Baumeister's point is that we have a deep need to understand violence and cruelty through what he calls "the myth of pure evil." Of this myth's many parts, the most important are that evildoers are pure in their evil motives (they have no motives for their actions beyond sadism and greed); victims are pure in their victimhood (they did nothing to bring about their victimization); and evil comes from outside and is associated with a group or force that attacks our group. Furthermore, anyone who questions the application of the myth, who dares muddy the waters of moral certainty, is in league with evil. Jonathan Haidt
Some Similar Quotes
  1. Neither love nor evil conquers all, but evil cheats more. - Laurell K. Hamilton
  2. I told him I was going to betray you, and betray Lyra, and he believed me because I was corrupt and full of wickedness; he looked so deep I felt sure he'd see the truth. But I lied too well. I was lying with every... - Philip Pullman
  3. There are only two forces at work in this world- black and white. Only people are grey. - Chris Heimerdinger
  4. Well, that's an evil smile... - James Patterson
  5. You know how confusing the whole good-evil concept is for me. - Jim Butcher
More Quotes By Jonathan Haidt
  1. The rider evolved to serve to the elephant.
  2. The president is the high priest of what sociologist Robert Bellah calls the 'American civil religion.' The president must invoke the name of God (though not Jesus), glorify America's heroes and history, quote its sacred texts (the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution), and perform...
  3. Religiosity developed because successful religions made groups more efficient at turning resources into offspring." (including art, cathedrals, cities, earthworks, etc?)
  4. The most powerful force ever known on this planet is human cooperation – a force for construction and destruction.
  5. Anyone who values truth should stop worshipping reason.
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