The Bunker – News without the nonsense Why are we drawn to evil? – Bonus edition from Why? with Emma Kennedy
Dec 28, 2024
In this engaging conversation, Dr. Sohom Das, a forensic psychiatrist and author of "In Two Minds," dives into our unsettling fascination with evil. He discusses the psychological motivations behind our obsession with true crime, exploring societal impacts and the glamorization of malevolence. The chat touches on gender disparities in crime, the complexities of evil behavior, and how social media might desensitize our empathy. Prepare to rethink your relationship with narratives of horror and the darker sides of human nature!
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Defining Evil
- Evil isn't a clinical term, but traits like lack of empathy, remorse, sadism, and narcissism combine to form what might be considered evil.
- Psychopaths are evil and manipulative, but not all evil people are psychopaths.
Personality Disorder vs. Mental Illness
- Personality disorders are ingrained traits causing conflict, while mental illnesses are states of being outside the norm.
- A personality disorder is intrinsic to you, while mental illness is different from your baseline and can theoretically be treated with medication.
Psychopathy vs. Schizophrenia
- Sohom Das argues that psychopathic actions might be considered more evil than those caused by schizophrenia.
- This is because psychopathic actions are premeditated, while schizophrenic violence might be a reaction to hallucinations or delusions.
