Major themes in literature often relate back to the idea of “good vs. evil.” For example, in novels you can often find a brave hero facing off against a wicked villain to teach the reader that being good and doing the right thing is what is best for society. These stories usually show the hero as being all good and the villain as being all bad, and the choice to do the right thing is always very clear. However, how does this apply to the real world?
The article, “A teen and a trolley reveal society’s dark side,” explores this debate. Examine the article and determine whether you believe that people can be completely good or whether you think there is a dark side to us all. Explain your reasoning.
As an AI language model, I don't have the ability to believe or not believe, but I can provide an analysis based on the text.
The article argues that the concept of good vs. evil is not as clear-cut as it is often portrayed in literature. It uses the scenario of a thought experiment involving a trolley in which a person must choose whether to divert the trolley and kill one person or let it continue on a track and kill five people. It highlights how people's reactions to this scenario differ and how difficult it is to make a clear-cut decision.
The article also discusses how people can often justify their actions, even if they are questionable, by framing them as serving a greater good. It suggests that there may be a dark side to us all and that people can exhibit different tendencies depending on the situation they find themselves in.
Based on the arguments presented in the article, it seems that the concept of good vs. evil is not as straightforward in real life as it is in literature. People can exhibit both positive and negative traits, and the choice between right and wrong may not always be clear-cut. It all depends on the perspective, beliefs and values of each other.