Evil

[meop79]

So... I was pondering and have decided that people's embrace (astonishingly widespread embrace) of this, not merely acceptance or understanding of it as extant, but active full on embrace and emulation is a perfect example of Stockholm Syndrome.

What do you think?

I discarded just lashing out from pain, as when I see this it's often being actively celebrated and bragged about.

I discarded several other ideas as well.... but still, perhaps I'm wrong. What do you think?

 

[janeyl]

So... I was pondering and have decided that people's embrace (astonishingly widespread embrace) of this, not merely acceptance or understanding of it as extant, but active full on embrace and emulation is a perfect example of Stockholm Syndrome.

What do you think?

I discarded just lashing out from pain, as when I see this it's often being actively celebrated and bragged about.

I discarded several other ideas as well.... but still, perhaps I'm wrong. What do you think?

evil as a concept or a specific example?

 

[DarkSimian]

Many years ago, working at a fast food restaurant, I was bombarded by the tales of my female coworkers bad relationships, bad boyfriends, husbands, exes, etc. And I learned that men are scum. So I created a corollary that women are inherently evil. And sometimes the best way to defeat evil is to embrace it

 

[GiggLeGasm]

I believe that evil is most easily embraced in the presence of hopelessness. I'm not sure if that ties it to Stockholm Syndrome but it's an interesting perspective.

 

[Penuche]

I'm not sure whether there's evil per se in the world, but whenever somebody does what they at least suspect to be wrong, excusing it with "I'm only doing my job" or "if I refuse, somebody else will do it", the sum of human misery in the world grows.

 

[SoulAssasin247]

The evil is within people. The world is not evil it's us who makes decisions that negatively affect society. If we all come together and put our selfishness aside and do whats right no evil would exist.

 

[_Necrosomantic_]

" Evil ", as a concept applied to human beings, is described as a tendency towards the profoundly immoral and malevolent. Such an ambiguous description basically boils down to one thing. What we find acceptable.

Morality and values are something we are trained in since birth, that are drilled into us, based on historical and ideological " cherry picked " examples meant to steer us towards social conformity. A sliding scale developed ages ago by people long since dead that says you will be punished if your actions are deemed undesirable by the majority. So, the question isn't what " evil " is or how the individual chooses to interpret it as an abstract, but rather cause and effect. Consequence. The judgement of your fellow men/women.

Look at animal politics. Know what those are? Nothing, because they don't exist.

( BTW, I'm not actually a psychopath, simply arguing an extreme viewpoint )

 

[NextDoorSecret]

Are you saying the more evil we are exposed to, the greater the acceptance? I'd agree with that hypothesis

 

[SoulAssasin247]

I am sorry but it seems everyone just wants to point fingers and blame it on society or what they're exposed to. No you are responsible for committing acts of evil not anyone else. We create evil when we feed our weaknesses instead of doing what's right which is usually a difficult road to travel.

 

[NextDoorSecret]

I am sorry but it seems everyone just wants to point fingers and blame it on society or what they're exposed to. No you are responsible for committing acts of evil not anyone else. We create evil when we feed our weaknesses instead of doing what's right which is usually a difficult road to travel.

Oh I'm not blaming bad behavior, I simply think when evil is prevalent we do become desensitized to it and some individuals embrace it.
We don't create evil, evil exists, I've stared into it's face more than once and it wasn't created, it arrived.

 

[SoulAssasin247]

Oh I'm not blaming bad behavior, I simply think when evil is prevalent we do become desensitized to it and some individuals embrace it.
We don't create evil, evil exists, I've stared into it's face more than once and it wasn't created, it arrived.

I didn't mean only your comment but it's my believe that we do create evil. No child is born evil they all are 100% innocent until their either taught evil or their mind starts making choices between evil and the hard choice of doing the right thing

 

[DarkSimian]

I didn't mean only your comment but it's my believe that we do create evil. No child is born evil they all are 100% innocent until their either taught evil or their mind starts making choices between evil and the hard choice of doing the right thing

Damien was born evil, so was Rosemary's baby

 

[SoulAssasin247]

Damien was born evil, so was Rosemary's baby

All sci fi

 

[meop79]

evil as a concept or a specific example?

Specifically people who go out of their way to do what they believe to be evil, bad, wrong, etc.

Many years ago, working at a fast food restaurant, I was bombarded by the tales of my female coworkers bad relationships, bad boyfriends, husbands, exes, etc. And I learned that men are scum. So I created a corollary that women are inherently evil. And sometimes the best way to defeat evil is to embrace it

Funny...

I believe that evil is most easily embraced in the presence of hopelessness. I'm not sure if that ties it to Stockholm Syndrome but it's an interesting perspective.

My basic premise is that most people that embrace it as such reach a point where the cognitive dissonance of the horrible things that have happened to them create a cycle where they accept and participate in horrible things, even seeking them out, bragging about them, associating themselves with evil things/actions as a way of reducing that cognitive dissonance. After all if they do it/are it then it gives them some sense of control and power.

I'm not sure whether there's evil per se in the world, but whenever somebody does what they at least suspect to be wrong, excusing it with "I'm only doing my job" or "if I refuse, somebody else will do it", the sum of human misery in the world grows.

I'm specifically speaking of those that go out of their way to do so, not as an excuse, but as an affectation and as an intentional choice.

 

[meop79]

The evil is within people. The world is not evil it's us who makes decisions that negatively affect society. If we all come together and put our selfishness aside and do whats right no evil would exist.

I'm not sure I buy this, but it's at least an interesting working theory. I do think you're basically saying we should act with loving care towards each other and in that you may very well have something.

" Evil ", as a concept applied to human beings, is described as a tendency towards the profoundly immoral and malevolent. Such an ambiguous description basically boils down to one thing. What we find acceptable.

Morality and values are something we are trained in since birth, that are drilled into us, based on historical and ideological " cherry picked " examples meant to steer us towards social conformity. A sliding scale developed ages ago by people long since dead that says you will be punished if your actions are deemed undesirable by the majority. So, the question isn't what " evil " is or how the individual chooses to interpret it as an abstract, but rather cause and effect. Consequence. The judgement of your fellow men/women.

Look at animal politics. Know what those are? Nothing, because they don't exist.

( BTW, I'm not actually a psychopath, simply arguing an extreme viewpoint )

I disagree. Additionally, many animal species do have their own versions of politics, from the great Apes to wolf packs.

I didn't mean only your comment but it's my believe that we do create evil. No child is born evil they all are 100% innocent until their either taught evil or their mind starts making choices between evil and the hard choice of doing the right thing

I agree, my question, is why people go out of their way to embrace it? I understand it is often a learned behavior, or a response to others actions, but to take it beyond an eye for an eye or because that's the way it's done... to go beyond that disturbs me.

 

[SoulAssasin247]

I'm not sure I buy this, but it's at least an interesting working theory. I do think you're basically saying we should act with loving care towards each other and in that you may very well have something.



I disagree. Additionally, many animal species do have their own versions of politics, from the great Apes to wolf packs.



I agree, my question, is why people go out of their way to embrace it? I understand it is often a learned behavior, or a response to others actions, but to take it beyond an eye for an eye or because that's the way it's done... to go beyond that disturbs me.

When you go down that path it can take over. It's emotions that drive them. For example your in love you do things for her you never imagined bue to the emotions of love taking you over. Now imagine the opposite emotion they have nothing positve in their life, they're alone, in pain, anger inside and they want someone to pay for all their missery.

 

[meop79]

When you go down that path it can take over. It's emotions that drive them. For example your in love you do things for her you never imagined bue to the emotions of love taking you over. Now imagine the opposite emotion they have nothing positve in their life, they're alone, in pain, anger inside and they want someone to pay for all their missery.

Nods... I get that, but what about the people that at least put a different face on it? I've known people who would say it was "fun" or "cool" which on the face of it seems oxymoronic.

 

[SoulAssasin247]

They are followers who are hurt. People around them are filled with hate so much they yearn and enjoy others peoples pain. In turn they follow a philosophy not of their own minds choosing. They're selfish angry creatures who wants to fit in and other people to feel their pain. When you look at someone else in pain you forget about yours and don't have to face the biggest enemy in the mirror yourself.

 

[meop79]

Nods... that mirrors very much my own thoughts on the matter.

Difficult to reach those that don't think they need help.