“Chaotic Good”: 57 People Who Did The Right Thing, Their Own Way

The phrase “chaotic good” gets thrown around on the internet quite a bit nowadays, usually to describe individuals engaging in something mischievous but ultimately good. Think of someone defying a silly rule to help out somebody, or manipulating social norms in a way that’s more humorous and for the better, not the worse. But to truly understand why people love these stories, it helps to know where the term comes from in the first place.

“Chaotic good” is derived from the alignment system in “Dungeons & Dragons”, the classic tabletop role-playing game that’s been around since the 1970s. The system has two axes, law vs. chaos, good vs. evil, to map out different personality tendencies and moral compasses.

At one end, you’ve got lawful good characters like Superman, they play by the rules and always try to do the right thing. On the other end, you’ve got chaotic evil villains who thrive on destruction and selfishness. Straddling the middle is chaotic good, people who care about doing good, but don’t mind bending a few rules, subverting expectations, or leaving a trail of destruction in their wake to do it.

That’s why the internet has latched onto the concept. Chaotic good moments are essentially fun to watch or read about, because they marry rebellion with niceness. It’s the kid who breaks open a vending machine to give treats away to everyone in school. It’s the cubicle worker who finds an exception to a trivial company rule and takes advantage of it to make others’ days easier. It’s the friend who awkwardly embarrasses himself to break up an awkward situation and make everyone comfortable. They’re small acts of defiance, but they feel a sense of pleasure and correctness about them that’s endlessly satisfying.

Part of the delight is that crazy good moments are what many of us secretly wish to do. Most people comply with rules out of habit, politeness, or fear of consequences, even though the rules themselves don’t necessarily add up. Watching individuals joyfully break them in a way that makes life better, not worse, gratifies that urge we all possess to distort the world towards justice, no matter how much chaos it may take to get there.

Another reason that these instances speak to our hearts is because they remind us that kindness doesn’t have to be stodgy or saintly. Being good is not always about solemn sacrifice, but occasionally it’s about being playful, creative, even a little raucous. Chaotic good people don’t ask permission to be of assistance and are not deterred by convention or reputation. They simply see a chance to make something better and take it, often accompanied by a smile and an air for drama.

That’s why listicles of disorganized good moments are so addictive. They’re short peeks at mankind at its most strange and fantastic. They’re about breaking rules not for selfishness, but for fun, fairness, and sheer enjoyment of toppling things for the common good. In a world that can sometimes feel too formal and solemn, these stories are a reminder that sometimes the best sort of good is the kind served up with a spoonful of mayhem.