Camille
Does moral failure can make you a better person?
What do you think of the following statement: "Moral failure can make you a better person". Do you agree with it? Why? And if not, why?


(My english teacher told me: "“Moral failure” means “someone acting wrongly”. They don’t distinguish between good and bad or right and wrong behavior. This can be more or less voluntarily. Think about betrayal, forgiveness and redemption." )
May 17, 2020 7:08 AM
Comments · 11
3
@Mina: I would say you don't fit what I said, based on your description of yourself :)

A psychopath is somebody who completely lacks an internal 'moral compass'. If a psychopath behaves morally, it is <em>only </em>because because they perceive that behaving morally will benefit them. They do not have an instinct for right vs wrong, but they can understand what others regard as right and wrong. If a psychopath is intelligent, they can manipulate this understanding to their advantage.

Note that psychopaths are not really immoral. They are amoral. They simply don't have morality although they can imitate it.

You say you can 'definitely tell what's good or bad', which implies you have a genuine conscience. You also say you'd be willing to break a law to help another person; I'd argue this is evidence that you have a moral compass of your own. By contrast, if someone draws their entire moral code from an external source like the law, then it isn't clear that they have an internal moral compass.

Disclaimer: I am not a qualified psychologist, psychiatrist, or anything of that kind! I'm also not advocating for breaking the law...
May 17, 2020
3
For a well-rounded person in a nurturing environment, yes. Failure of any kind gives us feedback that we can reflect on and use to become better people.

However, some people have a lower capability (or none at all) for acknowledging their failures and adapting accordingly. In the case of moral failure, somebody with strong narcissistic traits will have difficulty recognising their failure. For a psychopath, there is no moral failure, there is only the failure to get what they want.

It may be that someone is capable of adapting to their failures, but is hindered in doing so by their environment. @Shaka points out that convicted criminals have a high recidivism rate. While I don't doubt that many of them would continue committing crimes anyway, I suspect there are also many who could be helped to overcome their moral failures, rather than simply being punished for them.

Anyway, criminals are only an extreme case. We all commit moral failures during our lives; some of us learn, some don't.
May 17, 2020
2
In a moral failure, as the name implies, you're aware that your actions or decisions are wrong in it's nature; whether you're saying or doing what you shouldn't or it's the other way around. I'm sure we all have experienced this at least once in our lives.

From my perspective, mistakes do makes us a better person, however it greatly depends on the person and his will to learn from his errors.

As Alexander Pope stated "A man should never be ashamed to own that he has been in the wrong, which is but saying in other words that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.”


May 17, 2020
1
I think intent and outcome matter to determine whether Moral failure is stepping stone or step back.
It's reality that we'd make mistake at some point or another, so better to learn from it and try to become a better person.
May 17, 2020
1
This subject reminds me of something I've been wondering about lately.
Where I'm from,following the rules and laws are the most important thing.
They broadcast well known people, like actors,singers,who got arrested for illegal drug like murderer. Even those celebrity who got caught cheating their partners are reported as an criminals,and almost never be able to come back on TV.
I can definitely tell what's good or bad,right or wrong,but I realized my behavior is not based on those things.
Sure, I've never have urge to break the law,but if my mom had been diagnosed cancer and in bed with crucial pain,and marijuana can make the pain mild,I would find the way to get it for sure.
But my mom said "No way" when I brought it up.
Besides criminals case ,I don't think there are only good or bad.
I wonder if I fit this @Kai E " In the case of moral failure, somebody with strong narcissistic traits will have difficulty recognizing their failure.For a psychopath, there is no moral failure, there is only the failure to get what they want. "
It sounds like me,or I don't fully understand this sentence,I wonder.
May 17, 2020
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