If being a good person gave you nothing—no joy, no awards, no praise, no reciprocity, and no kindness—would you still be good?
Why do people want to be good?
People wish to go to heaven.
People want to be good to feel better.
People decide to be good because being bad gets exhausting and unsafe.
Some choose to be good because they want to be the change they wish to see in the world.
Others seek to be good to find fulfilling relationships, wish to be taken care of, or to be part of a community that requires goodness.
Good behavior is admirable, but it is never without reason or motivation.
Being “good” can be both selfless and selfish at the same time; “good” people may manipulate or lie to remain virtuous in the eyes of others, omit damning information, or feel entitled to reciprocity.
Just because you set out on a journey to be good does not mean you cannot be bad along the way. We can have good intentions and still make bad decisions.
As such, I am always thinking about the concept of goodness and the rewards people seek as they strive to achieve it.
I do not believe any human is completely good or completely bad. After all, if being good gave us absolutely nothing, would we still be good?