I recently found this article commentary by Devon on what constitutes ‘Evil’ and decided it was definitely post worthy. 🙂 Any future articles I find of hers will post with this title above^^ for easy searching.
Her response to this article:
Evil, Freedom and Forgiveness: Two Years After the Shootings In Norris Hall, A VT Professor and Student Challenge The Nature of Evil Itself
Miss Dev – APR 17, 2009
Thank you for that. One of my arguments from very soon after the shootings at Columbine were that we needed to find forgiveness for the shooters and their families and friends. This is a call that has been widely ignored.
After the shootings at Columbine, many people said that Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were “evil.” I struggled with that not only because I knew them and I knew that Dylan, in particular, was not “evil.” It was discovered that both young men, documentably Eric and anecdotally (and with post-mortem psychological investigation) Dylan had severe mental health issues. Even with this information, I believe that a conscious choice was made to commit the shootings and thus, as I understand it, their actions would be evil. Or, because of their mental illnesses, would their actions not be evil?
Another situation to ponder are the actions of certain community members after Columbine (and to this day) who refuse to allow any public recognition of the grief experienced by the friends and family of Eric and Dylan. One event in particular, the two crosses erected for them being ripped out of the ground, stands as a symbol. To me, the man who put up 15, rather than 13, crosses was acting out a great act of love that brought comfort to those of us laden with guilt and grief that we couldn’t express for fear of retaliation (emotional or physical). The act of ripping those crosses out of the ground was an act of pure, raw anger. It was an act done out of selfishness, intolerance, and hatred towards not only the killers, but everyone who wanted to mourn them, but couldn’t. To me, that act and the exclusions that have followed have caused incalculable pain to myself and others. But there’s no word for that act. There’s no “classifying” term. I’m not saying that the act was evil, but if I understand the definition correctly (no guarentee there), these are acts committed by a group of people acting selfishly with the intent of injurying others (emotionally) – so that would place this in the realm of evil.
Or does evil only exist where there is physical harm?
I know that was a bit rambling, but I am having trouble organizing my brain at the moment. A summary, of sorts: having seen so much “easily” definable evil, I wonder about these things that cause irreparable harm, but that no one seems to think are wrong but those who are on the receiving end.
Thank you for your time, Courts. And you were certainly in my thoughts yesterday.
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Courts APR 17, 2009
As you are in mine. Thank you for that–I’d say that it hasn’t been an easy week but no week is easy.
Dylan and Eric weren’t evil and what they did wasn’t evil. Pre-meditated? Sure. Caused by mental illness? Possibly. But, in the end, they were criminals who committed a terrible and horrific crime.
In Columbine, very angry, very hurt individuals tore down crosses. In Blacksburg, very angry, very hurt individuals refused to lay a stone for Cho.
Both fly in the face of the kinds of forgiveness and compassion that grant understanding and transcendence.
But you’ve hit on an important point–we argue that evil is wrought upon the bodies of victims. Baumeister, who wrote a book about evil, talks about “white collar evil.” The concept is ludicrous. There is no evil without, as you say, physical harm.
There are, obviously, many facets to our understanding of evil–the notion of the political and modernism, anxiety and loss, intent and choice, group dynamics, dehumanization and ideology, physical harm. Together I think they give us a better understanding of evil.
But I in no way want to diminish the kinds of irreparable harm and human suffering that fall outside what we call evil.
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SuperSaiyan APR 17, 2009
One of my arguments from very soon after the shootings at Columbine were that we needed to find forgiveness for the shooters and their families and friends. This is a call that has been widely ignored.
Yeah, I also thought that for years myself and it’s sad that it’s, as you’ve stated, ignored.
However, as you’ve probably read in one of your recent columns, MissDev, I stated that there may be a sea change in this now, at least amongst the general public, when I cited the example of the reaction to Ric Flair’s WWE hall of fame speech last year when he mentioned Chris Benoit and that he didn’t get a negative response for it( http://www.nationalledger.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=23&num=19765 ).
Another situation to ponder are the actions of certain community members after Columbine (and to this day) who refuse to allow any public recognition of the grief experienced by the friends and family of Eric and Dylan. One event in particular, the two crosses erected for them being ripped out of the ground, stands as a symbol. To me, the man who put up 15, rather than 13, crosses was acting out a great act of love that brought comfort to those of us laden with guilt and grief that we couldn’t express for fear of retaliation (emotional or physical).
Yeah, that kind of rubbed me the wrong way myself, but the instance that truly disturbed me is the treatment of the Pastor that offciated Dylan Klebold’s funeral, which I also thought particularly flies the the face of the notion of kindness and compassion to people who have lost their son as well.
Again, as I’ve stated, I think that it’s changing now and I think that this is an intresting subject to ponder and I particularly have to thank Courts for exploring this topic and to MissDev and everyone else who posted on this topic for their thoughts on this subject.
The Everlasting Contrast 