How can some people be so evil?

Question

I watched a documentary last night about Dennis Rader the "B.T.K" serial killer, and i just cant get into my head how evil some people are. I think i'm losing faith in humanity.

Answer 1

Don't lose faith in humanity. Think about it: all the documentaries are about the evil people. Why doesn't anyone do documentaries about the good people? Our earth is full of them! No one realises it because all the publicity goes to the evil people, but i think all is balance--the yin yang, you know? Evil is balanced with good. It may not seem like it at first, but look around you carefully: loving parents tucking their child in bed, brothers and sisters displaying their tough love, young couples, old couples, charity workers, teachers...so many persons who never did an act of evil in their lives and end up dying unknown because they didn't. It's the fault of the media--why do they keep showing us the evil side of the world?
Don't lose your faith in the world, friend. Loads of wonderful people are still here, and we shoudl praise them instead of ignore their existence. (but first to be praised should be my Mom, who rocks my world!)

Answer 2

I sound like a cynic when I use science to explain emotions. Like telling people that love is all about the release of hormones, but sometimes I can only use science to explain things. According to the FBI half of murderers have Anti-Social personality disorder, ASPD. (Which doesn't mean they avoid people, that's avoidant personality disorder. Pop culture screwed up the meaning.) The DSM-V1, which is the book psychologists have to use to diagnoses psychotic and mental disorders, lists the symptoms of ASPD. A few are apathy towards others, a disregard for rights of others, a sense of entitlement, unremorseful, unconscienceable, blameful to others, manipulative, and affectively cold . And this seems to have something to do with the prefrontal cortex of the brain. It's been found that the prefrontal cortex of the brain of murdrerers has 11% less grey matter than normal people. The prefrontal cortex inhibits the limbic system which is the part of the brain that controls aggression and the right orbital cortex controls fear. So if you were born with a right orbital cortex that doesn't function well, you might have a problem having a conscious.

But not everyone with these biological symptoms turns into an evil person. So there has to be some influence from their personal life and how they were raised. Have you heard the term "nature vs nurture"? (Biology vs Culture) I think in the case of these people it's both. They may have had a horrible life and unfortunately already have the disadvantage of a brain that doesn't function normally.

I'm using my text books to explain this, (psych major) but this website talks about it and it's pretty much accurate to the DMV-V1. http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro02/web3/krorer.html . Ok that ends my boring biology lesson.

Answer 3

Evil has been on the earth a lot longer than Dennis Rader. Think about what Adolf Hitler did to the Jews or what Roman Emperor Nero did to the Christians.

It is actually a mystery why these people were so cruel. Some say it was linked to how they were raised as children. But I believe that this is just a bunch of psycho-babble. These people were placed on Earth to change it through the suffering of others. I don't know why. But I'm guessing things would have been different if these weasels didn't exist.

Answer 4

The fact that there are evil people isn't surprising, but it is frightening. However, what I find more frightening is our fascination with evil. People don't turn away from evil and acts of evil; we eat it up. The Holocaust disgusts us yet we can't get enough of it. 911 angered and frightened us but we couldn't get enough of the video, of seeing UA175 slam into the south tower, of seeing both towers collapse. The horror that evil creates pulls us in. Why was Dennis Rader worthy of a documentary, and why did you watch it? No one will ever make a documentary on one of his victims, and even if they did no one would want to see it.

We don't make evil people, but as much as their deeds our fascination ensures their place in history. That is a troubling thought.

Answer 5

Welcome to your first step on the right path!

Humanity is crumbling. The problem no one wants to do anything about it. I agree that indiscriminant killing is an atrocity that needs to be ended. Of course, to do that, changes need to be made. Bo no one wants to hear that.

I just watched a documentary on possible astrological events that could potently end life on earth and I began to wonder if that's not such a bad idea. Maybe not all life, but a disaster that killed 3/4 of humanity may not be such as bad thing. It would give us a chance to start over.

But hay, maybe I'm just as horrible as Rader, but I don’t think so!

Answer 6

Stop watching those documentaries. They'll depress you. Some people are just mentally sick - but know how to hide it so that they appear normal a lot of the time. That's what's really scary - when they act normal but aren't.

But honestly, I think to an extent a lot of people are "backstabbers." They enjoy inflicting pain on others, whether via a cruel word, or a mean action. And then there are those people who literally do it.

Go do something nice for someone today. Donate blood. Volunteer somewhere. When you're with people who do things for others you'll start to regain your faith.

Answer 7

evil exists to temp us and to help us appreciate the good. Unfortunately, evil does more than that. It destroys faith, families and happiness. remember 9/11? remmeber the holocaust? Humans are their own destructions. Some people give in to the temptations because they were tempted, and they failed, so they get angry at the world. for example adolf hitler. He had an unhappy childhood and his mother died when he was very young. he'd just sit by the window and stare out at the grave yard. So, then when he got older he go all that anger and pain out on the jews. poor jews :(
so thats it.

Answer 8

Hello,

(ANS) Mans inhumanity to man seems to know no bounds sadly. History is littered with blood shed of the most horrible kind, I could quote endless examples (but wont). From the Aztecs, the Spanish conquistadors through to the Nazis and Stalin to Al Quida & so on.

**Thats why I have no belief what so ever in any form of a god, because there has been more killing & murder in the name of god and religion than anything else on this earth.

**So, OK!! if there was a god why does he or it permit humans to go on slaughtering each other endlessly. What kind of a god then creates humans, makes an earth for them and then allows them to go on wiping each other out?? is that just a wee bit counter productive of god?? Is that all a stupid god could come up with, wouldn't god have come up with something abit more useful than that?

Ivan

Answer 9

Lets get one thing straight. Being abused as a child is NO reason or excuse for aomeone to turn out evil. That is so cruel a thing for any child abuse survivor to hear! Its an excuse, not a reason.
Thousands of evil scum-bags have come from loving homes and have never lacked money, attention or love.

Answer 10

ITS A SAD FACT THAT THERE IS EVIL IN THIS WORLD BUT WITH-OUT IT THERE WOULD BE NO GOOD,ITS A BALANCE,WHO CAN U TRUST APPART FROM URESELF AS ONLY YOU KNOW WHAT URE THINKING DONT LOSE FAITH IN ALL HUMANITY THIS IS JUST PART OF A PROCESS IN WHICH U PROGRESS TO EITHER A BETTER PLACE OR A WORST PLACE,SO KEEP UP THE FAITH AND I MIGHT SEE Y THERE