'Evil'

[punchdrunk]

This is perhaps just a quibble, but I dislike when people use the word 'evil' when referring to politics, or for that matter any natural or temporal subject. 'Evil' has strong supernatural connotations and when used in a political book conflates the two meanings. Let's give Evil to the fundies and let's instead use perhaps Wrong. The fundies won't use it; 'The Axis of Wrong' just doesn't work.

 

[CBL4]

I don't see evil as being supernatural and, therefore, I disagree with you. There is a large difference between wrong things and evil things. Littering is wrong. Killing millions is evil.

I do agree that the word evil is overused and I try to limit my use. Hitler, Stalin are Mao are clearly evil. Saddam, Assad and Milosevic are evil. Castro and Arafat are about as far as I can go and still consider using the word evil and I am not sure I would actually describe either tyrant as evil.

I am aware of any one in contemporary politics in the west who comes close to being evil.

CBL

 

[crimresearch]

It isn't really the word's fault...


"Evil was the word the Anglo-Saxons used where we would use bad, cruel, unskillful, defective (adj.), or harm, crime, misfortune, disease. The meaning "extreme moral wickedness" was in O.E., but did not become the main sense until 18c"
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=evil


And that would make giving a perfectly usable word away to the fundies, a real....evil thing.

 

[punchdrunk]

I don't see evil as being supernatural and, therefore, I disagree with you. There is a large difference between wrong things and evil things. Littering is wrong. Killing millions is evil.

Wrong can mean evil:

Wrong:

1. Contrary to conscience, morality, or law; immoral or wicked.
2. Unfair; unjust.

What it doesn't have are strong other-worldly connotations.

 

[punchdrunk]

It isn't really the word's fault...


"Evil was the word the Anglo-Saxons used where we would use bad, cruel, unskillful, defective (adj.), or harm, crime, misfortune, disease. The meaning "extreme moral wickedness" was in O.E., but did not become the main sense until 18c"
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=evil

You see? Just more historical evidence of the Religiofascists continual effort to take from us skeptics.

 

[crimresearch]

What it doesn't have are strong other-worldly connotations.

Neither does evil. Tht's just bad PR

 

[The idea]

I am aware of any one in contemporary politics in the west who comes close to being evil.

aware

I expected that someone else would have already brought attention to this. Am I the rudest nitpicker here or is everybody else waiting for the two-hour limit to be up so that CBL4 won't be able to edit it?

 

[Giz]

'Evil' has strong supernatural connotations

This must be a US thing. I've never come across it being used to imply a supernatural influence...

 

[Bodhi Dharma Zen]

I do agree that the word evil is overused and I try to limit my use. Hitler, Stalin are Mao are clearly evil. Saddam, Assad and Milosevic are evil. Castro and Arafat are about as far as I can go and still consider using the word evil and I am not sure I would actually describe either tyrant as evil.

Oh, no. It depends who you ask. For instance I prefer the word tyrant to define those individuals, "evil" always comes attached with religious wooism. It is a religious concept, it implies that "evil" and "good" are objective, ontologically "real". Thats silly.

 

[Mycroft]

I've never felt the word "evil" to have super-natural connotations. Some actions are evil, it depends on if they're intended to harm people or not.

I think it has a strong moral implication, which makes it sound so odd in a political book because we often avoid discussing morality in politics.

 

[CBL4]

Originally posted by Bodhi Dharma Zen
I prefer the word tyrant to define those individuals, "evil" always comes attached with religious wooism.

I generally prefer the word tyrant because it is clearly accurate and seems more professional. However, there are times when "evil" is appropriate. Recently I have been discussing Mao and Pol Pot. To only call them tyrants puts them in the same league as Arafat or Castro but they are much, much worse.

CBL

 

[punchdrunk]

Well, it seems we have a somewhat mixed response on the idea of 'evil' having strong supernatural connotations. Which is suprising and enlightening to me because I had assumed its use in that light was commonplace. Understand that I do realize the word has natural definitions and when used by a rational person I can be assured of the substance of its meaning; when a woo says it, I never know if they are referring to real evil or some cloven-hoofed red guy living somewhere below the earth's crust.