Evil

So, because of a recent encounter with some frenemies, I've been thinking about the term "evil." Many of us use that word to describe people that we don't like. All of us, for instance, probably have at least one "evil ex-roommate." Democrats often refer to Bush as "evil." Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, and Mussolini are all "evil" dictators. And to use Bush's unique words, terrorists are "evil-doers."

But is "evil" really the correct word? Now, don't think that for one second I am excusing the actions of any of the persons mentioned above. Each of them, to varying degrees, have committed morally reprehensible acts that betrayed friends, whole peoples, or the very nature of humanity. But here's the issue: these people should be accountable for their actions, for their choice to commit these acts. "Evil" has a sense of absolute, of innate nature, of supernatural and infinite essence. Evil is as it is; it is born not made. When we apply that term our ex-friends, ex-boyfriends, crazy in-laws, or despots like Hitler, are we using the same logic as anti-Semitics use to justify the extermination or discrimination of Jews? Jews, according to such disgusting people, are an inherently evil, base, and inhuman people just because they are. Are we saying, then, that Hitler was just born the way he was? That his actions were inevitable? No, of course not! Hitler, Stalin, terrorists, and Bush should be held accountable for the actions that they choose to make.

I'm not really sure what my point is with all of this... Or if there even is one... Maybe I just feel that we should be more aware of the impact the type of words we use has on our perceptions of people.. Of course, I am usually full of crap and half-thoughts... "Evil" might not even really have the linguistic implications that I think it does... I could just be really bored and filling my time with bad philosophical rants.

And maybe for some people, such as Hitler, there really is no other word that can truly describe their essence and actions than "evil."

Besides "evil ex-roommates" has such good alliteration, doesn't it?