Evil Exists Because Good People Do Nothing

There are people who wave flags of kindness and are proud of their altruism. But their words turn out to be empty when they see “everyday” evil and they do nothing. Their inefficiency is evident when they turn away, shut their mouths, and remain silent in the face of injustice and the humiliation of others.

A classic of evil is the mass murder of entire ethnic groups. We hear “evil” and think of people who take their lives by force. We imagine a torturer or a terrorist killing in the name of some god. But we must make it clear that evil acts are happening every minute, every day, around us. They happen in our families and people close to us.

Besides, most of us do not have the ability to save anyone from war or violent situations we see every day on TV and social media. But sometimes looking up from our screens to witness things that break with our sense of humanity is all we need to do.

And so often we are quietly complicit in these actions. By doing nothing, looking the other way, swallowing our discomfort, and turning our attention to something else, we participate.

We talk about situations like bullying, or hear screams coming through the walls from our neighbors. Inside, children are crying and spouses are being abused in silence. We also talk about the neighbor who harms his pet, the mother who is mean to her child when she accompanies him to school, the boss who exploits and humiliates his employee.

Evil has many faces, forms and ways of spreading its power. Nevertheless, the reason it survives is very clear:

The origin of evil and tolerance for evil

Arthur Conan Doyle used a very interesting expression in his books when Sherlock Holmes confronted Professor James Moriarty. He said Moriarty was suffering from “moral madness”. Without meaning to, this expression actually encapsulates an idea that many of us have. The idea is that only sick people or people with some kind of mental illness are capable of committing evil deeds.

It may be that as long as we can use the label “pathological”, we somehow find meaning in actions that seem illogical and inexplicable. Yet, as discouraging as it may be, it does not always have to do with illness or suffering. In fact, in most cases of horrible, destructive behavior, there is no antisocial personality disorder or disease.

Sometimes a normal person does something bad because that’s how they were raised. They can be taught habits from a dysfunctional childhood. Other times, they are people with poor emotional control who are carried by impulses and influences outside. Finally, there are times when our surroundings and circumstances seem like a current that draws us toward evil.

Albert Ellis himself once explained that an evil “essence” or an evil gene does not exist, or at least it is extremely rare. The truth is that we are all capable of being complicit in evil, given the right moments and relationships.

When we do nothing: Why do we remain silent in the face of injustice?

Let’s return to the title of this article. One of the reasons why evil triumphs is because seemingly good people do nothing. But why? Why do we not shop? What explains our silence, our closed eyes to the truth? To see anywhere but not where the evil is happening? Let’s look at some basic examples and reflect.

• The first reason is simple. We tell ourselves that what we see has nothing to do with us. We are not responsible, we have not caused it, and the person suffering is not part of our group. A lack of emotional involvement is definitely one of the main reasons for our lack of action.
• The second aspect is related to our need to preserve peace. For example, a teenager who witnesses an injury done to another student may choose to remain silent instead of saying something. His passivity may be due to his fear of upsetting the balance. He may also be afraid of endangering his social position. Defending the victim can put him in a dangerous place. There he would risk losing his status and perhaps end up as a prey himself.

We know it’s not easy, especially when we have something to lose and the others have something to gain. Still we must try to look for new ways to defend the person who needs help. As the philosopher Edmund Burke said, justice exists only because people make an effort to oppose injustice.

The importance of opening your eyes to the evils of everyday life

We said it before, and we say it again: evil comes in many forms and sizes. It can be subtle, and it speaks many languages. Privileges, verbal aggression, discrimination, rejection, injustice…

It is not about going out and looking for evil and suffering. It’s simpler, more basic and useful than that. All we need to do is open our eyes and be sensitive to what is happening right in front of us. Every day, in our own neighborhoods. We are all responsible for stopping injustice, and there is no better place to start than at home.

Moral integrity is our daily duty. That’s when we decide to do something. We condemn crime, mistreatment, aggression or injustice. Let goodness really make sense. Let’s give goodness a real voice.