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I am not religious, nor a genetic theorist. Evil is as evil does. If someone does horrible things, and they are not mentally ill, they are evil or, if you prefer, a bad person. And I don't believe upbringing should be used as an excuse for horrible behavior. We all make our own choices and are responsible for those choices. I am sick of "his parents spanked him" or "he didn't have a daddy" being used as justification for horrific acts. If those situations caused criminal acts, everyone with the same background would be a criminal.
As for Germany, you are wrong. The majority of people were so afraid of the consequences of standing up to nazi rule that they just kept quiet and tried to keep their heads down. Those who were caught in anti-government activities were dealt with swiftly and deadly. There were still quite a few underground activists who helped Jewish people and tried to covertly work against the government.
Ok. When you used the word evil it aroused suspicion in me, but your explanation is vague but understandable as a "bad" person. I have to ask then, what makes a person "bad"? Do they come out of the womb that way, innately bad? That's why my nurture argument. I believe if brought up in a compassionate family, and living in a compassionate society, these "nature" break throughs to "bad" behavior are rare. Remember the shooter Anders Breivik in Norway that took out so many at a day camp with a gun? It made news because it doesn't happen there very often, unlike here in the US where mass shootings are now daily occurrences. Their society is more compassionate as a whole.
Germany, well I won't go there and split hairs over what the majority felt, my argument is that German society was indeed sick. Many, if not a majority did buy into the Nazi supremacy. The regieme brainwashed people with propaganda, and people did buy into that sickness.
An average fentanyl peddler has OD body count that would make even the most prolific serial killer green with envy - are all of them mentally ill or are they simply worthless pieces of sh*t who only care about money and have zero concern for their fellow human beings? Same goes for gangbangers who have no issue unloading a high-capacity magazine down a busy street at what they think is a wrong-colored hat with zero concern for all the innocent bystanders standing between their gun and the said wrong-colored hat - are all of them mentally ill or are they simply worthless pieces of sh*t?
Ok. When you used the word evil it aroused suspicion in me, but your explanation is vague but understandable as a "bad" person. I have to ask then, what makes a person "bad"? Do they come out of the womb that way, innately bad? That's why my nurture argument. I believe if brought up in a compassionate family, and living in a compassionate society, these "nature" break throughs to "bad" behavior are rare.
Yes, I believe some people are just born bad, or defective, if you prefer. They love to inflict pain and suffering and usually start with animals, sometimes graduating to humans. Nurture and supervision may be able to control them for a while, but eventually their true nature will appear. This is different from someone "normal" who suddenly snaps.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NoMansLands
Remember the shooter Anders Breivik in Norway that took out so many at a day camp with a gun? It made news because it doesn't happen there very often, unlike here in the US where mass shootings are now daily occurrences. Their society is more compassionate as a whole.
Compassion is great, but not if compassion for bad people is at the expense of others. I believe society has a duty to protect people and animals from those who do deliberate harm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NoMansLands
Germany, well I won't go there and split hairs over what the majority felt, my argument is that German society was indeed sick. Many, if not a majority did buy into the Nazi supremacy. The regieme brainwashed people with propaganda, and people did buy into that sickness.
The sickness was Hitler's and his minions/supporters who, by brutal dictatorship rule, were able to control everyone. Courage for opposition is difficult when you risk your life and that of your entire family.
Today, seemingly whenever a horrible person commits a horrific crime the defense is always "Well, they suffer from depression, schizophrenia, or some other abc mental illness" Like Hitler., Salin,.Genghis Khan, Mao. Pol Pot, were all of them just mentally ill or not? Can people NOT be mentally ill and still commit rape, murder genocide and the like?
To answer your thread question, oh I think so. Some people are just sadistic & enjoy the pain & suffering of others. The more gruesome things they can cause, the better to them. Now I don't know if that's considered having any kind of mental issue...does it have to? Some people out there can just like it & be perfectly sane, right?
My fiance' thinks there are literally devilish people who walk amongst us on this earth.
Look at how many spouses kill one another. Did Gabby Petito feel safe up until the point that her fiancee, Brian Laundrie, was strangling her? How about the way Maya Millette felt at the moment her husband was shooting her? I don't believe either of these people were diagnosed with a longstanding mental illness before their crimes.
Laundrie told police, that he had a mental health condition, but wasn't taking his meds.
OP, it depends on how you define "mental illness". The personality disorders (Borderline PD, Narcissistic PD, etc.) are a class of mental illness. IMO many of the people who commit crimes probably have a condition, that's considered a type of mental illness: sociopathy, for example. That's why they're able to harm people with no compunction. But are they mentally ill to the point of not being in control of themselves or not being aware of the consequences of what they're doing? No. They know what they're doing, they just justify it to themselves, and have no empathy for their victims, nor for a lot of other people they cross paths with.
Today, seemingly whenever a horrible person commits a horrific crime the defense is always "Well, they suffer from depression, schizophrenia, or some other abc mental illness"
There’s a huge difference between depression or ‘abc mental illness’ vs. (the various types of) an insanity defense. The use (and success) of an insanity plea is actually extremely rare i.e. the opposite of what you state, above.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Forever Blue
Some people are just sadistic & enjoy the pain & suffering of others. The more gruesome things they can cause, the better to them. Now I don't know if that's considered having any kind of mental issue...does it have to?
How is this not mental illness of some sort, lol? That said, it’s quite different than being relative to an insanity (or any) defense.
Last edited by CorporateCowboy; 05-08-2022 at 09:59 PM..
Reason: typo
Today, seemingly whenever a horrible person commits a horrific crime the defense is always "Well, they suffer from depression, schizophrenia, or some other abc mental illness"
Quote:
Originally Posted by CA4Now
Why is it that when people do horribly deplorable acts it's always blamed on mental illness?
It’s not ‘always’ blamed on mental illness; that said - if so, that’s not the same as a legal (insanity) defense for a horrific crime. In other words, is anyone going to argue one who sadistically derives pleasure from stabbing or beating their victim isn’t mentally ill, to some degree? That said, it doesn’t mean it’s relevant to their crime/defense.
It’s not ‘always’ blamed on mental illness...
Actually, that was the title of that particular thread. I personally don't believe that someone could commit a horrific crime such as murder and NOT be mentally disturbed.
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