How would you respond to this statement?

Roger's belief that people are basically good is a blank statement until further explanation and description of what good actually is. Who defines good and evil? I believe humans are inherently selfish beginning at birth, which would line up more with Maslow's beliefs. A baby or child will take what they want and typically does not like when that want is taken away. It typically is through the parents that the baby or child is taught about sharing. This inherent want and selfishness does not make a child evil.

As an adult that typically has been taught to share, there is still a large sense of selfishness. How many adults see a homeless person on the side of the road and offer to open their home to them as a refuge from the cold or elements? Most adults look at their home as theirs, and will not share unless it is a friend or family member. Even in those situations there is a time limit imposed on the stay. Then it becomes time to get out of their house. It is their house and the feeling of ownership begins to get lost the longer another invades in that space. After all, their house is there through their money, not the family or friend. Does this make the adult evil for being selfish? The good thing would be to shelter those in need. Does that same adult cook dinner and invite those with less or none to eat? What happens to the leftovers? Typically the food is not shared. That food is theirs because they worked for the money that it took to buy it. Now it is theirs. This seems selfish. But again, is selfish good or evil?

I believe that people's wants fall on Maslow's hierarchy of needs more than Roger's belief. I believe people take care of their needs in a certain order, then after their needs are met they then are willing to look outward and help others.

When counseling a patient I would stay away from telling someone they are good or evil, in most circumstances. There are, however, those that clearly cross the line of evil. I would not want a person that lives in a $500,000 house and drives a Mercedes to think they are evil because they do not allow a homeless person to stay with them when temperatures are freezing outside. I would also not want that same person to think they are good because they donated $1000 to the Red Cross so they can get a tax write-off.