Ologies with Alie Ward Critical Ponerology (WHAT IS “EVIL”?) with Kenneth MacKendrick
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Oct 22, 2025 Kenneth MacKendrick, a professor at the University of Manitoba and author of 'Evil: A Critical Primer,' takes listeners on a deep dive into the concept of evil. He explores how cultural narratives shape our understanding of what constitutes 'evil,' using Dracula as a lens to discuss human dehumanization. The conversation touches on the power dynamics of labeling, emotional responses like disgust and shame, and the historical context behind evil in society. MacKendrick also examines how language influences our perception and why women are often associated with impurity.
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How Evil Becomes Thinkable
- Kenneth MacKendrick noticed most books on evil list atrocities but skip how the idea of evil itself forms.
- He asks how societies make evil thinkable and how that shapes responses to perceived threats.
Dracula Example Shows Vigilante Certainty
- MacKendrick recounts Dracula's hunters obliterating him without trial in Bram Stoker's novel.
- He finds the hunters scarier than Dracula because they act with no guilt or doubt.
Choose Conversation Over Purification
- Sit down and talk across differences instead of pushing people away out of fear.
- Ask questions and seek consensus rather than escalating to moral purity battles.
