Donald Trump and the concept of evil

[cali]

Evil, in a general context, is the absence or opposite of that which is ascribed as being good. Often, evil is used to denote profound immorality.[1] In certain religious contexts, evil has been described as a supernatural force.[1] Definitions of evil vary, as does the analysis of its motives.[2] However, elements that are commonly associated with evil involve unbalanced behavior involving expediency, selfishness, ignorance, or neglect.[3]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil

I'd add to that rather serviceable definition that evil can be both micro and macro with the latter causing far more widespread damage than the former. Trump is a macro evil: He brings out the worst in his followers. Macro Evil invariably looked on as good, and quite often as divinely inspired, by those in thrall to it.

I rarely use the term. I have a strong reluctance to applying it to individuals, but Trump embodies both micro and macro forms of evil. Forget the supernatural aspects attributed to the word. Trump's motives are bound to his ego, to his view of himself as Superman- his towering delusion of grandeur. There is no room for good within that framework.

Am I making more of him than he deserves? Had he remained merely a real estate tycoon and reality star, that would be true, but he has moved into a larger sphere at a particularly ugly time in our national history, exploiting the fears, resentment and hatred of aging white Americans, who although in their last gasp, are still a powerful bloc.

[Avalux]

1. If I believed in such things, I'd say he's the antichrist.

Your description of him bringing out the worst in his supporters while portraying himself as the most awesome human being alive fits perfectly. He also appears to wear teflon, as nothing he does or says seems to be detrimental; in fact it seems that the more lies he tells the more people like him.

Yeah, if I believed in such things.

[nruthie]

2. Yeah, me too.

He oozes evil from every pore. He scares me.

[Angry Dragon]

3. Evil exists only because god created it

so s/he must want it to be so

[cali]

4. I don't think of evil in supernatural terms.

[H2O Man]

5. Right.

"Evil" is entirely human.

[Angry Dragon]

7. it is just the balance of the universe

good-evil
love-hate

[cali]

12. I prefer to think of it in less grand terms

I think the absence of good really works as a definition.

[Angry Dragon]

13. Do you think of love and hate in the same way?? Just wondering

[TIME TO PANIC]

6. Trump is DANGEROUS,

but I'm not sure he's evil. I think he's a narcissistic egomaniac desperately trying to fill a void because he has such shallow values. The racist xenophobic followers he panders to are mostly just scared and confused. The corporate media who've allowed him exposure and given him legitimacy, when they no damn well he is rallying the worst elements of our society, are as EVIL as it gets.

[enough]

8. By the time he got on to "We need to go after their families,"

I changed my view of him from dangerous to evil.

[TIME TO PANIC]

10. Damn, I didn't know he said that!

He's entered into fascist territory now. This is getting scary!

[zappaman]

9. I think he's the most dangerous, scary motherfucker to ever run for President.

Certainly in my lifetime if not all time.
Although Pat Robertson is up there as well...

[spanone]

11. ^^^^^^^YES^^^^^^^

[First Speaker]

14. Is he more evil if he's faking it, or if he's "sincere"...?

...probably, it's a mixture of both. People come to believe what they say, if they say it enough. God knows, Hitler was "sincere." McCarthy, I feel, was not, though by the end he might have come to half-believe some of his own BS. Trump probably believes everything he says while he's saying it, though he might wink at himself in the mirror after. My feeling is, if he *doesn't* believe it, that makes it worse...

[Tommy_Carcetti]

15. I do not think Donald Trump himself is evil....

...as I don't believe any human being is pure evil. It's one of the reasons I'm unequivocally opposed to the death penalty. I'd like to believe any person has the ability for redemption up until he or she takes their last breath. That even goes for people like Hitler or Stalin; while I highly doubt they ever felt remorse or regret for their actions or sought to atone for them, they nonetheless had the capability to do so.

Evil to me is not people but rather thoughts and actions. Genocide and bigotry and the like are evil.

So needless to say, I don't think Donald Trump is an evil man.

However, I do believe much of what he stands for--the pure egoism, the narcissism, the selfish pride, the vindictiveness, and now the fostering of hatred and suspicion of "the other', all for his own personal gain, is in fact evil.

So Trump's not evil, but what he's all about is.