Celia Kitzinger in her 1997 publication Born to Be Good expressed the ideology that we are all born with an innate empathy for others. In her explanation of the 'bystander effect' she describes that in a large group of people, sometimes bystanders will standby and do nothing when witnessing a horrific act. I agree with Kitzinger's beliefs but with some variations. .
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Motives of a Good Samaritan.
Celia Kitzinger in her 1997 publication Born to Be Good expressed the ideology that we are all born with an innate empathy for others. In her explanation of the bystander effect' she describes that in a large group of people, sometimes bystanders will standby and do nothing when witnessing a horrific act. I agree with Kitzinger's beliefs but with some variations. .
I agree with Kitzinger in the matter that most of us are born with a sense of empathy. I however disagree that after childhood most of us retain that childlike decency. It has been my experience in dealing with people that most of the world is made-up of self serving beings; people, that if be justified in their own minds they will get ahead by someone else's expense. .
History is riddled with acts of violence, atrocities and lawlessness. Although there have been times in history that we have witnessed mass heroism like September 11th; I believe for the most part the bad people out number the good. I suppose most atrocities are committed by people that in their own minds have justified their actions. The Los Angeles riots in the spring of 1992 in my opinion were not totally related to social injustice. I find it hard to credit that looters with their new CD players and TVs were protesting the jury system. I do however find that the looters justified their actions with the excuse of lashing back at the government when really they were pillaging for there own self-interests. Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin probably all thought their actions were justified by their demented ideologies but can we say they were born with that innate goodness? .