Good Intentions Pave The Road To Hell

[TheRat]

I've been thinking quite a lot about this lately. I've been trying to be as good a person as I can be and not piss anyone off, but i'm realizing i'm turning into quite the asshole because of it. Somehow, it isn't working. I think that in order to be a truly good person you must put people out from time to time. You can't please everyone.

 

Take my grandpa for instance, he's the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet, but he can also be very stubborn and even a little racist. This does not make him a bad person. In fact i'd be hard pressed to find someone else i'd want to spend time with other than my future girlfriend (she's somewhere out there). I'm sure i could think of other examples but i'm focused on an essay right now.. I wonder if anyone else could add something.

[pearanoid]

To a certain extent I think you just have to worry about yourself first and not other people. This doesn't mean be selfish, but make sure that you're doing what you want and how you want. Don't be fake.

 

Sometimes you may have to put people out, so what, they'll get over it. Generally if you're making yourself happy, then you'll actually be happy. And if you're happy around other people too, then they'll be happy.

 

Then it's a big happy world.

[wonks]

once you stop caring what other people think about you it's smooth sailing.

[pearanoid]

True that.

[ecnarf]

Being a good person? I don't know. I once spent a whole chemistry period helping another girl with cyclic hydrocarbons. What would you know, she did better than me on the test a few days later. People have told me I'm the "nicest guy they know" (only a girl could say that), but at heart, I'm a real smartass, always snidely insulting people when I get the chance. In good humour, I guess.

 

I guess being "nice" is being indifferent... helping out when people need it, and not being a real asshole the rest of the time.

[swedish stewardess]

I've always found that whatever you put out to the world is what you get back.

[TheKwas]

Karma's payment plan...

[sirbeavertease]

Red, gold, and green.

[Sparq]

If karma worked the way it was supposed to, I'd either be Supreme Emperor of Earth, or dead.

[evan]

if life was fair, we'd all be serving a life sentence.

 

 

 

and, the rat... where did you get the title of your thread from?

[pvnc]

It's a paraphrase of a common expression: "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." I think.

 

EDIT: I agree with the original expression, but not with the title of this thread. If the latter was true, what would be the point of trying?

Edited January 27, 2005 by pvnc

[evan]

It's a paraphrase of a common expression: "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." I think.

 

EDIT: I agree with the original expression, but not with the title of this thread. If the latter was true, what would be the point of trying?

the road to hell is paved with the best of intentions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and the reason why i asked was just because that was the name of my journal on the metro a while back, and it got a lot of hits... also, i used to use that phrase in my sales meetings alot.

[calgarydave]

What gets me is the people who think that a good action with the wrong intentions is still a good action.

 

"Around here our ambition throws a non perishable item in the donation bin at xmas, and then pats himself on the fucking back b/c he thinks he's done something decent"

[pvnc]

From Wikiquote:

 

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

 

    * Earlier variants of this proverb are recorded as "Hell is paved with good intentions." recorded as early as 1670, and an even earlier variant by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux "Hell is full of good intentions or desires."

English Proverbs (scroll down to the Ts to find it, or CTRL-F if you're using FireFox)

 

Sorry if I'm nitpicking. ;)

 

 

And back on-topic, what about wrong actions with good intentions - like the expression makes reference to? Which is worse?

Edited January 27, 2005 by pvnc

[Karin]

My big motto is simply, treat all life with respect. That goes for humans, animals, insects, plants, everything. Now, I'm not ridiculous about it by not killing mosquitoes, or not picking flowers. What I'm talking about is treating others the way you want to be treated. I'll kill a spider if it's in my house, but I'm going to make sure it's an instant death so it doesn't feel anything. In the wilderness I'll pick a few flowers and stuff, but I won't go overboard and I won't litter. Being respectful is my key thing in life, and I think it works out really well. When you treat people with respect, you get respect back. Simple.

[pearanoid]

I wish this was always true.

 

I always treat people with respect and kindness, but there are some real assholes out there. It's depressing.

[Sparq]

I've been polite for too long, why should I be any more?

[pvnc]

If I had a dollar for every time someone randomly quoted MG(B) on here, I'd be able to purchase (ie bribe owner of) every copy of Lo-Fi B-Sides in existence.

 

What's so wrong with good intentions, as long as you back them up with intelligence and kindness?

 

EDIT: fucking emoticons

 

DOUBLE EDIT: goddammit!

Edited January 27, 2005 by pvnc

[Sparq]

Some people are less than deserving of kindness.