[ShadowSoldier]

I've been thinking about this for the last day or two and I'm thinking: is guilt something we're born with or is it something that's been beaten into us?

For me personally I don't feel guilty if I do harm to a person. I can always justify myself and make it their fault.

If I commit a crime and I'm caught and charged and found guilty the I can accept I've done wrong in the eyes of the law but I don't feel any guilt or remorse about this.

I'm sure my mother would have attempted to beat guilt and shame into my brother and myself but she obviously failed in her pious pursuit.

So, is guilt something we are born with or something we learn.

What are your experiences of this?

We're born with the capacity to experience guilt (more or less), and our upbringing shapes the way in which we express guilt and teaches us which actions should make us feel guilty.

I think raising a non-psychopathic child (that is, one who was born with the capacity to experience guilt) as if they were a psychopath (that is, teaching them that guilt isn't real) wouldn't result in an adult psychopath. More than likely, you'd have a really messed up kid who experiences feelings of guilt, but has no idea what to do with those feelings and doesn't really understand why they happen.

In other words, someone who's born with the ability to feel guilt is going to feel guilt even if they're never taught how to express it properly.

[LilyMop]

I think guilt is a confusing emotion and feelings of guilt cause an awful lot of hurt and pain. I think it’s easy to beat ourselves up needlessly sometimes or we can be manipulated by others because we feel guilty about something. Unless you’ve deliberately done something illegal or immoral, I don’t think guilt is the appropriate emotion.

[HereForMalek]

Guilt is an emotional response due to brain reactions. If you don't have the brain regions active to feel guilt, you're not going to feel it.
If you do, you're not going to be able to help but feel it. Simple as that.

[ShadowSoldier]

I haven't been around to get back to you guys but thank you for your responses.

Guilt or remorse is something that I do really struggle with.

I do find it really easy to apologise for things but for me it's just a word and a way for the other person to move on.

Most of the things that I've done have been on purpose and for my own entertainment so I can't feel guilty for that but even if I've done something wrong unintentionally I will still apologise but I don't really care.

Just wondered what other people thought. Thank you.