EVIL
Evil is the opposite of Good….we know that!
But what is evil and how can we define it?
To begin with, ‘Evil’ is relative. What one person considers as evil, another person may consider as good. One person’s patriot is another person’s terrorist. One person’s blessing could be another person’s curse. One person’s act of ‘love’ could be another person’s infidelity. So, evil is relative because morality is relative.
The Golden Rule that is found in almost all ancient teachings, is perhaps the simplest way of defining morality……..
‘Do onto others what you would want them to do onto you’ or ‘Do not do onto others what you would not want them to do onto you’!
That is simple enough…but why do most people find it difficult to follow the Golden Rule and why are we selfish and violent in the first place? To get to the bottom of this, we need to go a little further.
Basic question….
Does’Evil’ arise from some external source or is it a part of our own natural personality?
Traditional ideas:
First the traditional point of view….. different religions have different ideas of evil.
Judaism, Christianity and Islam consider ‘evil’ as an absolute force generated from a real Being they call Satan or Devil. It is believed that the Devil is the source of all Evil. It is the devil who makes us do evil things by influencing our mind. In other words, Evil is Absolute, according to the Abrahamic religions.
In Hinduism there is no such thing as absolute evil. It is believed that life is about spiritual evolution and the evil within us is normally associated with animal instincts. Less animal and more Divine is the objective of life in Hinduism.There is only one Absolute being and that is Brahman or Paramatma and all creation arises from this being. Both good and evil are His creation. God is seen as above Good and Evil!
Ok…so much about traditional ideas!
From a secular and scientific perspective of today, what is ‘Evil’?
Here are some thoughts….
1.ANIMAL INSTINCTS:
All animals, birds and insects have instincts that help them to survive, reproduce and protect their young. These instincts drive them to behave in selfish and competitive ways that are a natural part of their battle for self preservation.
- Animals kill rival males in order to mate with a female. This is part of the ‘Survival of the fittest’ process in evolution. This is the way by which stronger genes get passed on to future generations.
- Animals kill the cubs of rival males and mate with their mother. This is a way by which they ensure the survival of their own genes by eradicating the genes of the rival.
- Animals abandon disabled offspring because they would slow down the mother and the group as a whole which could be detrimental to their survival.
- Old and infirm animals are killed or chased away from the group because they are a burden on the group.
- Animals have incestuous relations and routinely mate with siblings and offspring.
- Cannibalism is common in certain species. In some spider species, the female eats the male just after mating. Some snakes eat rival males and females. Some animals eat their own new born.
Such behavior is seen commonly in animals and is considered as normal and natural. However if similar behavior is seen in humans, it is considered as Evil!
We humans have evolved from animals and the same instincts have been inherited by us but we have also branched off and have developed many traits that are quite opposed to the animal kingdom.
Our human ideals are cooperation, sacrifice, live and let live, love, selflessness, charity and altruism. We show love and care even to other species far removed from ourselves. We humans tend to protect the young of all species, even of species that are dangerous to us. We have developed a universal and all encompassing outlook which is considered as a typically human attribute.
Some people see it as Divine…which is perhaps only an extended human trait.
Development entails a gradual progression from lower (animal) behavior to higher human/Divine behavior. It is a spectrum in which some people possess traits that are at one end (animal), some at the other end (divine) and many people are in between at different stages of development.
Due to this, people who are at lower end of the spectrum exhibit animal tendencies more than the others. Such people could be considered as…evil! People who move away from ‘animal’ behavior are seen as ‘Good’.
2.PLEASURE SEEKING:
Interestingly however, the problem of ‘evil’ cannot be explained entirely through animal instincts alone.
There are many behavior patterns that are considered as evil but which are not usually seen in the animal kingdom and are not a part of survival, reproduction or parental instincts.
All humans have basic biological needs such as hunger, sleep, sex etc. that we share with animals. But besides these ‘needs’, we humans also possess what we call ‘desires’.
How do we distinguish between ‘Needs ‘ and ‘Desires’? We can broadly say that ‘Needs’ are usually biological and related to body requirements. ‘Desires’ are largely mental and go beyond bodily requirements. Needs in fact, extend into desires! Desires are the needs of the mind.
We humans have both needs and desires!
Unlike most animals, we humans not only eat, sleep and have sex due to biological compulsions but also as a means of pleasure seeking. These activities are often divorced from their biological purpose and are indulged in as an end in themselves. We do many things for sheer enjoyment!
Pleasure seeking has become almost like a basic instinctive need in humans. It is an end in itself and is both a need and a desire. Using the body, the mind indulges in pleasure seeking.
We don’t eat only because we are hungry. We often eat because we enjoy eating. We eat food that is not healthy and often over indulge. We eat even when we are not hungry.
We sleep not only for rest but also because we enjoy sleeping and being lazy.
Sex in particular is a major area of pleasure seeking. It is perhaps the single most powerful desire in the world. People indulge in sex not just for reproduction but because they enjoy it. They indulge in it many times a week, have many partners, use contraceptives to prevent pregnancies and also sometimes indulge in unnatural sex.
Lust and its focus on body parts is a major ‘pleasure seeking’ activity that is not linked to reproduction. It can lead to uncontrolled passion and criminal tendencies.
Sex is also a form of social behavior. It builds togetherness and bonding. It enables social acceptance in certain communities. (Some animals like Bonobos have been known to indulge in sexual acts as a social bonding activity).
All the above ‘needs’ have a large mental component that gives us satisfaction beyond biological functions. This is pleasure seeking!
The hormonal and chemical reactions produced in the body through eating, sex, sleeping etc…generate a feeling of pleasure. This is often sought as an end in itself.
Sigmund Freud has talked of the Pleasure Principle due to which we seek pleasure and avoid pain. I am however, talking of something more fundamental. There is a driving force, a motivational lure, that exists in humans and makes them seek pleasure beyond natural instinctive requirements.
Exaggerated pleasure seeking:
We can also see that ‘pleasures’ often get exaggerated beyond their natural limits. Observing ones pleasure enhances the pleasure and becomes more enjoyable and important than the pleasure itself. A kind of Meta pleasure seeking! Pleasure from pleasure!
Our mind. ego and imagination tend to exaggerate the pleasure gained from need gratification. We like to extend pleasure seeking and enjoy it for longer periods of time. In course of time, the pleasures get magnified and more and more divorced from their natural purpose.
Imagination can be the source of much evil.
This pleasure seeking requires continued stimulation and gratification such that even if we do not feel the need for food or sex, we stimulate these desires and induce a need for them. We induce a need that may not be present, get aroused and then enjoy the pleasure of getting satisfied.
For example, we might do some exercise or take some digestive whereby we can start feeling hungry again so that we could enjoy eating. Ancient Romans are said to have deliberately regurgitated at regular intervals during a meal so that they could continue eating more and more.
We may watch porn or take some stimulants to get sexually aroused so that we could enjoy sex.
We don’t wait for the need or desire to be felt naturally, rather we artificially create the desire and then take pleasure in gratifying it. This kind of pleasure seeking can become an end in itself. It can become an addiction and obsession.
Taking drugs or consuming alcohol also fall into this category.
Why do we have this pleasure seeking tendency? What purpose does it serve in our evolution and in our survival and reproduction? What is the source of this pleasure seeking tendency?
I have no idea and no one seems to have any idea. That is just the way we have evolved.
But this exaggerated Meta desire for pleasure can be seen as the negative force that people have long associated with the devil and with evil….for the following reasons…..
- The gratification is temporary and arises again and again at regular intervals and cannot be satiated permanently.
- Secondly, the more we indulge, the more the desire grows and becomes more demanding.
- Thirdly, it can eventually become so powerful and obsessive that we become inconsiderate and lose all sense of control and moral discipline. We become addicted and start exploiting others, take up crime and wrong doing to achieve our pleasure.
Most cases of sadism, masochism, pedophilia, sexual slavery, alcoholism, overindulgence, drug addiction etc. are a result of such uncontrolled pleasure seeking.
Sexual pleasure seeking itself can lead to rape, savage forms of unnatural molestation, child molestation, trafficking of women and children, torture and murder.
People can also take pleasure in the sheer suffering of others. This is perhaps the source of greatest Evil that we humans are capable of.
This form of meta pleasure seeking can rightly be called the ‘Devil’! There does not seem to be any natural or evolutionary purpose to it. There could be some extraneous source for this type of evil desire.
3. EGO,POWER & MONEY:
This factor is connected both to the first and the second points above but is so pervasive in society that it needs to be highlighted separately.
Ego and pleasure seeking are intimately connected. Ego always seeks control, power and pleasure.
We can think of the ego as the source of this desire, power as the control mechanism, money as the means and meta pleasure as the reward.
Humans have an ego that is probably a product of our need to compete and survive in a hostile environment. It can be seen as a self protective mechanism that is crucial for survival, procreation and protection of progeny. Without the ego, many of us would probably be dead.
However, in humans it has taken on a form that goes far beyond survival and self protective instincts. It seeks control over its environment and it also seeks enjoyment.
Ego gives rise to the desire for power… power over others and over scarce resources! Power ensures everything, survival, procreation and survival of the progeny…and continued pleasure and gratification.
Most people like to have power over others to various degrees. The more the power, the greater their satisfaction. Sometimes the power is direct such as in politicians, military dictators and business leaders. Often it is indirect and takes the form of influencing others through fame, popularity and manipulation.
Money! Money is the tool that we use for everything. For our basic needs, security, ego gratification and pleasure seeking. This is a panacea that can give us access to all kinds of pleasures and power over others. It is the major means of ego gratification. ‘Money making’ is an objective and an end in itself for many people. Without money there is no power and no gratification.
Lot of evil is perpetrated in human society due to the desire for power and money. Many illegal and inhuman activities such as human trafficking, sex trafficking, child trafficking, drug trafficking and so on are very powerful and extremely evil activities that many people indulge in mainly for the money involved. Even slavery and human exploitation are due to the same desire for power and money.
These activities are probably the most base and evil that humans are capable of.
This is why the human Ego is perhaps seen as the source of evil by most people. It is seen as the Devil itself. It can reduce humans to less than animals.
Whether the Human Ego has its source entirely in basic survival instincts or whether it gets reinforced in humans through some extraneous mystical source is not clear.
Most spiritual practices are aimed at controlling the Ego and its related mental traits. Controlling ones Ego is seen as a supreme spiritual attainment.
4.MEMES & FANATICISM:
Fanaticism can lead to evil. Many people get so emotionally trapped in certain ideals, cultural ideas, traditions, beliefs and social requirements that they can lose all sense of balance and empathy.
Religious fanatics, cultural fanatics, racial fanatics, national fanatics and so on can get so emotionally charged with their cause that, when they are challenged, they can resort to killing, torture and other crimes.
This can be explained through the idea of Memes. Some beliefs, traditions and social norms become memes and they start fighting for their own survival, similar to genes. (Please refer to my article on Memes). These memes become like parasites such that they even get their own host killed in the process of fighting for their own survival.
When social, political and cultural environments are not conducive, these Memes feel threatened and they start fighting for their own survival and replication. This results in violent and evil behavior.
Memes can take on a life of their own independent of biological requirements and can fight for survival even to the detriment of the host person himself…similar to parasites.
5.IMPERSONAL RATIONALITY:
It’s not just strong beliefs and emotions that can lead to evil. Even rationality can sometimes lead to evil. How is this possible?
Rational thinking is like a computer program. It knows no morality or idealism. Rationality is completely amoral.
Whatever seems rational and logical will be acceptable to a rational mind even though it is morally incorrect. For example, it may seem very logical that disabled people should be killed off because they are suffering and because they are a burden on society. Similarly, elderly people, chronically ill people, mental patients, disabled children etc. may also seem to be a burden on other people and on society in general. So it may seem logical to eliminate and eradicate such people.
However, this is morally wrong and evil as far as we humans are concerned. We believe in helping and taking special care of such infirm and disabled people and we go to great lengths to make them comfortable and integrated with normal people.
‘Eugenics’ is another example where the selective breeding of humans with special traits, color and other qualities could seem logically and rationally correct…. but is morally incorrect. Everyone has a right to live and thrive!
Random and unregulated euthanasia and abortion are also logically correct but morally questionable.
It is necessary that a moral ‘logic’ or a moral regulatory ‘program’ is developed in every individual and incorporated into ones rational view point as a loop, such that rational and logical ideas have a moral regulatory control.
6. Evil can be contagious:
It can be seen that very often, ‘evil’ can be contagious and many people can get ‘infected’ very quickly.
In cases of gang rape and murder, there have been several instances where some of the culprits have been completely unaware and without any thought or intention of murdering or raping anyone…but when induced by someone they quickly join hands with the perpetrators and take part in the rape or murder with no previous inclination or any kind of personal enmity with the victim.
This happens not only in cases of rape and murder but also in cases of intimidation, suppression and many other forms of behavior.
There is a phenomenon called Folie a deux (shared madness) in which psychotic behavior gets shared between two or more people…. or gets induced from one person into other people, who also thereby start behaving in the same manner temporarily. It is a form of induced temporary madness. This phenomenon could be relevant to explain how evil behavior could get passed on from some people to others. Mental energies or even certain types of bacteria could be responsible for such direct transmission.
‘Evil’ can spread quickly within a population and can influence other mentally weak people to also indulge in evil acts….even when there is no direct coercion or threat to them.
Good behavior and positive intentions could also get induced from one person into other people, but that usually happens in a very subtle manner and happens very slowly over a long period of time.
To Summarize
From the above discussion, the idea of ’Evil’ can be seen as a composite of all the above and perhaps some other factors as well. There is no easy definition and no single source of ‘evil’ that we can identify. It has its relative and absolute aspects. It has its individual and collective aspects.
- What we consider as ‘Evil’ in many cases, is just a part of our biological requirements as individuals and as a species. It is a natural product of our animal and human instincts and our motivations to survive, reproduce and pass on our DNA.
- Evil also arises from Pleasure Seeking divorced from natural biological purposes. It can also be connected to fantasies and imaginary activities. It can also manifest as a Meta desire. How and from where this desire for pleasure arises, divorced from natural functions, is not known.
- Evil can arise from desire for ego gratification through the use of power and money. This is linked to points one and two above.
- Evil arises also due to Memes that are emotional aspects of culture, tradition and beliefs. Their survival tendencies can cause them to eradicate the hosts of opposing memes and ideas.
- Even rationality can give rise to evil due to its amoral nature.
- Evil can be contagious and can spread among other people very quickly.
Evil due to any of the above reasons can cause significant suffering and damage in society and can also impede and retard our own personal spiritual development.
Therefore, it is our duty as humans to minimize these tendencies in ourselves and in others and become more civilized.
Moral education, mental discipline and emotional control need to be taught and reiterated at all levels. Religions can play a large role in this process through spiritual training, Yoga, pranayama and meditations.
Best Regards.
T.Sriram Rao
19 February 2017
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