We explain what a good person is and how they interact with others. Also, what are its characteristics and some references.
What is a good person like?
A good person is the one who always wants the best for others and acts accordinglyWhen a person recognizes another as an equal and respects him or her, he or she can act in a compassionate, kind and humble manner (since he or she does not consider himself or herself superior to another being).
A good person stands out for his or her ability to empathize, which consists of perceiving and understanding the feelings, thoughts and emotions of others. Someone is considered a good person for his or her actions and words.
Every human being is born a good person. As he or she grows up and incorporates a particular culture, he or she adopts certain values and learnings that condition him or her. Kindness is something natural in human beingsis a quality that must be worked on and cultivated throughout life.
Throughout history, there have been several personalities who stood out for dedicating their lives to working against civil and social injustice, and for helping those who needed it most. For example: Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King.
Characteristics of a good person
A good person is characterized by developing numerous qualities, behaviors and abilities, the main ones being:
- Goodness. It is the ability to have benevolent, generous and kind behaviors towards others. A person can be kind through words, gestures and actions.
- Empathy. It is the ability to understand the way others think and feel. It occurs when an individual manages to feel what it means to be in another person’s place, both in a moment of happiness and anguish.
- Awareness. It is the knowledge about the responsibility that an individual has towards a certain thing, being or situation. This allows the individual to realize the impact that their words or actions have on others and on the environment that surrounds them.
- Sincerity. It is the virtue of manifesting and acting according to what one feels and thinks with total frankness, without pretending or dissimulating. Sometimes a person can be sincere and hurtful at the same time, expressing themselves in a rude or hurtful way. A good person is sincere and empathetic, so they will be frank but without offending others.
- Trust. It is the virtue of inspiring security in others, through values, words and an attitude of loyalty towards someone who confesses something private or intimate.
- Modesty. It is the ability to recognize one’s own virtues and accept limitations or defects, and act accordingly in a transparent or genuine manner. A humble person is modest and simple, and does not have superiority complexes.
- Gratitude. It is the ability to be grateful. It happens when a person is able to recognize the value of an action that another person did or, for example, the magnitude and admiration towards nature. Gratitude is the ability to be grateful and show that gratitude. The person is able to show his gratitude.
References for being good people
Among the main people who marked history for being considered good people, the following stand out:
- Nelson Mandela (1918 – 2013). He was a South African lawyer, politician, philanthropist and activist who spoke out and acted against apartheid (a system of segregation in South Africa). He became the first black president to head the Executive Branch and the first to be elected through elections. Due to his protests and claims, he was deprived of his freedom by the opposition, and became an icon of the injustice and oppression that existed in South Africa. He was freed in 1990 through the intervention of President Frederik de Klerk who ultimately negotiated and ended the apartheid system. In 1993, Mandela received the Nobel Peace Prize, which he decided to share with Klerk.
- Luther King (1929 – 1968). He was an American pastor, leader and pacifist activist who fought for civil rights, such as the right to vote, non-discrimination based on skin color or equal opportunities. For example, he obtained the right to access and sit on public transportation for black people. In 1964 he won the Nobel Peace Prize for dedicating his life to racial integration in the United States. In 1968 he was shot to death while standing on the balcony of a hotel room where he was staying. His struggle remains an example today.
- Mahatma Gandhi (1869 – 1948). He was an Indian politician, lawyer and pacifist who persevered in the non-violent struggle against the British Empire. He achieved India’s independence after several centuries of being under British rule and became a symbol of freedom worldwide. He practiced spiritual life through meditation, and had very simple and humble habits. The Indians venerated him as a saint, which is why they called him Mahatma which in Sanskrit means “great soul.”
- Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910 – 1997). She was an Albanian Catholic nun, naturalized in India, who became known throughout the world for dedicating her life to helping the poorest. She discovered her vocation at a very young age and helped the poorest, to whom she offered a home where they could recover or die in peace and with dignity in the most critical cases. In 1979 she received the Nobel Peace Prize for her humanitarian, selfless, loving and compassionate work, in addition to numerous recognitions worldwide.
- Malala Yousafzai (1997). She is a Pakistani activist, blogger and university student who, at just 16 years old, became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts in the fight for civil rights. At the age of 13 and under a pseudonym, Malala wrote on a blog for the BBC to let the world know what her life was like under the terrorist regime of the Taliban, which prohibited access to education for girls. In 2012, this terrorist group tried to kill her with two shots, but Malala survived. The attack provoked worldwide condemnation and Malala received help from different personalities, governments and entities. Under the slogan “I am Malala”, the entire world demanded that all boys and girls have the right to education.