus quote. If you can somehow put yourself in someone’s shoes, you will definitely end up understanding him. You will then realise why is it that he does certain things his way.

And this set me thinking. What is it that makes a person commit evil?

Can you do evil? Not at all??!

What if you sincerely think that what you are doing is the right thing, but is in fact causing harm to people?

What if your ego, anger, prejudices and bias has made you blind to their suffering?

What if you have lost the ability to empathize?

What if you cannot put yourself in the shoes of the other and see life from their point of view.

What if you think you are smarter than your conscience?

What if you just don't care? What if simply you walk by someone in need?

What if you simply keep quiet?

Mother in laws harassing their daughter in laws.
Daughter in laws harassing their mother in laws.
The same mother in law whose own daughter is the apple of her eye.
The same daughter who would do anything for her own mother.

Are they then good or evil?

Parents ill treating their children.
Children abandoning their parents when they are old.
The same parents and children who may be excellent husbands, wives, friends. But unable to see their own kin in the same light.

Are they then good or evil?

Though I want to believe that someone who has been truly touched by love cannot do evil to his fellow beings.
But people fall in love all the time. Hitler was in love. That didn't stop him. But then maybe his love was selfish.

2000 years ago, a Great Someone knew that Love is the answer. "Love thy neighbour. Love thy enemy.", He said.

But then how many of us can do that? How many of us even understand what that means?

Another question the Mocking Bird raises is how do you protect the ones you love from evil? You can't be with them every time.
And what will happen when they inevitably have their brush with evil? Will it destroy them? Will they lose all hope in mankind?

And I think it’s the answer to this question that's Mocking Bird's ultimate moral lesson. And one of the reasons for its popularity.

No one is absolutely good or evil. Most people have both good and bad qualities. The important thing is to appreciate the good qualities and understand the bad qualities by treating others with sympathy and trying to see life from their perspective.

If we can remember this lesson from the Mocking Bird, it may be possible to live with conscience without losing hope or becoming cynical, when confronted with the evil in the world.

Another lesson the movie teaches, something that I have myself learned in life, is that all that evil needs after all, is the silence of the good. For good to turn a blind eye and do nothing at all. And I myself am guilty of this.

On a closing note, I have to say I instantly fell in love with the character of Scout. She's the most intelligent 9 yr old I have ever seen portrayed on screen. And she simply stood out from other kids of her age. One very special kid. Someone you know would grow up to be a strong young woman. And then you realise, of course, she has been raised by one very special parent. Atticus.

I just can't wait to get my hands on the book now.