I believe so. An example would be when I was in junior high and saw a guy teasing a girl in our same grade. I figured it was nothing and was about to move on when he slapped her. I went over and decked the guy, pulled his face to mine and said if he ever hit a girl again, I would find him. As far as I know he never did, and I feel like while what I did was “wrong”, it was the right thing to do.
Wrong to do right?
I don’t have a personal story, but heres a scenario: an elderly man has signed a DNR (a paper saying not to shock him back to life if he crashes) while in the hospital. His heart gives out, and his doctor watches for a moment, and ends up bringing him back, even though he was explicitly told not to.
Trenton
Nic:
The first example is a good one… sometimes doing a “bad” thing can mean a positive result
but.. the second is not EVEN close… the doctor would be doing wrong and wrong again.
I would say yes, it is perfectly possible to do a right thing in the wrong situation… e.g. telling a loved friend you have feelings for her… ruining a fantastic friendship forever (Based on real facts)
N.
moca:
I actually had a conversation about a similar topic this weekend, in the context of heroism. I’m gonna explain it related to Batman and the Dark Knight since I feel a lot of people have seen this one. So for example if the ‘bad guy’, I think it was something freeze or something related, had never shot Bruce’s parents, a deed that one would classify as bad, would Batman have ever come into the world? Probably not since this was the act that made him determined to be a hero and consequently stop a lot of crime in Gotham as we can see in the Dark Knight when he captures all those criminals.
Now for more on the Dark Knight. In this movie we have the Joker, a ‘bad guy’, but is he? I believe in balance in the world, therefore we always need good and we always need evil, too much of one would throw the world out of balance. We can see this with Batman and the Joker, the balance of good and evil. In his search for the Joker, the Batman takes out a lot of bad criminals therefore doing a good deed, something that the Joker caused by his bad deed. Yes innocent people die but they can also die from what could be classified as good deeds too.
In the end though, right and wrong are not as black and white as they seem. Like the example that Trenton gave above about the DNR act. That act could be argued both ways, both right and wrong. This world is not meant to be black and white, thats why there is color and opinion and free will, nothing is ever as clear cut as it seems.
Reggi:
This all depends on context – we may do the ‘wrong’ thing as defined by the law, but it maybe the morally right thing to do. For example, If I ever end up in a vegetitive state, I’ve told friends/family that I’d rather they ended my life then face the humiliation of not being able to do things for myself. By law (in England) Euthanasia is wrong, but to me it would be morally right. Right and Wrong has much grey area, and you must do what is meant to be done in any given situation, may you make the ‘wrong’ decision or the ‘right’ decision.
MrJoe:
Right and wrong are relative terms anyways, so it’s perfectly acceptable if you do what is in most contexts considered ‘wrong’ if it’s what you perceive as ‘right’ in that particular situation, and vise versa.
Is there really right or wrong?
It’s interesting that we are simply doing things and then get defined by ourselves or others 😉
Sally anne:
what is a right decision, what is a wrong one? Something that is right to one person could be wrong to another.
Eden:
Depends on how you define what’s “right” and what’s “wrong”.
Jenny:
Always
Justin:
First question: yes, because sometimes we learned from the wrong things to become who we are. You can say it is right to do the wrong thing to shape who we are meant to be. Sound confusing, eh?
Second question: It can be because even doing the right thing, some people won’t like it or you did it for the wrong reasons.
ana:
I don’t know the answer for the second question but for the first question I think that there are definitely situations where you can do wrong for a right cause but it would be wrong for you to not be willing to bare the consequences.
April:
I think so. Seems highly contradictory. I think you just need to follow you heart and you’ll never go wrong.
JS:
Everything that is wrong in this world can be done in a different context, and be made to be or at least seem right or ‘ok’.
For example murder. Justifiable in self defense, and in military terms.
Theft, what if that loaf of bread from the baker would save the lives of your three starving children? Do the ‘right’ thing and let your children potentially die? Or do the ‘wrong’ thing and live?
Rape. This is a hard one, but consider you are the last two people on earth, but she wont let you near her. Die off or forcefully repopulate?
Everything is grey
Kate:
Right and wrong are relative.
Kelli:
Yes, and Yes.
Nick:
Ever right to do the wrong thing? Depends.
Ever wrong to do the right thing? I think not.
Right to do wrong?
I believe so. An example would be when I was in junior high and saw a guy teasing a girl in our same grade. I figured it was nothing and was about to move on when he slapped her. I went over and decked the guy, pulled his face to mine and said if he ever hit a girl again, I would find him. As far as I know he never did, and I feel like while what I did was “wrong”, it was the right thing to do.
Wrong to do right?
I don’t have a personal story, but heres a scenario: an elderly man has signed a DNR (a paper saying not to shock him back to life if he crashes) while in the hospital. His heart gives out, and his doctor watches for a moment, and ends up bringing him back, even though he was explicitly told not to.
Trenton
The first example is a good one… sometimes doing a “bad” thing can mean a positive result
but.. the second is not EVEN close… the doctor would be doing wrong and wrong again.
I would say yes, it is perfectly possible to do a right thing in the wrong situation… e.g. telling a loved friend you have feelings for her… ruining a fantastic friendship forever (Based on real facts)
N.
I actually had a conversation about a similar topic this weekend, in the context of heroism. I’m gonna explain it related to Batman and the Dark Knight since I feel a lot of people have seen this one. So for example if the ‘bad guy’, I think it was something freeze or something related, had never shot Bruce’s parents, a deed that one would classify as bad, would Batman have ever come into the world? Probably not since this was the act that made him determined to be a hero and consequently stop a lot of crime in Gotham as we can see in the Dark Knight when he captures all those criminals.
Now for more on the Dark Knight. In this movie we have the Joker, a ‘bad guy’, but is he? I believe in balance in the world, therefore we always need good and we always need evil, too much of one would throw the world out of balance. We can see this with Batman and the Joker, the balance of good and evil. In his search for the Joker, the Batman takes out a lot of bad criminals therefore doing a good deed, something that the Joker caused by his bad deed. Yes innocent people die but they can also die from what could be classified as good deeds too.
In the end though, right and wrong are not as black and white as they seem. Like the example that Trenton gave above about the DNR act. That act could be argued both ways, both right and wrong. This world is not meant to be black and white, thats why there is color and opinion and free will, nothing is ever as clear cut as it seems.
This all depends on context – we may do the ‘wrong’ thing as defined by the law, but it maybe the morally right thing to do. For example, If I ever end up in a vegetitive state, I’ve told friends/family that I’d rather they ended my life then face the humiliation of not being able to do things for myself. By law (in England) Euthanasia is wrong, but to me it would be morally right. Right and Wrong has much grey area, and you must do what is meant to be done in any given situation, may you make the ‘wrong’ decision or the ‘right’ decision.
Right and wrong are relative terms anyways, so it’s perfectly acceptable if you do what is in most contexts considered ‘wrong’ if it’s what you perceive as ‘right’ in that particular situation, and vise versa.
Is there really right or wrong?
It’s interesting that we are simply doing things and then get defined by ourselves or others 😉
what is a right decision, what is a wrong one? Something that is right to one person could be wrong to another.
Depends on how you define what’s “right” and what’s “wrong”.
Always
First question: yes, because sometimes we learned from the wrong things to become who we are. You can say it is right to do the wrong thing to shape who we are meant to be. Sound confusing, eh?
Second question: It can be because even doing the right thing, some people won’t like it or you did it for the wrong reasons.
I don’t know the answer for the second question but for the first question I think that there are definitely situations where you can do wrong for a right cause but it would be wrong for you to not be willing to bare the consequences.
I think so. Seems highly contradictory. I think you just need to follow you heart and you’ll never go wrong.
Everything that is wrong in this world can be done in a different context, and be made to be or at least seem right or ‘ok’.
For example murder. Justifiable in self defense, and in military terms.
Theft, what if that loaf of bread from the baker would save the lives of your three starving children? Do the ‘right’ thing and let your children potentially die? Or do the ‘wrong’ thing and live?
Rape. This is a hard one, but consider you are the last two people on earth, but she wont let you near her. Die off or forcefully repopulate?
Everything is grey
Right and wrong are relative.
Yes, and Yes.
Ever right to do the wrong thing? Depends.
Ever wrong to do the right thing? I think not.