Experience With Evil

[nohorn]

This ought to unleash some interesting opinions. Much (some) has been written about evil, books and analysis. One by a writer Dalrymple and one by the author who wrote The Road Less Traveled, can't think of his name. They speak of group evil and obvious personal evil. I suppose the definition of evil does vary from culture to culture.

I believe that I am personally very sensitive about evil, I was exposed to it at a very early age. I think much of life boils down to the underlying subtle battle of good vs evil.

One idea of evil is that one should not focus on it or write about excessively or it will become part of you and it then becomes part of you that you cannot control.

Another controversial idea is that we (humans) are all capable of it as humans and animal do not have the concept.

I also believe that bullying is a mild form of evil. It first actions that surface as being a control freak, and then it is a fine line deliniating it from that and evil.

Some people think that evil does not exist as a super nautral force--it is only humans mis-steps or mis-behavior.

Many people do pretending such as the holloween celebration.
Just some thoughts, looking forward to comments and other observations.

Looking forward to ideas and thoughts and narrations of experiences.

[Ankou]

davethedog - very true, and the answerbank reminds us of that every day.

[Old_Geezer]

There's a problem. Isn't the definition of evil one that overlaps madness ? It's not one thing or the other. Madness may well be why acts of evil are committed. But in any case who has the authority to define these two terms.

In the short time it has taken to evolve from swinging through trees to our present state I'd not expect massive improvements in our mental abilities, especially within recorded history. It's a case of knowing more, being better educated, and hopefully coming to better conclusions from past discussions / arguments.

[ludwig]

// Isn't the definition of evil one that overlaps madness ? //

I don't think there is an overlap OG - I think that's the whole point of the word evil - it denotes an act or a mentality that is wicked and immoral without being born of insanity.

I think some people do bad things because they're full of hatred, or selfishness, or depravity, or because they subscribe to some twisted ideology like nazism or hey - maybe they just enjoy it.

I think it's a psychological comfort blanket to label everyone as either functional or defective, with only the defective ones being capable of committing attrocities. Maybe It's just too depressing a thought for some of us to accept that there are perfectly functional people wandering around committing 'evil' deeds basically because they choose to do so.

Perhaps I don't have the authority to define either madness or evil, but that's my interpretation.

[Ankou]

i would tend to agree ludwig. i think we are all capable of evil and will even have evil thoughts of others like you suggest. only to act on those thoughts is truly evil.

[jake-the-peg]

Isn't this a form of physical Tourette's

There's the part of the brain that filters our words and allows us to repress certain ones - when it is damaged you can get people who cannot help but shout obscenities.

Is it that much of a leap to expect there is a part of the brain that supresses similar thoughts and even actions

Damage to the Brain in such cases could make you an "evil" psychopath.

http://www.sciencedai...9/08/090804090946.htm

Of course suggesting that Iam Brady or Fred west acted because of Brain malfunction will doubtlessly be unpopular because people need to feel that evil exists and must be punished.

[Ankou]

or fear that all the murdering psycopaths will get away with lesser sentences on a 'technicality' perhaps.

i would think of it more the other way round, not a suppresion in us, but more a surge of something (neurons, brain activity, body chemicals, whatever) that pushes them outside the normally acceptable boundaries of 'not evil' or sweary. although one would prefer to believe that someone with tourettes cannot help it, but one who commits acts of evil can. not true in all cases but as you say ....

[ludwig]

If that's true Jake, we shouldn't think too badly of the person that thumped your son. He's obviously suffering from a mild form of brain damage and can't really be held responsible for his actions. In fact it's most unfair of you to call him an idiot.

Why be an apologist for immoral behaviour? I don't feel a need to believe that 'evil' exists - I just believe that it does - I think some people have a 'need' to believe that it doesn't. As I said, it seems to be just too bleak a concept for them to deal with, so they file away all the appalling attrocities that mankind commits under 'defective/faulty wiring' and feel better about themselves.

There's a big difference between someone with a genuine illness like schizophrenia which causes them to behave violently and people like the Wests who just seemed to enjoy it.

[joko]

JTP..i have often thought the same thing with the physical tourettes... i think its is a very real condition, and manifests in minor and serious ways...

i mean when we hear of horrific acts on a child for instance, for a few seconds we imagine what we would do the scum if we got our hands on him... we all think about reevenge on say an ex lover, a boss etc...but we stop at that - because we can control and separate the thoughts... some people dont have that mechanism inside to know its just thoughts, letting off steam, imagination etc...
same as people with tourettes know they shouldnt say what they say but they cant stop themselves...

[ludwig]

Well that holocaust business was a hell of a drawn out spasm of naughtiness wasn't it? Maybe Hitler had a 'Doh!' moment when he was sitting in the bunker at the end...
'Oh my gawd what've I done ? I've just organised the industrialised murder of 6 million people over the course of five years when I wasn't paying attention! How did that happen? Me and my stoopid brain - [starts thumping side of head] - No-one will believe I'm not really a bad person - if only I had more self control'

[nohorn]

This is nohorn again, I am very impressed with some of the comments, there are so many ways to look at such topics. I think I will place it among questions like the expanding universe, in that our minds cannot understand such concepts we can only offer theorys, ideas, and opinions. I also agree with the opinion that we humans probably have not progressed much since the time we were swinging from trees.

[Answerprancer]

"...we humans probably have not progressed much since the time we were swinging from trees". Speak for yourself, I have.

[Noraq]

Evil..sheemvil...just some bad bastwerds in this world.

[Answerprancer]

LOL - yes, and a few reside here ;-)

[Noraq]

You might say that Answerprancer..I couldn't possibly comment. =)