I’m sure serial killers somehow justify their actions to themselves.
Discussion
I often wonder about this. I don’t deny evil to be real, I just wonder at the root cause. Let’s assume there is a moral base layer.
If you don’t understand the base layer and commit evil out of ignorance, does that make you evil?
If you understand and disagree with the base layer, and thus commit evil in someone else’s eyes but not your own, does that make you evil?
If you understand and agree with the base layer of morality, yet willingly ignore and cross the base layer, does that make you evil?
I don’t think any one instance of these makes anyone evil to the core, however depending on your true mindset this would determine the evilness of the action. I do think there are those who are evil to the core (or as close to humanly possible to such a perfect evilness) but I have never met such a person myself. Like I said most people I’ve met are good people when you get past all the posturing.
Keep in mind, I have absolutely no authority to speak of such things…these are merely the thoughts of an unremarkable middle aged man trying to understand things beyond his limited comprehension 😂
Will reply later.
I do think some people are born with capacity or potential to be evil; a biological component .
Like people born without empathy and can’t feel things properly. A kid who enjoys hurting animals is a sign of it, being intentionally cruel, etc.
If “the bad seed” (seen film) grew up in an abusive (physically, emotionally, usually both) environment, I think they are much more likely to act on their evilness.
The TV series “Dexter” is interesting cuz he’s a serial killer but has a personal code that he follows.
To me this would be an inability to understand the moral base layer. They aren’t willfully crossing the base layer, they just don’t understand or aren’t built to understand. The acts themselves are evil but is the person evil?
Now imagine a person who knows these acts are evil but does them regardless. This to me is more evil than the person who does them out of a lack of understanding because they know what they are doing is evil but elect to do it anyway.
Thank God that I am not God and don’t have to make these judgements.