What is guilt?

S

Silent Bob

Registered Member
Guilt and love, both seem to plague most of humanity's minds all the time. Those who don't feel one, the other, or both... have a "problem" Which technically is probably true. What causes us to feel guilt and love? What was the purpose. Is guilt implanted with the need to not damage existance, to not damaging anything in it? You don't feel guilty because you stubbed your toe... simply because the damage done was to yourself. Guilt is only derived from hurting other living things... and sometimes not even living things... which is weird, but it's done, as I have felt guilt for destroying inatimate objects, but even then it relates to me giving life to the inatimate objects. You know what I'm talking about... like teddy bears for kids or something... Guilt varies greatly from person to person... so it's hard to pinpoint the meaning behind it. Again, I'm no expert for sure.
 
I would think that guilt comes from us trying to be a society for so long. It is the thing that makes us stop and think afterwards what we should have known better to begin with. That it wasn't right whatever it was. That little inner voice saying don't do this again. Learn from your error.
 
You could be right, how much do you figure children feel guilt. You constantly hear the saying... how does it go? Kids can be cruel? yet you hear of children feeling guilty of things like their own parents divorice.
 
Children are in a different catagory. They are learning what is right and what is wrong. Amongst theselves, they are cruel as they have not yet developed the skills to take them through life and are in the process of learning when it is done to them how it feels. Some are slower learners than others. So you get this carry over into high school and college. Plus when you are young you are bullet proof. Know what I mean?

Children also need reassurance so that they know they are on the right path. Most times that reassurance breaks down during divorce. So they are left with the thought that it is indeed their fault. Later when it is addressed it doesn't leave as they are so impressionable.
 
Guilt is regret, something you feel when your actions contradict your true beliefs. Love...there's a can of contradictions. Uhm, I've known children who are gentle and loving. I've known children who are monsters. I'm not certain exactly what determines the character of an individual, small or large.
 
I prefer the happy face... <img src = "http://www.sciforums.com/t3784/s80182127032a70fab12ba690fb23cc39/images/icons/icon7.gif">
 
Guilt is a tool!.

The feeling of guilt is a tool used by the church to make you feel as a siner. Well that's religiously. However one feels quilt when something does not feel quiet right about something you've might of said or done, which hurt someone's elses feelings or physically.

I think it may also be a survival mechanism which is learned, in order to survive in society. "live and let live".

However it's hard to explain this emotion, specially when there's such a phenomena as serial murderers. Do they feel quilt for what they have done, every time they murder someone? Or perhaps the criminal minded has a lack of quilt? This perhaps requires more research in the criminal mind.

And as a tool, it's used by the religiousity as a sign of breaking their rules, has the anti-sex thing that the chuch has, which later makes one feel quilty of some action that may lead them to hell or so.

Sorry got to go!. will try and continue laters, so go ahead tear me up I'll probably learn something.
 
it's in the mind

There's probably a centre in the brain which creates and deals with this emotion amongst others. Murderers and ruthlessly malevolent people either lack this centre, or it's underdeveloped, or they just use a different centre to override it, enabling them to carry out their atrocities without remorse.
 
Hey you got something there Tablarddin

Yea I agree with you it's perhaps some underdeveloped mental thing, or the way the tipical criminal has been brought up, enviroment may play some part on this too.

Your quote:

" Life is like a cucumber".
life is long, hard & smooshi in the middle? LOL.
 
I think there are many variables which come into play when analyzing the actions of others. I don't think you can simplify the cause of self-serving interest with any one equation.
 
I think guilt would be a byproduct of love, at any level.
Most people love their fellow man, we would feel guilty if we had something to do with bringing them harm.
Children love their parents, more than anything, they feel that they could be responsible for bringing unhappiness, and are then left with a feeling of guilt.
Whereas criminals have no real emotion toward othe people, they don't harbor any love for them, no guilt.

Personally I have a problem with theft, I'm a little klepto. I would never steal anything from a person, be it friend, stranger, coworker. I return found wallets with money still in them, and if I catch someone stealing from me, I get quite pissed. Because I love mankind in general, I couldn't willingly bring hardship to someone just for a small personal gain.

On the other hand, I have no problem pilfering here and there from larger corporations, ones who will not feel the loss of anything I could take. Companys that actually have a "loss budget."

I am the first to admit that I'm a criminal, that I turn some large corporations into victims. But yet at the same time, I have never hurt anyone. No one is really any worse the wear.

And I also know that I'm going to catch hell for being a "drain on society" or something similar. But the thing is I have no guilt for anything I've done, so nothing anyone could say to me could really make me feel all that bad.
 
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