The saying, "There are no good or bad things, just perspective," reflects a philosophical perspective that suggests that judgments of good or bad are subjective and depend on individual viewpoints or cultural norms. In essence, it implies that events or situations themselves do not inherently possess a moral quality; rather, the perception of them as good or bad is shaped by how individuals interpret or perceive those events.
This idea has roots in various philosophical schools of thought, including relativism and subjectivism. Relativism asserts that moral values and judgments are not absolute and unchanging but are relative to the cultural, historical, or personal context in which they occur. Subjectivism, on the other hand, argues that ethical statements are expressions of individual feelings or attitudes rather than objective facts.
While this perspective has some validity in understanding how different people may interpret and respond to events differently, it's essential to recognize that certain actions or events can have objective consequences that are generally agreed upon as positive or negative. For example, acts of kindness, compassion, and cooperation are typically considered morally praiseworthy and conducive to well-being, while actions that cause harm, suffering, or injustice are usually seen as morally negative.
In some contexts, this saying can be valuable for promoting empathy, understanding, and tolerance towards diverse viewpoints. However, it's essential to strike a balance and not dismiss the significance of ethical considerations and objective standards when evaluating certain actions or events that have real-world impacts on people and the environment. The complexities of morality and ethics are subjects of ongoing philosophical debates, and various ethical frameworks attempt to address these intricacies in understanding what makes certain things good or bad.