What is evil? This word has one simple and basic meaning, but on the other hand, there are lots of ways on how do we understand it. Depending on in which situation we are applying this word to, depends our perception of the sense of what indeed evil is. Usually, we understand evil as something that take control over us, blocking a major amount of our senses or feelings, turning them into a pure strong destroying power. In other words, we are becoming “blind” – physically and mentally. Consequently, the evil is way of getting something through harmful and destroying actions. According to it, the evil has different stages or levels of power and one of them is anger. Basically, anger is a step forward to what we call the evil. The anger leads us to it; the anger is a great part of it. That is why we usually define the angry person as the evil one. As we may surely notice, the evil has different ways of describing and defining itself. It all depends on how and when the word has been used, however the meaning is still being kept.
Since the dawn of times such people, as ancient philosophers and thinkers, were trying to get to the truth about what evil is. To do so, they were referring to such concept as the morality. Basing on it, their main aim was to understand, under what circumstances evil could possibly be justified, if it could be such. They knew that the term “evil” has come from the actions, as their definition, as the marker of a special way of behavior and it has its own, in most cases, harmful consequences. One of the evil’s instruments of the control and power is
the fear. It is the instrument, which is simply blocking the ways, in what we perceive the reality. In most cases it takes away our will. For example, Socrates believed that the ignorance creates a fear. (Max Maxwell) Indeed, if we do not know the anatomy of the evil, which we have faced in some particular period of our lives, we won’t be able to fight with it. Even if the fear is the correct way of reaction, still, it has a powerful nature and we should all be aware of it. Also, the Socrates claimed that the evil itself is born out of ignorance and this statement finds its confirmation in the real life. (Max Maxwell) In most cases, people are getting angry or evil when he or she does not have enough knowledge, considering someone or something. The human evil is usually understood as something distractive and ruining, without knowing its nature. That is why people usually misunderstand the meaning of the evil, creating the categorical error. (Max Maxwell)
Starting with this point, what are the categories of the “evil”? According to Roy Baumeister, there are four categories, in what we may define and understand the human evil, differenced by the ways and reasons of why people are doing the “evil” act. The first category is dedicated to the “instrumental evil”. As it was mentioned above, the main of the evil is to reach the desirable results through the destructive and harmful actions. In this case the “instrumental evil” may be understood as a tool to get something, for example, to get money, power, poverty, etc. (Baumeister, Roy F.) The second category is giving the way of understanding the evil again as a tool, but as a tool of revenge: to get back at someone who has hurt us. It is called "egotistical evil" or "vengeful evil". This category also has its reflection in the real life. (Baumeister, Roy F.) How much time do we get the mind of revenge, which is born from the anger towards someone as a consequence of his or her actions, directed on us? That is why it is called the "egotistical evil" – our ego has been hurt and so, the instinct for survival is stepping forward on the front line. In this case, the fear
disappears, giving space to the anger, usually blind one. Here, the ultimate goal is the satisfaction a personal ego, by hurting a person back. Again the human evil is being represented here as action that is in most cases not based on the knowledge. Usually, people do not try to understand the reason of someone’s actions. Sometimes, people do not want to hurt someone else intentionally. The third category may be defined as the “idealistic evil”. In this case people are acting, thinking their actions are based on the exceptionally good intentions, not understanding that they are hurting someone. (Baumeister, Roy F.) Under such category we may put people that belong to some particular sect, being followers of some particular cult. Here, the scheme of their actions is simple and more than evident: the initial aim – taking control over some particular group of people or the whole society, the subject – a sectarian or sect as a whole unit, the object – group of people or the society, the reason – to take control over other people and to turn them into their followers, the result – mass killings, the loss of self-control, etc. The final, the fourth category defines the human evil as the way of getting oneself entertained, defining evil as tool of having fun. This one may be also be defined as "sadistic evil" or "psychopathic evil". (Baumeister, Roy F.) It is the way of the distractive and highly harmful behavior that leads the subject to the satisfaction from his or hers actions, through hurting others and being aware of it. It means that the subject is doing it consciously. Under such category we may surely put maniacs, psychopaths and serial murderers.
So, according to the all above mentioned it is important to notice that the evil and the human evil in the particular, has few ways of being defined and understood. It all depends on some particular situation and people that are involved in it. Of course, evil is something that surrounds us and waits to appear. Still, we need to be more aware of the anatomy of the fear and think of the possible consequences, before acting in such harmful way.
Works cited:
Max Maxwell. "A Socratic Perspective on the Nature of Human Evil." A Socratic Perspective on the Nature of Human Evil. Web. 23 Jan. 2016.
Baumeister, Roy F. Evil: Inside Human Violence and Cruelty. New York: Henry Holt, 2001. Print.
