Difference Between Evil And Messed Up

[shimmerz]

Does anyone have any thoughts on what defines evil intentions in a person as opposed to just 'messed up'? Working on something and I feel that understanding what evil is would help quite a bit.

 

[watundah]

I think evil implies bad intent whereas messed up could mean maladjusted and therefore not intentional.

 

[Chava]

The word "evil" honestly never pops into my vocabulary. I know mean, destructive, and manipulative people who are likely acting out of their own pain. I'd say "evil" actions are most likely connected to those that are what I understand as sociopathic...creating pain, suffering, torture, or worse for others, with total disregard. No guilt, no care. Total shutdown of human empathy.

Again, I don't even use the word evil. But evil intentions seem to come from sociopaths. In my daily life, it's not uncommon to see a lot of "messed up" behavior hurting others. It's still not really excusable. The person creating the harm still is responsible. And if the damage is serious, there needs to be corrective action or justice.

In regular daily life, I come across "messed up" behavior and even "messed up" harmful intentions only once in a while (trying to smear or blame or damage others through lies or other words..."messed up" and maladjusted, but with the intent to hurt others or project blame, etc). This stuff is usually recognized in adults and met with boundaries, and sometimes modeling better behavior where appropriate. It's the stuff of major relationship and workplace chaos and why we need level-headed admins and HR people. :)

 

[Casey_03]

Evil means no conscience, that the wrongdoer doesn't even see anything wrong with what they are doing. They can hurt someone terribly and think it was okay; they don't lose sleep over it. I think there are more messed up people than evil ones, though. The messed up ones hurt others because they themselves are in pain or emotional turmoil; they don't realize that what they are doing is wrong because their judgment is clouded, but eventually they will feel guilt over what they've done.

 

[shimmerz]

The word "evil" honestly never pops into my vocabulary. I know mean, destructive, and manipulative people who are likely acting out of their own pain. I'd say "evil" actions are most likely connected to those that are what I understand as sociopathic...creating pain, suffering, torture, or worse for others, with total disregard. No guilt, no care. Total shutdown of human empathy.

Is there an end result difference to the end user if there is no intent?

 

[Chava]

Is there an end result difference to the end user if there is no intent?

That I can't answer. I'm not religious enough to talk about "evil." If someone murders another person in a short fit of rage (no intent), is that some world-source of evil working through that person? I can't answer these questions. But I'm just far too anti-linguistic anyway.

 

[EveHarrington]

I believe evil, chaos, etc all come from the same source. It's all just a matter of degree. Some of the most egregious acts aren't meant to harm rather are rooted in selfishness and a desire to simply get what one wants with no regard for anyone else.

 

[Deleted member 28740]

Is there an end result difference to the end user if there is no intent?

Question confuses me. Does it make a difference to the one harmed what if any intent by abuser?

By a stranger or someone you know? That does change perception of possible intent. Random versus personal. For me it is easier to not look into intent for the random, not about me, just happened to me. Personal, whole other unending process. As though if you could just figure out why or what could have changed it (as in that I could have prevented, escaped, done something).

New term I heard about today. OTSD. Ongoing. Not POST.

 

[shimmerz]

Does it make a difference to the one harmed what if any intent by abuser?

Yes. This. Does the end result of intentional harm vs not intentional matter to me at the end of the day? Or does the intent damage me more? Are there implications there to my continued well being? Does a mistake or a pattern of hurtful behaviour in someone that I can identify (and therefore avoid) matter to the relationship?

someone you know? That does change perception of possible intent. Random versus personal.

Yes, I hadn't thought about this. Random vs personal. Thank you. Sorry, I know this is confusing because to ME it is confusing. Trying to tease it out so it makes more sense to me ..... maybe then this will sound more rational.

 

[Rumors]

This is my definition of evil....

 

[scout86]

@shimmerz , have you read "The People of the Lie"? Interesting book about this topic. And one of my first homework assignments in therapy.

I'm going to go all weird New Age/ religious on everyone and say that I believe Evil is a force that really exists in the universe. Things (or people) may chose to serve Evil, or not. They may accidentally serve Evil or not.

If I get run over by a truck, does it matter if the driver intended to hit me or not? Kind of "not" to me, because I'm equally dead. But to the rest of the universe maybe it does, because that driver might be inclined to do it again.

I've discussed this with my T. His position is that he believes a person can be born Evil. (Think psychopath) But that evil behavior is a choice. And "messed up"......... I suppose if one is messed up by life events you didn't have a choice about the events. But we do have choices about how we deal with them down the road.

 

[Rumors]

@scout86
Enter the phrase "when we know better we do better" as it pertains to how we deal with things down the road...