Page 2 | Do you think some people are evil?

HRTQueen · 21/09/2022 01:21

baffledbunny · 21/09/2022 01:00

I think some people are born with evil characteristics, or have evil traits, such as lack of empathy or selfishness. but their upbringing can be the maker or breaker of how their character develops and expresses itself through their actions and choices.

Having said that, if someone has NPD, I think this is pure born evil, and those people will always be evil regardless of how well they were treated or brought up, due to an innate sense of entitlement and superiority.

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NPD is very rarely diagnosed. Having worked with people who have been diagnosed I wouldn’t paint them all the same.

Even with such a diagnosis they are still individuals and for some their diagnosis creates huge anxiety for them and who suffers the most from their diagnosis is themselves not always others

while they may not empathise it doesn’t mean that they are not aware of what causes pain to others and want to act on that

stillvicarinatutu · 21/09/2022 01:25

I've seen evil twice . Both children sadly . Absolute psychopaths both . Both committed murder . No remorse. Nothing . One started with animals . Finished with a 16 year old child .

I have always believed that people are not born bad , that their life shapes them , but I've seen two now that don't fit that profile.

savethatkitty · 21/09/2022 01:35

100% agree. Some people are just born evil.

noodlezoodle · 21/09/2022 02:50

I think some people are born without any empathy or ability to feel remorse. What then happens to them is very dependent on their formative years. It's estimated that 1% of the population are psychopaths - but they clearly aren't all serial killers. A lot of them might be CEOs or politicians though!

BadNomad · 21/09/2022 03:00

Evil, no. Sociopathic, yes.

Gingerkittykat · 21/09/2022 03:04

stillvicarinatutu · 21/09/2022 01:25

I've seen evil twice . Both children sadly . Absolute psychopaths both . Both committed murder . No remorse. Nothing . One started with animals . Finished with a 16 year old child .

I have always believed that people are not born bad , that their life shapes them , but I've seen two now that don't fit that profile.

Do you think it was nature, nurture or a mix of both that turned them that way?

Wartywart · 21/09/2022 03:04

MrsTerryPratchett · 21/09/2022 00:14

I've worked with very serious offenders and no, I don't. Evil is a moralistic concept.

Anti-social behaviour (even extreme) is nature or nurture or a combination.

I agree. You only have to work in a school to see how much of people's characters and behaviours are inherited. Often the most badly behaved, rudest, seemingly most unkind children have awful home lives - because their parents are the same. Not always true, but often.

DarceyG · 21/09/2022 03:57

antelopevalley · 20/09/2022 23:51

I think most people who do awful things do so for a reason. Abusive past, drugs, coercion, etc.
But I do think there are some people who are simply evil. People with no empathy that enjoy making others frightened or hurting others. People who can do terrible things for no real reason than they want to.

I agree, some people take pleasure in tormenting others. I had an evil boss a few a year ago. The spite was off the scale.

Oblomov22 · 21/09/2022 04:05

Hmm, I'm not sure. Lack of remorse is really common, generally.

Plus loads of people do really nasty things, and yet have loving homes and siblings not of the same ilk.

rosiepozis · 21/09/2022 19:04

baffledbunny · 21/09/2022 01:00

I think some people are born with evil characteristics, or have evil traits, such as lack of empathy or selfishness. but their upbringing can be the maker or breaker of how their character develops and expresses itself through their actions and choices.

Having said that, if someone has NPD, I think this is pure born evil, and those people will always be evil regardless of how well they were treated or brought up, due to an innate sense of entitlement and superiority.

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What do you mean by empathy? You can struggle to understand emotions or other people’s state of mind, and not want to harm or enjoy other people suffering, you know. You can struggle with empathy but still show compassion and want to help people

I also think most people can be selfish, it’s certainly not a good thing to be but I wouldn’t go as far as evil. In some cases though, I would absolutely agree that selfishness leads to horrible actions (as can no empathy). I just don’t think they’re inherently so

bakewellbride · 21/09/2022 19:15

Yes my birth father was 100% pure evil. He abandoned me for 20 years then when I traced him in my early twenties I was horrified with what I found. He was an angry, awful, fucking sick and twisted alcoholic who abused me in many horrible ways including sexually. He locked me in a hotel room and I was petrified. He is dead now and what a relief - the world is a safer place without him but when he was alive, yes, pure evil. I rebuilt my life with a lot of therapy and am happy now but it obviously was very hard. I'm married with children now and my dh is an incredible father and I'm grateful for him every day.

BadNomad · 21/09/2022 19:17

Just because someone lacks empathy, it doesn't mean they want to hurt people. It just means if they do, they don't care, and they will do it if it benefits them.

Not every person with NPD or ASPD is a serial killer, but most serial killers will have NPD and/or ASPD. The ones who get a thrill out of hurting others are the really dangerous ones.