Amazingly detailed article covering malevolence, interaction with power, and the other nuances! Have been thinking of exploring similar topics, and found this very helpful. Besides the identified research questions, some of which I highly agree with, one additional question I was wondering is: do self-awareness of one’s own malevolence factors help one to limit the malevolence factors? if so how effective would that be? how would this change when they have power?
do self-awareness of one’s own malevolence factors help one to limit the malevolence factors?
Probably the effect would be nonlinear, like the evil people would just laugh, the average might get depressed and give up, and the mostly-good would strive to achieve perfection (or conclude that they are already good enough compared to others, and relax their efforts?).
True. I wonder for the average people, if being self-aware would at least unconsciously be a partial “blocker” on the next malevolence action they might do, and that may evolve across time too (even if it may take a bit longer than a mostly-good)
Amazingly detailed article covering malevolence, interaction with power, and the other nuances! Have been thinking of exploring similar topics, and found this very helpful. Besides the identified research questions, some of which I highly agree with, one additional question I was wondering is: do self-awareness of one’s own malevolence factors help one to limit the malevolence factors? if so how effective would that be? how would this change when they have power?
Probably the effect would be nonlinear, like the evil people would just laugh, the average might get depressed and give up, and the mostly-good would strive to achieve perfection (or conclude that they are already good enough compared to others, and relax their efforts?).
True. I wonder for the average people, if being self-aware would at least unconsciously be a partial “blocker” on the next malevolence action they might do, and that may evolve across time too (even if it may take a bit longer than a mostly-good)