The Psychology of Evil

In this article, Dr. Stephen A. Diamond describes and interprets the historical nature of evil, its sources and its effects on society. Citing psychologists and philosophers (from Empedocles to M. Scott Peck), he describes demons as the god-like spiritual drives that directed one along one’s destiny. Demons could be blamed for wrong actions or illness (demon possessions, bad karma, etc), and be the source of good fortune (miracles, luck).

Over the centuries, “Satan/the Devil” (who was the bringer/angel of bad tidings among humans, but was viewed separately from “daemons”) and “demons” have become nothing but superstitious and fanciful imaginings. In an Enlightened age, they are/were disregarded as uneducated attempts to explain natural phenomena that had scientific foundations. The author encourages us, instead of ignoring these apparitions, to view them as expressions of the human psyche.

The Devil as conceived of today (especially in the U.S.) is the personification of evil. The author explains this by saying that, instead of coming to terms with demons as a personal projection of the state of mind, the Devil has once again taken on a physical, separate identity. We cannot grasp the concept of evil, and reach back into history, ancient myths and fairy tales for explanations. In this desperate search for rationality, we find the concept of an ultimate source of cruelty, violence and ruthlessness oddly comforting.

While it would be easy to write off one’s sins as demon-inspired, this view is too simplistic. This “easy way out” reminds me of the court defense used by criminals that blame society or genetics for their crimes. Certainly, these are elements which should be taken into consideration, especially in cases of mental illness and certain drug-induced incidences, e.g. Blaming outside forces for one’s actions is much easier than admitting responsibility, and in specific instances, the plea of temporary insanity should not apply.

But it is also easier to condemn all criminals and their actions, to group them into the category of “bad” without looking at them as individuals. This begs the question: What gives us the right to judge others? If each person is unique, and each situation thereby novel, how can we truly understand the context in which the crime is placed? If all evil doings can be broken down into environmental and biological causes, what is the purpose of a court system, doling out punishment to the criminal? As a counterargument, I state that if humanity proudly proclaims free will, and how this characteristic separates them from the reflex- and instinct-driven beasts, it cannot claim to lack the ability to decide whenever it is more convenient to do so.

“Good” and “evil” exist, not in the black and white, clear-cut forms which we attribute to them, but, as human potentials. In most cases, there is a choice, which is the beauty and curse of personal freedom. Your choices define the consequences with which you will live the rest of your life---put simply, you cannot escape your own demons.