General Discussion

mr715

(3,349 posts)

21. Do they recognize their own evil?

Thu Feb 26, 2026, 08:11 PM

Thursday

Say a psychopath feels nothing but the thrill of causing pain. Do they attempt to justify this by saying that, for them, it is worth it?

Does evil attempt to justify evil? How do they recognize it? Are their hierarchies in an evil mind?

As a side point -- I had a student that gave me chills. He was smart, cruel, and manipulative. We did a dissection and he made me very uncomfortable. I was convinced he was a psychopath. After he graduated from 8th grade, he returned and had a different manner entirely, apologized for being so much trouble and for being a "weird kid". Blew my mind how the vibes changed. Made me much more hesitant to trust my intuition as a teacher. But then again, psychopaths are masters of making masks.

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Does "evil" exist" [View all] kentuck Thursday OP

It wears orange makeup, hairspray, and sells bibles Blue Owl Thursday #1

Don't forget the girdle an high heels MustLoveBeagles Thursday #13

absence of empathy is definitive, and not as uncommon as I'd prefer (nt) normalynn Thursday #2

Quote from GM Gilbert, chief psychologist Blue Full Moon Thursday #39

Yes, evil is selfishness. Selfishness is at the root of all bad behavior. Coventina Thursday #3

Well said. jls4561 Thursday #4

Why cannot there be an opposite to "good"? kentuck Thursday #6

Sure: Imagine Satan, the Devil, Lucifer, whatever. Coventina Thursday #12

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Point taken, they can all be used to evil ends, but they are definitely not EVIL either. Coventina Thursday #37

each person will have their own interpretation of your question. NewHendoLib Thursday #5

I think its unevolved to be evil FullySupportDems Thursday #7

I'm an atheist, but I know evil exists in this world. There exists people who do horrible things to others, with sinkingfeeling Thursday #8

Evil is malevolence that is unprompted, unsought, or gratuitous bucolic_frolic Thursday #9

Evils only exists in humans OC375 Thursday #10

As a clinician, I didn't use to believe in evil. Irish_Dem Thursday #11

Do they recognize their own evil? mr715 Thursday #21

Usually not. Irish_Dem Thursday #22

Yes, in re: boundaries mr715 Thursday #25

I believe that good vs evil is the iconic human condition. Irish_Dem Thursday #26

"Money trumps peace." -- George W Bush Kid Berwyn Thursday #14

Greed...? kentuck Thursday #15

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Didn't Epstein say Trump is evil, that says a lot. nt doc03 Thursday #16

evil spelled backwards is "live" rampartd Thursday #18

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And "veil" Orrex Friday #41

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That's what I wonder. Haggard Celine Thursday #32

Very interesting question - ancient one. mr715 Thursday #20

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Apart from the religious connotations canetoad Thursday #24

M. Scott Peck TuxedoKat Thursday #27

M. Scott Peck TuxedoKat Thursday #28

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You made my brain work overtime. Do evil people think they are evil or do they just not recognize it. Ferrets are Cool Thursday #34

It does, and it absolutely affects my life. iemanja Thursday #36

The two wolves parody. hamsterjill Thursday #38

Yes Beringia Friday #40

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