WHAT IS GOODNESS?

 If we took a survey, asking people one question, "Are you good?" most people would respond, "Yes!" Ask them, "What makes you good?" Responses will be:

• I don't cheat so I'm good.
•  I don't lie so that makes me good.
•  I don't steal, so I'm good. 

If you analyze the above rationales, there is not much substance in them. Just think of the person who says, "I don't cheat." Well, that only means that he is not a cheat. And the persons who say they don't lie and steal, only mean that they are not liars and thieves. But that doesn't make them good. A person becomes good when he actually does good rather than not doing wrong. A person of values would be one who has qualities such as fairness, compassion, courage, integrity, empathy, humility, loyalty and courtesy. What makes a person with these qualities good person? It is because these are the kind of people who are dependable, stand up for justice, help the needy, make life better for themselves and those around them. To recognize goodness in all its forms, we need benchmarks and standards. Benchmarks can be ethical, or legal, or both. Ethical ones deal with right and wrong and all the gray areas that are in between leading to what is good and more good and what is bad and more bad.