Are human beings intrinsically evil or good?

Good and evil are absolutes. Humans are anything but. Life is an endless balance of socialization and self-preservation. Altruism has it's limits and selfishness has it's consequences. We're always going to be somewhere in between

We are good by nature, but corrupted by society.

The capacity for both are within most of us .. our upbringing, circumstances, etc, determine where along the continuum between good and evil we will fall. Psychopaths and other abberants seem destined for evil from birth.

Yet we are all still animals as humans .. the drive to survive is there. Scratch deep enough .. let civilization break down .. and our more base natures tend to emerge.

I believe we are all intrinsically good, and after that it's either a learned behaviour or a bad choice that you make that makes you bad...

I believe that they can be both.

The decisions determines the outcome.

Great question.

I do believe that many traits of our personalities are heritable, and can be either reinforced or countered through socialization.

The capacity for good or evil does reside in every human heart, just in different mixes for each of us.

evil

Humans are humans. We do human things. We have been doing these things long before we made up such concepts as good and evil.

neither and both

I believe there are bad seeds

and some seeds that have been made bad

and some people that make themselves good in spite of their desires

I would say they can be both. Or neither if you probe into the question of what is good or evil.

Imperfect human beings with the potential to do good, but also with the potential to do great harm or evil.

dreamypersuasion mostly good I would say you always get the rotten apples of course

neither according to thaT sociology guy...

Our true nature is love, many choose to be evil.

neither, both are learned

Well hello dreamy :)

I would say both...

Good..

Depends on ego.

Neither.

No.
Human beings are intrinsically self interested.

Good or bad is subjective.

Yes

Neither.

It depends...on whose side you're on ;)