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u/SoupWorking5600 Jan 28 '23
Hurting animals. Not talking about hunting or farming. I’m talking about somebody who could abuse an animal for no reason but pleasure.
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u/Its_all_pretty_neat Jan 28 '23
I don't really use "good" and "evil" as measures. People are just people. For me, morally it is bad when a person's actions cause suffering. But those actions don't in themselves mean a person is evil. I don't really think those terms add value to be honest.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
So bad and good actions are more signs of those people but not defining factors?
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u/Its_all_pretty_neat Jan 28 '23
They might be indicators but people are (to some extent) fluid. I don't think it's a black and white thing. If a person does something that you could put in the box of "evil", you really need to unpick the things that led up to that action to understand. And you might end up with a definition that basically comes down to "it's complicated"
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
Could motivations bring understanding and still be evil?
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u/Its_all_pretty_neat Jan 28 '23
I'm not sure if I understand the question to be honest (it's almost midnight saturday night here, been out drinking), but ultimately I simply don't use the terms of good and evil. I don't think they reflect reality.
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u/Consistent_Ad1428 Jan 28 '23
Lack of remorse and manipulating others for there own gain
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
If someone gains nothing from it, is it still evil?
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u/Consistent_Ad1428 Jan 28 '23
Yes and no, depends on how much and what they did to get what they want. How far they would go until they get what they want
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
And hard far is that? And is their no situation in which it would no longer be evil?
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u/Consistent_Ad1428 Jan 28 '23
They go until they get what they want. The more serious it is, the more evil it is. If you do something bad, you're considered a douche. But if you do someone bad, then you are considered manipulative
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
Which leads back to the original question, who determines what is good and evil?
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u/Consistent_Ad1428 Jan 28 '23
The manupulator it's there choice If they want to be hurtful or not
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
What if they don’t choose but are forced by circumstance?
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u/Consistent_Ad1428 Jan 28 '23
Then that is their fault for fault for wanting to use/ hurt someone
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
Now tell me, would you consider it evil even if someone wasn’t aware of the harm they were causing. Or more accurately, if they were aware of it but they were so far removed from it they didn’t associate themselves with it personally?
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u/TimeTravelMishap Jan 28 '23
Holy shit my man you are asking a LOT of questions.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
That’s pretty much my entire spare time
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u/TimeTravelMishap Jan 28 '23
I mean you do you of course but maybe interact with the people answering a little? You might get more out of it that way?
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u/BarcodeNinja Jan 28 '23
Extreme selfishness.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
Wouldn’t extremities on any topic fit as well?
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u/BarcodeNinja Jan 28 '23
No, I don't think so.
Extremely into crocheting isn't very evil. It just means you like it a lot.
Extreme selfishness means you will screw over your neighbors, your loved ones, the environment, the world for your own temporary gain. And you will tell yourself it's justified. It's a despicable way to live.
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u/rheagmb Jan 28 '23
People who consistently use “their” instead of “there”. Also, grape rapers are the worst…I mean, how do you pick just one out of the bunch??
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u/thewezel1995 Jan 28 '23
Acting on your filthy greed at the loss of other people. That’s basically it.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
What metrics do you use to determine if something is greedy? Also what about other malicious motivators?
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u/Maximum_Hand_9362 Jan 28 '23
Going out of your way to make other uncomfortable or worse. Jist is actively doing something bad.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
Who defined what is bad?
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u/Maximum_Hand_9362 Jan 28 '23
I guess we can reference the 10 commandments. Thats a pretty good start. Dont worry i am not religious.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
Don’t worry I am, but even then I don’t know if that’s an objective measurement. Since sex before marriage goes against them, and I don’t think a lot of people would accept that.
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u/thiscantbetheanswer Jan 28 '23
Establishing social etiquette about not talking about payment so you can exploit folks better.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
This felt personal
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u/Grumble_pants Jan 28 '23
Evil will always be on a different spectrum with every person based on their personal experiences.
Personally, I've always seen it as rash reactions based on a desire to gain or maintain a "Seven deadly sin", no matter how minor or massive the action is. We've all been a little evil here and there.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
Even if those sins lead us to what would otherwise be considered good? Also what about lust? So long as two people consent lust is acceptable no matter the amount right?
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u/freemason777 Jan 28 '23
Evil is relative to where you're standing
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
So their is no objective evil?
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u/freemason777 Jan 28 '23
Nope, not that we have the capacity to see anyway. In fact since we see the world through the human senses there's no objective anything that we can talk about, we can't get through the noumenal veil
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u/Alternative-Dot-1042 Jan 28 '23
Someone who can’t feel the effects of the actions they’ve caused or just don’t care enough about other to make decisions based on the feelings and needs that other have. Basically people who are selfish and do everything in self interest no matter who they hurt. That and that one movie about the sentient tire.
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u/RiverCityRoyal Jan 28 '23
Willingness to, or the ability to coerce others to cause physical pain or death upon others in order to promote one’s own causes and self gain. And to do this without feeling any sense of remorse, regret or sympathy for those affected and perhaps even a feeling of joy.
Basically those that revel in the pain and suffering of others in order to get what they want.
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u/I_B_The_1_True_Noob Jan 28 '23
A trait in which one enjoys physically or mentally hurting/harming others for personal gain or pleasure.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
What if someone gains nothing from the harm they cause, would that disqualify it from being evil?
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u/Mr-DykeChic5469 Jan 28 '23
Dr. Doofenschmirtz
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u/WSBtendies9001 Jan 28 '23
Whats the meaning of life and are you a bot?
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u/Brilliant-Republic-8 Jan 28 '23
Telling me I can't get a cat, dayum you boyfriend!
On a serious note, mentally torturing people for no reason. You can do this to yourself and to others. It destroys lives. I could probably find something worse but I'm going with something a lot have gone through.
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u/ActualGiantPenguin Jan 28 '23
Not respecting other people's rights.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
What rights do you think people have? And what does it mean to respect them? At any point do people lose them? And what do we define as a person?
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u/ActualGiantPenguin Jan 28 '23
the ones outlined in the Constitution, including those unenumerated rights alluded to in the Ninth Amendment
to not infringe upon them
no
a sentient human being
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
What does it mean to be sentient? And would you argue that even someone as evil as hitler still had human rights? Even the right to live if he was captured alive?
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u/ActualGiantPenguin Jan 28 '23
- Look it up.
- Yes, obviously.
- Hitler would have, in the very least, the right not to be executed extrajudicially upon capture.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
I’m asking for your definition of this.
Also does that mean you would have been alright with his execution as capital punishment?
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u/ActualGiantPenguin Jan 28 '23
I happen to think that the death penalty is cruel and unusual.punishment; however, this is purely a matter of opinion.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
Does this also factor in imprisonment? Because that would be a violation of human rights.
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u/ActualGiantPenguin Jan 28 '23
No, it wouldn't. The Constitution neither contains nor implies any right not to be imprisoned for a crime of which you are duly convicted.
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u/Prior-Ad-7329 Jan 28 '23
Anything that can cause harm to anyone else.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
Can? So it’s evil to be capable of causing harm even if not acted upon?
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u/Prior-Ad-7329 Jan 28 '23
Oooo you’re good. Definitely got me there haha. I guess the answer should be, anyone who chooses to do something knowing that it will cause harm to someone else.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
What do you define as harm? What about a doctor resetting a nose?
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u/Prior-Ad-7329 Jan 28 '23
Not necessarily physical pain. A doctor resetting a nose will make it hurt temporarily, but will make it less painful and look better in the end game. The person that punched them in the nose though. Anything that can negatively impact one’s life in anyway I’d consider “evil”
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
What if they punched them in self defense? Then is it evil?
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u/Prior-Ad-7329 Jan 28 '23
That’s the hard grey zone. Where is it okay to return violence with violence. I think it’s okay. If evil falleth upon you, punch it in the face.
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u/wolfpawz666 Jan 28 '23
In my opinion, animal abuse is the most evil thing someone can do. Obviously there's a lot of evil things people do, but I think animal abuse is the worst.
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u/Playingpokerwithgod Jan 28 '23
People like Peter Popoff. Someone who pretends they can heal you. They give people false hope, take desperate people's money, knowing full well they can't cure them.
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u/asususal Jan 28 '23
Spreading wrong information or information they think are true but it actually isn't about religion.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
So it’s evil even if unaware that it’s false?
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u/asususal Jan 28 '23
In my opinion yes.. I grew up with mindset every Muslim is dangerous because my parents think they r but in fact it's about God and not about terorism.. I was surprised when I found out.
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u/Bell_of_Wishing Jan 28 '23
Knowingly causing unjustified harm, I guess.
If someone presses a button that kills all the puppies in the world but they thought it wouldn't do that, the "knowingly" part is not met and they just did a mistake.
If someone shoots down a plane full of people in order to save a town full of even more people, their course of action is understandable and the harm was justified.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
So not knowing the harm is okay?
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u/Bell_of_Wishing Jan 28 '23
Not knowing harm would still be harmful and should be avoided. It just wouldn't be evil.
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u/BounceBurnBuff Jan 28 '23
Acting better than others and/or implying a hierarchy where you are entitled to someone's time and effort.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
Is their no situation in which someone is entitled to someone’s time or effort?
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u/BounceBurnBuff Jan 28 '23
No, the onus is on yourself and any sense of duty you have, not on others to demand it from you.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
If you pay someone to mow your lawn? Are you not entitled to the time it takes to mow your lawn?
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u/BounceBurnBuff Jan 28 '23
The onus is on the individual who was employed. You cannot walk up to someone and demand they do something for you just because you might pay them. Having money does not entitle you to the time of those around you.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
But situationally you can? Such as if you’ve already paid them? This not making it evil
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u/BounceBurnBuff Jan 28 '23
You have misunderstood. Having money does not entitle you to wander up to a stranger and demand they mow your lawn just because you have money. Its transactional, and those who don't recognise that it is in fact transactional, are instead believing that they are entitled to that person's time.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
Agreed, having the money doesn’t entitle you to someone’s time, having an agreement where you’ve fulfilled your end of the agreement does however. Meaning that you would in that situation be entitled to their effort and time
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Jan 28 '23
Your terrible psychoanalysis of strangers online.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
Boo boo
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Jan 28 '23
Humph 😤 Just block me. Thank you.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
Nah still having fun
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Jan 28 '23
🍆 💦 I bet. Night night.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
That’s a dangerous thing to send
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Jan 28 '23
Dangerous would be 👉🏻 🍑 🍒 🍈 🍈 Are you a Michelin star or fast-food kinda guy/gal/they/them? 💀
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u/reality-check-is-imp Jan 28 '23
A person in my office raised ~20K USD for his wife's treatment. He raised that amount of money from his colleagues, friends and family etc.
He found out that one of his colleagues is doing a freelancing job during the weekends. And he ratted out this to his manager; exaggerated that this colleague was doing that freelancing work during the office hours and got him fired. This colleague was one of those who donated money for his wife's treatment.
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u/Ill_Air_3189 Jan 28 '23
Hurting people out of spite, especially if you don’t gain anything from it other than the satisfaction of seeing them suffer.
Other side of the coin: doing everything for the “greater good”, completely disregarding the wellbeing and agency of the people you view as “collateral damage”
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u/Five_Lemons Jan 28 '23
Jordan Peterson had a good lecture in which he defined deception as one or the most evil thing a person can do. I am too tired or stupid to remember all of it, however I agree.I would say old fashion abuse of power and deception are the two aspects of evil.
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u/invalidpassword Jan 28 '23
Lack of remorse.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
If someone expressed remorse after evil does that mean they no longer are? And what does that speak to their actions?
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u/betizen Jan 28 '23
That part that we all have in us that's the exact opposite part of the good part
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
The ass?
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u/thatonegirl4533 Jan 28 '23
I think evil is when someone intentionally does something to hurt another person, without any concern for their feelings. It's when someone intentionally does something evil with full knowledge that it will cause suffering. That's when it becomes truly evil.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
So is it impossible for someone to be evil or do evil deeds if they are unaware of their actions? Like being drunk?
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u/RevolutionarySoil11 Jan 28 '23
Personally, I define evil as any action or intent that causes harm, pain, or suffering to another individual or group with no good or moral justification.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
Who determines what is a good or moral justification?
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u/RevolutionarySoil11 Jan 28 '23
It's largely subjective and based on a person's individual values and beliefs. As such, it can vary greatly from one individual to the next. Ultimately, it is up to each person to decide what justification they believe is good or moral.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
So is every persons morals equal to another’s?
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u/RevolutionarySoil11 Jan 28 '23
Definitely not. Everyone has different beliefs and values that form the basis of their moral code. Therefore, it is not possible for everyone to have the same morals and it's up to each individual to figure out what is right and wrong.
At the collective level, that's why we see culture wars.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
Is one persons claim that something is evil valid even if it conflicts with your own?
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u/RevolutionarySoil11 Jan 28 '23
It can be. I'd have to hear the claim and think it through. Also even if I reject it, I could still be wrong about it.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
So you determine what’s valid morality? Though you admit you could be wrong?
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u/RevolutionarySoil11 Jan 28 '23
I assume that's how we all do it. Minus realizing one can be wrong in some cases, sadly. I don't know if or how there could be a better way.
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u/New_Maybe_8981 Jan 28 '23
Disease
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
So that which isn’t disease isn’t evil?
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u/SunsetKittens Jan 28 '23
Evil is like when there's nothing good there.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
So like mashed sweet potatoes?
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u/myredditusername310 Jan 28 '23
You take that back right now. Mashed sweet potatoes are delicious
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
It’s like spicy chocolate, 2 good things together aren’t always better
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u/Eerga_tnodI Jan 28 '23
I don't define it, too subjective as a concept. Everyone can be evil in someone else's eyes and everything can be evil depending on the situation.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
So their is no objective evil or good?
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u/Eerga_tnodI Jan 28 '23
Not that I can see.
But I often need guidance from people who're faster judgers than me when it comes to good and evil or right and wrong, so my position isn't actually an effective one in society.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
What about murder? Shouldn’t that be an objective evil?
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u/Eerga_tnodI Jan 28 '23
That isn't an objective evil for law, even. You're excused if it's for self defence, to some extent at least. Murdering someone during a war can even be seen as honourable so... The world gives me mixed signals about that one too.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
Then what about something more extreme like gang grape?
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u/Eerga_tnodI Jan 28 '23
That's a complicated one. Unfair for the victim for sure, but the aggressor might be a victim themselves (because they've been sexually abused themselves in the past, because the group pushed them to do something they'd never do in other situations, among other things), which doesn't excuse them but doesn't even bring me to use a definite word like "evil".
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
So the victim themself gets to define what the evil is?
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u/WSBtendies9001 Jan 28 '23
Good and Evil are primitive concepts that limit discorse on the human condition. Evidently our leaders in business and and politics don't see things this black and white.
Life just isn't so black and white, one humans evil is another humans good.
Just as one section of humanitys definition of a terrorist is another sections definition of a freedom fighter.
One only has to think of the Palestinians plight in Israil, or rather the Israili's plight in Palastine.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
So their is no such thing as an objective evil?
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u/BigBlackdaddy65 Jan 28 '23
Yes that's correct, everything that's consider good or evil is just up for debate. Seeing as all morals are defined by a group mentality not based on what actually is objectively good or bad, since that's not possible. It's all subjective.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
What about something’s extreme like gang grape? Wouldn’t that be an objective evil?
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u/WSBtendies9001 Jan 28 '23
Within the collective human consciousness, the only thing that comes to mind is anything that threatens the collective human consciousness........
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
What about gang grape? Wouldn’t that be considered an objective evil? Even though it doesn’t threaten human existence?
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u/WSBtendies9001 Jan 28 '23
Depending on your perspective. I'd even argue my previous comment is incorect given that there would be some out there who detest the human conciousness and would see it as a collective good. Reality is a matter of perspective and so in the truest sense no, I can't see an instance where within the reality of the collective conciousness of human kind evil exists.
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u/BaroquePseudopath Jan 28 '23
I tend to use examples rather that precisely define. The Conservative party is my favourite benchmark, the actions of some of the front bench are horribly evil.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
So is it a word with no definition? No way we could use it correctly from an objective standpoint?
Also would that make it entirely subjective on what we personally feel is evil?
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u/BaroquePseudopath Jan 28 '23
It’s not as black and white as that. There are certain things we can all agree upon as evil, like genocide or gangrape. There are things that are subjectively evil such as tax avoidance or selling drugs, and there is a dictionary definition, it’s just easier to illustrate with examples
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
But if I had subjective parts how could it be given a truly objective meaning?
To me that’s the part that’s black and white, when you see so much gray but still choose to call it black or white
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u/ButtPyro Jan 28 '23 edited Jan 28 '23
Religion. Also the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
So that which isn’t religion isn’t evil?
Also who defines what religion is?
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u/ButtPyro Jan 28 '23
The dictionary defines religion. “the belief in and worship of a superhuman power or powers, especially a God or gods.”
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
Going off that a god not a requirement, but a belief and worship in a super human power is.
So if something doesn’t fall into that category is it not evil? Also why would you define that as evil?
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u/ButtPyro Jan 28 '23
That in and of itself isn’t evil (just stupid). It’s the human element of religion that makes it evil.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
Such as?
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u/ButtPyro Jan 28 '23
The blatant lying, control, manipulation and power dynamic are some examples.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
So those actions are evil, not religion itself?
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u/ButtPyro Jan 28 '23
Those actions stem from organized religion.
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u/The-Silent-Cicada Jan 28 '23
But are not exclusive, lying may happen in religions but it happens much more outside of it.
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u/Magister_Hego_Damask Jan 28 '23
someone who enjoys hurting others (i don't care if it's phisical or mental hurt)