Why ill will is a myth

I don’t think ill will exist because I can’t see it filling any evolutionary function.  So why would humanity have it to a lager or lesser degree?  Egoism, anger and revenge fill evolutionary functions.  But destroying for oneself and/or others for destroying’s own sake?  This makes no sense to me.  At least not in the context which humans originally lived in.

It may matter that I am a sensible utilitarian.  It is then an action’s consequences which decide if it is ethical.  This of cause applies to the extent these can be predicted.  The result is what people call “evilness” is not an inner characteristic.  Instead, it is something people can become if they are placed in a situation enabling evil acts.  Just how evil they then become depend on how they exploit their situation.  The later varies individually.

Naturally, I don’t deny that evilness exists.  However, it can’t be explained in terms of ill will.  I think it is desperation which is the cause of a great deal of crimes.  This of cause applies to such crimes you can earn money from.  Otherwise, it is often the belief it is one’s victims which are evil making one a perpetrator.  In the next few posts, I will explain how such myths arouse.

What about the really large-scale evilness?  I don’t think there is anything more dangerous than misdirected benevolence.  Add having a position signifying unchecked power over others.  Then you can vast immense resources in the belief it would reach goals which later fails to materialise.  If a regime survive long enough it refuses to accept this.  It then tries to find scrap-goats making it even worse.  Many of the world’s worst regimes can be explained in this way.

Uploaded on the 14th of April 2023.