The Nature of Evil

Roy Baumeister is a psychologist who spent time studying the nature of evil. He was startled to discover that he had to change his questions in order to complete his research. He began by asking the question: "Why is there evil?" and later amended it too read, "Why do some people do things that other people consider to be evil?"

According to Baumeister, the problem was this - the most evil among us do not see their actions as evil. They have constructed a world in which their evil actions make sense. They are certain and do not equivocate - they have a right to take these actions, they deserve to hurt and disrespect others. Their self-esteem is through the roof! Truly evil people believe that they are good and everyone else is bad.

It turns out that certainty is actually harmful for us. Certainty makes us feel worse. Certainty and our efforts to achieve it lead to more anxiety and insecurity.

The more certain we become, the less alert and curious we are to the situations around us. We feel more entitled and less humbled by circumstances that challenge our convictions. Maybe we think we deserve to cheat at tennis, because we are certain we should be able to win some games off of our husband - hypothetically speaking! (Just for the record, I do not cheat at tennis. But I think about it.)

The more we embrace uncertainty and curiosity, the more comfortable we get with knowing that we do not know, the higher our potential for health and happiness. Uncertainty leads to less judgment, more growth and the potential for progress in solving problems. The more we can acknowledge that we do not know, or - heaven forbid - are wrong, we open up to knew ways of being in the world.