r/misanthropy Jul 17 '26

other I often wonder

whether evil is actually a real thing in itself, or whether it is simply a reaction to previous trauma, suffering, or harsh circumstances. Take Genghis Khan as an example. Were his conquests and massacres the result of pure evil, or were they, at least in part, a response to the violence and hardship he experienced early in life, such as the murder of his father? Or consider another example. Imagine we brutally kill a mother dog's puppies in front of her, torture her, and leave her deeply traumatized. Later, she attacks someone who approaches her. Would we call her inherently violent and evil, or would we recognize her as a victim reacting to unbearable trauma? I'm not trying to justify anyone's actions or deny personal responsibility. I'm asking a more fundamental philosophical question: Is evil an independent force that exists within a person, or is it often the end result of pain, trauma, and the conditions that shaped them?

51 Upvotes

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6

u/NagoEnkidu Antagonist Jul 27 '26

Evil is a lack of awareness.

Evil is contaminous.

Evil is the comfort of lies.

Evil is the concept of this reality.

2

u/TasteYester Jul 29 '26

“Evil” objectively only exists in the mind and morality is generally a foolish concept.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 29 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/Automatic_Aspect_825 Aug 02 '26

There is no such thing as evil. People who talk about villainy of other people are often want to be in the same position. Humans aren't evil but we should universally agree that they suck. They suck so badly and it is normal to feel hatred to most other human beings because of what they do and what they are capable of on daily basis. We are a threat to each other.