people would turn to 'themselves' for ownership.
you know... like the body and soul [img]graemlins/sure.gif[/img]
Perhaps evil is simply the storage of anything.
If you think about it, once we deem that we "own" something and wish to use that something at some further point, we incorporate laws to "protect" our possessions.
But if nobody owned anything nor tried to posses it for later use, than outside of physical violence, would evil exist?
people would turn to 'themselves' for ownership.
you know... like the body and soul [img]graemlins/sure.gif[/img]
Ownership equals containment. We may believe we "own" our body or sould because it appears that is where we are contained.
Psychological violence catering to humankinds sadistic nature?
Possesion doesnt count here as it is simply the pleasure derived from inflicting pain upon someone else......
.... gone too far... ehem
DonCione
hey don, thanks for replying....
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">hmmmmm.... dunno....Originally posted by DonCione:
Psychological violence catering to humankinds sadistic nature?
does evil really have to constitute violence?
i can, for example, manipulate/sabotage a
coworker's efforts in order to be picked for a
promotion over that person... there really isn't
any violence... sadistic? hmmm, maybe.... but is
competition sadistic? i suppose to some degree...
however, i think to some people, this manipulation/sabotage
could be considered 'evil'
Competition to prove your superiority over those around you and in doing so make them seem weaker is sadistic...
like a bad winner gloating...
Evil doesnt have to include violence you are right, i was just choosing an example. But then if we categorise merely the thoughts of causing harm as evil then the number of 'good' people in the world suddenly drops by about 90% lol.
I'd agree that sabotaging a co-worker/rival for your personal gain would be evil, but then thats the entire basis of modern Western capitalism isnt it? lol. Instead of relying upon personal qualities and skills we cheat our way to top, stealing, mud-slinging and polluting as we go.
I dont think all violence is evil, but i do know that even when justified people often take a subtle pleasure in exerting their will over someone elses, either violently or through the threat of it. Conclusion would appear that we're all evil, which seems to fit the bill.
DonCione
"I'd agree that sabotaging a co-worker/rival for your personal gain would be evil, but then thats the entire basis of modern Western capitalism isnt it? lol. Instead of relying upon personal qualities and skills we cheat our way to top, stealing, mud-slinging and polluting as we go."
probably why I can't get to the top then [img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/angel.gif[/img]
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">heh heh... its so trueOriginally posted by DonCione:
Evil doesnt have to include violence you are right, i was just choosing an example. But then if we categorise merely the thoughts of causing harm as evil then the number of 'good' people in the world suddenly drops by about 90% lol.
(but don't you think 90% is a bit generous?
i'd go as far as to say 96% [img]tongue.gif[/img] )
Personally i would've said 100% but i didnt want to offend, lol,
So i left a 10% gap for us all to parcel ourselves into to salve our consciences.
Im just very tired of the Homonculus view of evil as a separate entity/force/will that we succumb to. For many centuries we created a devil or evil spirits that put these thoughts in our heads and weapons in our hands and we shirked the responsibilities of our own wrong-doings.
i can simplify evil........... humankind.
Because except for a few exceptions we are the only creatures who dont kill/maim for survival alone.
DonCione
i think that 'humankind' is a bit broad...
as i was thinking deeply about your comments.
while i agree that we alone kill for reasons
beyond survival... this is a trait that includes
(as you said) all of us (whether we openly admit
it or not).
at first i thought it was a flaw of 'reason'...
reason being the next *failed* step nature has
issued just beyond 'clever' (as many animals
are clever... brainstorming and employing certain
*human* mechanics to overcome problems)....
however *our* reason -- the deft ability to
place oneself beyond oneself -- seems to have
been skewed... but i can't assume that this is
a minor error because i truly believe it is within
all of us homosapiens....
so that leaves me to question...
perhaps 'reason'... is an end-all. meaning...
since reason gives its owner the power above
cleverness... to ensure survival... it necessitates
that there would (may??) be no natural enemies.
so why not also throw in the quality to turn
reason against ourselves?
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