Serendib Isle recently made a comment on this post about people being evil in nature or inherently evil (perhaps even being born this way). This is a response to that using the fictional character of the Joker from the 2008's 'The Dark Knight' as an example.
First off, what I argued in that post is that there is no such thing as good or evil, only motivations. People who do evil things do so out of some kind of compulsion. Let’s take the Joker who might be classified as being just plain evil. I however disagree. While his actions are all designed to cause damage to others and generally bring about chaos there is still a motivation behind his actions.
The Joker is a twisted individual who has become this way due to reasons that are not known to us. He makes up constant stories about his origins, but what is clear is that he enjoys messing the plans of others and generally causing chaos or anarchy. You might say this is being inherently evil, but I say that his motivation is simply doing something that satisfies or pleases him. You might also say that is sympathizing with a psycho but I once again disagree.
Most of us do things that we enjoy. The problem with psychos and other crazy people is that the things that they enjoy doing are detrimental to society or just plain dangerous. The fact that such people ignore the negative aspect or even enjoy it is what allows us to deem them psychos in the first place.
So I say that everything is motivated one way or another, whether through reason or irrationality. Good and Evil are just labels we attach to events and actions to classify them in our minds.
Giving money to the poor = Good
Stealing = Bad
Stealing from the rich to give to the poor = Good if you’re poor, Bad if you’re rich
After all during war... the psychotic killer is our hero.
Please Note: This is not a flame on Serendib Isle
:)
ReplyDeleteLike I said, it is all relative. We say the Italians, the Lebanese or the Egyptians are generally loud. The Lankans are shy. But in their own cocoons, they are seen as ordinary people. Even the most introvert Lebanese person would be seen as an extrovert in our society.
Not taking care of our own parents when they are old, is also considered evil in our eyes. Does that mean the Brits, or the Americans are evil? Nope. That’s what I meant when I said “Perhaps, they are not classified as evil in their upbringing or the respective societies; but ours.”
Interesting point of view from you - but let’s hear it from the others.
you seem to consider anarchy a bad thing! ;)
ReplyDeletenailed once again. In my view evil is an art. It is just a matter of how sensitive we are to society which has defined a boundary for good and evil. Evilness is a very strong gift for a person that he/she has to use it wisely. And evilness has now being commercialised, :) Ever wonder why there are so many gore fans out there? :)
ReplyDelete"When you find yourself locked onto an unpleasant train of thought, heading for the places in your past where the screaming is unbearable, remember there's always madness. Madness is the emergency exit." - Joker
well i think as foxhound said defining what is bad and what is good is debatable. For example Hitler was an evil man for the world but during his time for his followers he was a good hero...
ReplyDeleteThough called an evil man one could could always have very good human traits but with wrong intentions...We cud take the same example here again as well. Hitler got Germany back up again and mobilized the country for a cause, he did this through a process which involved proper development of the economy, and organizing and influencing public opinion...
@Martyrhead well i wouldn't want to call Evil as some kind of a "gift" or an art to perfect. See, its great to see joker on the movie screen, his amazing commentary and style...but wud u want to be his enemy in real life? i doubt it... i mean evilness is good for the silver screen, but in real life they are the ones we call "assholes"...and in real life you are not the joker, but the joke itself...
@ Skull - hehe. What you are saying is true about the silver screen.Whoever wrote e joker's lines might be evil or might not be. But it just falls into art for me. It is one's consciousness to work his motives out for the good or bad of the society.
ReplyDeleteWe would never consider Chris Barnes (cannibal Corpse, vocalist) as an evil man do we? (or maybe because we are biased enough not to see him as one!)Some of the lyrics are just too brutal than my worst nightmare. Their lyrics has been labeled as "pure gore" and their music is banned in most parts of e world. For some people he's lyrics are evil. for some it is not. Chris is also in the view that the artwork and the lyrics of CC are just Art.
We all have good and evil embedded in our motives. Its just a matter of controlling our them. This motivations,after putting into practice will be labelled as good or evil, depending on the the collective consciousness of a given society.As a result the indivdual starts to see them not as motives but as good and evil. Therefore we all talk about good and evil! :)
Well, if joker was for real, i would have certainly end up being in his side. not just because its good or bad but motivation it will be. therefore i most certainly agree with Foxhound on his view of good and evil labels and the motivation part.
@Martyrhead
ReplyDeletedude everyone likes a cool villein..i mean there are so many who would want to be on the Joker's side...even i would like to...but the question is would you like to end up being his enemy??
What i am saying is that i real life we don't get to be the Joker..we end up in the otherside bro...
The definition of evil tend to differ according to each character and individual perception rite?
See, I would not consider heavy metal evil but i wud certainly consider a lying prick as evil ( an asshole is a better suited word, coz evil goes for ppl like Hitler, PolPot etc) ...
The thing about glamorizing evil characters in real life is that u shud be prepared to take that shit if it comes at you also. I don't think anyone who back Joker are prepared to be his enemy, so i don't really think being "evil" is a gift as u said earlier..coz in our definition (or at least mine) evil is attributed to the type of characters i have described above..and to me they are a bloody annoyance and a waste of my time...
So evil in real life is not good! I wouldn't consider heavy metal evil..but Celine Dion can be or even Usher...!!
I learned this. The ppl who admire the villains in popular culture R actually good hearted ppl (like us :D) But the ppl who admire the heros R actually cause lot of evil
ReplyDelete@Anonymous If that's what you learned..then you are a lousy learner..LOL:D
ReplyDelete@skull - I do not see evil as an attributed character according to your definition. What we both see as evil has two different views i guess but the basic remains e same. there is a saying in buddhist philosophy which goes as follows. "hondata narakata dekata sithamaya".
ReplyDeleteUsher is not Evil. U are! lol :D
@Anonymous - go get some sleep man. Seems that you have been thinking too much. :)