normal human being, just like you and me. Driven by ambition, hate, and circumstance.
Uhm, I am not driven by hate. Ambition, sometimes. Circumstances, probably all the time. Hate? I am not saying that the level is literally zero… sometimes I get angry at some people when I learn about some horrible things they are doing… but that usually doesn’t last long and I switch to different thoughts; and even the moments when I am angry usually do not translate into specific actions.
We must acknowledge and confront the potential for evil in every single one of us, ourselves included.
This is widely accepted, but where is the proof? Sounds like yet another blank-slate belief. It is definitely good to reflect on your own actions, and each of us has their better and worse days, and we could have been much better or much worse under different circumstances… but that alone does not prove that the potential for evil is equally strong. Some people need to undergo lot of training, until they are capable of killing another person. Other people just do it for fun. Some people follow the commands. Other people work hard to get into the position where they could give horrible commands. Some people can do horrible things under extreme circumstances; other people are actively working on creating the circumstances when they would be allowed to do the horrible things.
Thanks for the comment. I think it’s clear from this and the other feedback that I wrongly prioritized prose over accurate and comprehensive argumentation in this mini-essay.
Uhm, I am not driven by hate. Ambition, sometimes. Circumstances, probably all the time. Hate? I am not saying that the level is literally zero… sometimes I get angry at some people when I learn about some horrible things they are doing… but that usually doesn’t last long and I switch to different thoughts; and even the moments when I am angry usually do not translate into specific actions.
This is widely accepted, but where is the proof? Sounds like yet another blank-slate belief. It is definitely good to reflect on your own actions, and each of us has their better and worse days, and we could have been much better or much worse under different circumstances… but that alone does not prove that the potential for evil is equally strong. Some people need to undergo lot of training, until they are capable of killing another person. Other people just do it for fun. Some people follow the commands. Other people work hard to get into the position where they could give horrible commands. Some people can do horrible things under extreme circumstances; other people are actively working on creating the circumstances when they would be allowed to do the horrible things.
Thanks for the comment. I think it’s clear from this and the other feedback that I wrongly prioritized prose over accurate and comprehensive argumentation in this mini-essay.