Oddbean new post about login | logout I'm not religious, but the seven deadly sins represent inherent negative aspects of human nature. If you could pick one, which one would you say is most present in yourself and why?
@Nobody, @finrod, @pipe, @Michael J, @The Beave, @BHN 🍁, @saeed. Would love to hear your opinions.
I would have to say pride. Other than just being the root of all other sin, I often think too highly of myself and not always rightfully.
Tbh, I just started rewatching this anime and it made me wonder this. 🤣 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fullmetal_Alchemist:_Brotherhood
What makes you think it's the root of all sin?
Lust was the most obvious one (at least to myself) for a while, but I think that's basic-level vice that every young man these days struggles with. Currently I'd say pride is the deepest-rooted, particularly pride in my own opinions. Anger is a close second.
Lust, I understand. Why pride and wrath, though?
Pride because I'm a pretty smart and articulate guy, and as a result I've been generally quite successful in school, work, and life. As a result, I tend to place great stock in my own thoughts and opinions, and not enough in the thoughts and opinions of others, because I'm usually not great at recognizing all the places where the thoughts, opinions, and influences of other people had a positive impact on me and the course of my life thus far. Wrath because I revolt against feelings of impotence. I often have a hard time letting go of this or that circumstance where I perceive some injustice but I can't do anything about it. It depends on the particular circumstance, but sometimes bitterness or resentment can really sink in, and I have to be on guard against that.
I think pride is often overcompensation for low self esteem. I don’t believe in sin, but I tend to assume the worst intentions in people’s actions and pay them accordingly proactively. This seems like ready to serve unjustified wrath to me.
It seems to me that if you believe in free will and that we can be held accountable for our actions, then you have to believe in sin, at least by a broad definition. An excellent piece of advice that I try (and often fail) to live by is to always assume virtue of other people if at all possible. Usually that's way harder than assuming vice, but if you assume the best of people by default, it's way easier to treat them generously.
I believe in relative attached morality to circumstance rather than the absolute moral authority that sin defines broadly to every circumstance. Assume the best of people and rely upon the mercy of your all powerful deity to meter out justice in your favor? I’d rather treat people as suspect and be pleasantly surprised when proven wrong.
I'm not depending on God or anyone else to mete out justice in my favor, I'm simply concerned with how I ought to act so as to be just and charitable to those I meet. Assuming the best of people, when possible, is a very good way to achieve that end. Regarding sin, there really aren't that many acts that would be wrong by their nature. Look at the Ten Commandments, that's about all of them. Pretty much everything else we can conceive of doing is generally good, but may be made bad in certain circumstances. Easy example: there is no case where theft is morally acceptable. Now work and earning goods, on the other hand? Generally good, though circumstances or intent may perhaps render it bad at times.
Disagree. When the proletariat is forced into abject poverty by the bourgeoisie, do the starving families not have justification in taking what they need from those “sinning” by participating in resource gluttony? Should we just starve to death and reap our rewards as martyrs in heaven?
Pride
May I ask why?
It's human nature I guess.
Envy
Wrath. There is a part of my ego that has trouble letting go of injustices that I have witnessed and wants to hold those accountable regardless of the damage it causes myself. It’s been a life long process to unwind this. I still struggle with it.
I second this.
Of the seven virtues which is easiest to demonstrate for you? prudence, justice, temperance, fortitude, faith, hope, and charity #asknostr nostr:nevent1qqsgmpcajq3ej7drx3qlk8nw75dfytfnc4edyc5f3natz86fzzhfacspzpmhxue69uhkummnw3ezuamfdejsygrm94e68tyhzjcx2qqq232trvj07f2nqn453qrksgsjyyqapl8h5gpsgqqqqqqsr47604
I believe in the goodness of humanity. Many kind souls just need a beacon to remind them of their own inner light.
i thought it would be more interesting to consider ones goodness. from my experience humans tend to see the bad in one another. it creates self loathing and hatred of humanity in general.
Hope. Love can alchemize hate to love. Hate can not turn love to hate. Love has an unfair advantage and the universe will always trend to love on a long enough timeline. Remaining hopeful is easy when viewed through this lens.
Fortitude i can look at the impossible and it doesnt move me once im focused on it. i think this inspires those around me to strive for excellence. its creates a true since of confidence in oneself.
Too big bussy
Gary, did you tell us which one was most present in you?
Indeed I did. Greed and lust are tied for me.
@franny are you religious?
Hmm, not into a specific religion. I am interested in spiritual guidance. That you have a spiritual guide watching you, and possibly some other beings caring for you that were once part of this world, or a different world. I try to communicate through tarot cards. But I haven’t found a strong connection to that spiritual guide yet. Also astrology is fascinating me over and over again. The result is that it’s giving me strength and hope and that’s all what matters 🙏🏼 Makes me happy to see that people believe in something greater. :) doesn’t matter what it looks like, it’s “there”. ✨
Well, this is the most interesting answer so far under a topic. Basically because of the tarot as I was frequently associated with that ( and a crystal ball lol) whenever I said I'm a wizard ( but one that fixes stuff...) . What do you do with that? And how the whole thing works? Do you contact only your spirits or you do it on request for others? I see a lot of people on YT reading for others but without being asked. How do you think of that? Or is it even an issue?
Hard-heartedness is not on the list?although, I can be both hard-hearted and very kind.
That sounds like wrath to me.
Wrath? Yes, it is similar to wrath, but not like the characteristic of someone who is quick to lose his temper and always fights with others.
That's true. It's not the same. What would you say dictates a justifiable reason to start a fight?
I would say hubris, not pride, is the sin, but I believe there is a distinction and others do not. As for an answer, what's most prevalent in my mind feasts on vice and virtue equally. It didn't even have a name until the 18th century. The guess is yours. If I had to choose which of these vices have survived best, then I would say Lust.
@Jac what's your opinion on this?
Wrath. While I have struggled with several others and prevailed to some degree with all of them, wrath remains as the unquenchable desire that burns phosphorus bright. Yours?
Like I've said in my previous comment, greed and lust are tied for me.
@Alice, @splinter, @Low Information Voter. You guys, too! 🤔
Greed. Not for wealth or the symbols of wealth, so much as for (e)books, knowledge and skills. And also tools, but on that part I can fight what I can see :-p "If you can't locate and retrieve it within a minute, you might as well not have it" Yeah, about that. Three minutes for some physical things, much longer on some digital content if I can't recall the exact subfolder...
Interesting question, I pick sorrow. I think I've felt it more than all the others at various points.
Inherent negative aspects of human nature, or common shortcomings in perfections of human nature that we ought to have? For reference, the Christian tradition names the seven deadly sins as Pride, Avarice, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Anger, and Sloth, but also gives their remedial virtues as Humility, Generosity, Chastity, Charity, Temperance, Meekness, and Diligence. The key word there is "remedial." A remedy restores something that was damaged to a state of wholeness. Under this conception, human nature is broken and in need of restoration, rather than inherently flawed.
I am the sloth 👀🦥
Me too. Sloth buddies 😊
🥰🦥 But getting better with getting my shit together 🙏🏼
Also me too 🤣 I had really poor health for years. It was difficult to do anything. But I went back to university which has given me deadlines and work to do which has been good.
🥰🦥 But getting better with getting my shit together 🙏🏼
Also me too 🤣 I had really poor health for years. It was difficult to do anything. But I went back to university which has given me deadlines and work to do which has been good.
Also me too 🤣 I had really poor health for years. It was difficult to do anything. But I went back to university which has given me deadlines and work to do which has been good.
Nah, wrath. 👍
True, it is a trivial answer. Envy would come at the second place, like when things don’t workout how I want them to, I start being envious of others that I think are better off than me. Not my brightest moments. But that’s when I know I must go confess.
No, dat's da truth!!!
Precisely. It makes you think you know better than God, that you can maybe take His place. To place your will above His, alienating yourself from God. The further you are from God, the closer you are to evil, the more exposed you would be to it. It is perilous to face that alone.
