When bad things happen to good people, it can seem like the world is unfair. So what happened to the good people? Why do bad things happen to good people?
Even from a young age, we begin to believe that the world is fair and just. And when something bad happens to someone who seems nice or innocent, it seems like a betrayal of that belief.
Perhaps that’s why many cultures have developed stories about why bad things happen to good human beings. From Greek mythology and ancient fables to modern-day movies and fairy tales, we continue to explore why bad things happen to good people.
However, science offers some very useful answers. In this article, we’ll look at some of the most common reasons why good people suffer in this world and their explanations according to science.
Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?
The World Isn’t Fair
Some say bad things only happen to good people because the world isn’t fair. Some cultures even use the phrase “the world isn’t fair” to explain that bad things happen to good people. The idea is that the world is a chaotic place completely free of any moral code.
If you get hit by a car while crossing the street, that’s how life is. It’s not because the driver is reckless or careless. It’s not because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s just the way things are. This belief might seem like a good explanation, but it’s flawed in a few ways.
Bad Things Happen Due To Random Chance
Another common belief is that bad things happen to good people because of random chance. The idea is that, just like a coin toss, some people get lucky, and others get unlucky. So while there are certainly some lucky and unlucky people in the world, this isn’t a feasible explanation for why bad things happen to good people.
Scientists have studied random chance and found that it doesn’t account for good or bad fortune. Lucky and unlucky people tend to have similar success and fortune over time. This statement means the lucky person who wins the lottery won’t necessarily keep winning. And a person’s bad luck who accidentally breaks their leg might be lucky enough to heal quickly and not miss work.
Good People Often Have Bad Things Happen By Accident
Some scientists argue that bad things happen to good people by accident. Bad things are caused by normal scenarios – Age, weather, or disease. Scientists have found that the potential for bad things to happen to good people is much higher than we commonly think.
For example, a recent study found that as many as one in every two people will be diagnosed with cancer. Other studies have found that everyday activities, like driving or swimming in a public pool, are much more dangerous than most realize.
Bad things caused by the actions of others are more complicated. These things are often a result of a person making a bad choice.
However, a bad thing could also result from mental illness, a lack of resources, or other factors. This sentence means that the person who makes the bad choice is usually responsible for their actions.
Good People Sometimes Suffer Because They Have High Expectations or Set Themselves Up for Disappointment
Some people have high expectations and are often disappointed when those expectations are unmet.
These happenings could be because the good person expects others to act in a certain way or because they have a certain hope or desire for others. High expectations for oneself can also lead to disappointment and bad things happening to good people.
For example, a student might expect to graduate with a certain degree or GPA. However, if they don’t meet those expectations, they could be disappointed and begin to feel like a bad person. Bad things happening due to high expectations are also called “sour grapes.”
It’s when someone rejects something because they can’t meet their expectations. So, for example, if a person says they want to go to Harvard and apply but get rejected, they might reject the offer to go to another school instead.
Some Good People Suffer Because They Hold The Belief That The World is Fair and Just
Bad things happening to good people could be because good people think the world is fair. Bad things happening to good people can cause a person to question the fairness or justice of the world. If good people suffer and bad people seem to get rewarded, some might reject the idea that the world is fair.
This could be because someone doesn’t want to accept that something bad happened to them. After all, it would mean the world isn’t fair.
Why Do Good Things Happen to Bad People?
The question of why good things happen to bad people gets asked a lot. Here are some possible reasons:
Good Things Happen to Bad People Because They Have No Shame in Asking for Help
Bad people aren’t ashamed to ask for help when they need it; they always ask for it from anybody willing to give it. Bad people know that they can’t do everything themselves, so they ask for help from others. This help can be anything from asking them to fix their car to asking somebody to go on a date with them.
Bad people don’t care whom they ask for help or what they have to do to get that help. They are shameless in that regard, and it’s part of the reason why good things happen to bad people because they ask for help from others when they need it. Bad people know they can’t do everything independently, so they ask others for help when needed. So it’s as simple as that.
Good Things Happen to Bad People Because They Are Not Afraid to Take a Risk
We often hear that you have to “take risks” in life to succeed, yet few people know what that means. It’s not about taking risks for the sake of taking risks. Instead, it’s about taking calculated risks with a high likelihood of success and failure because there is always a risk when trying something new.
As somebody who has never succeeded, bad people have nothing to lose by taking risks. Bad people know they will probably fail but don’t care because they have nothing to lose.
So, good things happen to bad people because they have nothing to lose and everything to gain by taking risks.
Good Things Happen to Bad People Because They Don’t Care About Appearances
One of the reasons why bad people experience good things is because they don’t care. When people care about the way they look, it can be a sign of insecurity. But if you don’t care about your appearance, it’s a sign that you’re confident in who you are.
You see, bad people are not concerned about how others perceive them. They are not worried about what people think or what other people might say about them behind their backs. This thought process is important because when people have a bad reputation, they are worried about how they are perceived.
Good people are worried about what others think of them and how others will judge them. Bad people are not concerned with this because they don’t care what people think, and they don’t care what people say about them.
Bad people are confident in who they are and don’t need to defend themselves when others judge them unfairly.
10 “When Bad Things Happen to Good People” Quotes
- “We’re always taught that bad things happen to bad people, and we believe that we’re somehow above experiencing a tragedy, but we learned that’s all rubbish.” – Matt Abrams
- “Good things don’t happen to “good people”; good things happen to happy people.” – Vivian Amis
- “In business as in life, sometimes bad things happen to good people, and sometimes good things happen to bad people. But over time, if you play long enough, everybody gets what he deserves. good and bad.” – Jeffrey R. Immelt
- “Why do bad things happen to good people?’
- ‘Because it makes a good story.” – Andrew Kaufman
- “Bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people… that’s how life is… Yet. A great person is the one that will overcome it all!” – Timothy Pina
- “The hardest part of writing a story is making bad things happen to good people. The hardest part of writing horror is knowing that it won’t get better for them.” – Allison M. Dickson
- “You know that saying, bad things don’t happen to good people? That’s a lie.” – Tori Amos
- “In the final analysis, the questions of why bad things happen to good people transmute itself into some very different questions, no longer asking why something happened, but asking how we will respond, what we intend to do now that it happened.” – Pierre Teilhard De Chardin
- “If it ever seems to us that the world is a place where bad things only happen to good people, it is because we still believe that bad things happening to bad people is a good thing.” – Philip K. Jason
- “Fine. Fine. Let’s try. You asked why bad things happen to good people. The simple answer is that there are no bad things and no good people. Nothing bad ever happens to anyone, and people are neither good nor bad. A person is nothing. A person does not exist. There are no people.” – Dorothy Gravelle
Final Words
There are many reasons why bad things happen to good people. Bad things happen to good people for many reasons: random chance, normal flow of living, actions of others, high expectations, or because good people believe the world is fair and just. There’s no way of knowing why the world is unfair. But there are things we can do to try and make life fairer.
We can use our voice to stand up for people who are being treated unfairly by others. We can also use our voice to provide support and comfort to those who have suffered unfair or unjust treatment. We can also do this to live out the traditional life lessons we were taught as children, especially being a parent.
Also, if you’re wondering why you exist? We have you covered!
