"Evil, I think, is the absence of empathy."

[StrictlyRockers]

“In my work with the defendants (at the Nuremberg Trials 1945-1949) I was searching for the nature of evil and I now think I have come close to defining it. A lack of empathy. It’s the one characteristic that connects all the defendants, a genuine incapacity to feel with their fellow men.

Evil, I think, is the absence of empathy.”

-Captain G. M. Gilbert, the Army psychologist assigned to watching the defendants at the Nuremberg trials

“In my work with the (Nuremberg Trial) defendants, I was searching for the nature of evil, and I now think I have come close to defining it. A lack of empathy... a genuine incapacity to feel with their fellow men. Evil, I think, is the absence of empathy.”

- Captain G.M. Gilbert, US Army

— StrictlyChristo 🇺🇦🌻🚫👑 (@strictlychristo.bsky.social) 2025-10-29T21:37:32.448Z

[normalynn]

1. precisely true

Evil is simple, though its manifestations can be complex.

[Blues Heron]

2. Musk is a profoundly fucked up human, as is Trump, Miller, Vought, Johnson, Tuberville, Comer, etc.

[Clouds Passing]

3. And compassion.

[erronis]

4. I'll believe that any empathetic human can be turned into a monster if their lives depend on it.

That's not a quote - just my totally non-psy-professional opinion.

Good people will make the right decisions to help other people when the opportunity is presented.

But when the evil is dripped slowly, slowly and normalized by society, it seems easier to ignore the evil at first, accept, and then participate.

I hope I don't have to experience this personally, but it seems very close.

[pat_k]

5. If Schopenhauer's observations are correct, compassion is the basis of morality

While compassion and empathy aren't quite the same thing, people connected to our basic common humanity and compassion will always be the counterweight to those of "bad character." Compassion is a mighty force. Hold on to it.

The following from The Basis of Morality on the "radical difference of mental habit between the good character and the bad" really struck me.

Page 277

The preponderance of either mode of viewing life not only determines single acts; it shapes a man's whole nature and temperament. Hence the radical difference of mental habit between the good character and the bad.

The latter feels everywhere that a thick wall of partition hedges him off from all others. For him the world is an absolute non-ego, and his relation to it an essentially hostile one; consequently, the key-note of his disposition is hatred, suspicion, envy, and pleasure in seeing distress.

The good character, on the other hand, lives in an external world homogeneous with his own being; the rest of mankind is not in his eyes a non-ego; he thinks of it rather as "myself once more." He therefore stands on an essentially amicable footing with every one: he is conscious of being, in his inmost nature, akin to the whole human race, takes direct interest in their weal and woe, and confidently assumes in their case the same interest in him. This is the source of his deep inward peace, and of that happy, calm, contented manner, which goes out on those around him, and is as the "presence of a good diffused."

Whereas the bad character in time of trouble has no trust in the help of his fellow-creatures. If he invokes aid, he does so without confidence: obtained, he feels no real gratitude for it; because he can hardly discern therein anything but the effect of others' folly. For he is simply incapable of recognising his own self in some one else; and this, even after it has furnished the most incontestible signs of existence in that other person: on which fact the repulsive nature of all unthankfulness in reality depends. The moral isolation, which thus naturally and inevitably encompasses the bad man, is often the cause of his becoming the victim of despair.

The good man, on the contrary, will appeal to his neighbours for assistance, with an assurance equal to the consciousness he has of being ready himself to help them. As I have said: to the one type, humanity is a non-ego; to the other, "myself once more." The magnanimous character, who forgives his enemy, and returns good for evil, rises to the sublime, and receives the highest meed of praise; because he recognises his real self even there where it is most conspicuously disowned.

As I read the following bit, DT's "suckers and losers" echoed in my head:

"he feels no real gratitude for it; because he can hardly discern therein anything but the effect of others' folly. "

Page 214

Boundless compassion for all living beings is the surest and most certain guarantee of pure moral conduct, and needs no casuistry. Whoever is filled with it will assuredly injure no one, do harm to no one, encroach on no man's rights; he will rather have regard for every one, forgive every one, help every one as far as he can, and all his actions will bear the stamp of justice and loving-kindness.

[milestogo]

6. I think that evil is much larger than the absence of empathy.

All narcissists lack empathy. But they are not all murderers.

[Grins]

7. Like this guy...?

“I can't stand empathy. I think empathy is a made-up, New Age term that — it does a lot of damage, but it is very effective when it comes to politics.” – Charlie Kirk.

[Codifer]

8. From 65 years ago,

a line I can remember. Nothing else, just the line:

"Fathers and teachers I ponder, what is hell? I maintain that it is the inability to love."

I suppose I could google it....

[Initech]

9. Trump could shoot someone on 5th avenue.

And not only would people not care, Fox and Newsmax would be actively convincing people that the shooter was the enemy or that it didn't happen, or both.

[Martin Eden]

10. Lack of empathy may be a requisite for evil, but not the definition of it

Not caring about the plight of victims is one thing. Actually victimizing them is another.

Of course, there are shades of gray. Ordinary Trump voters enabled what is now happening on the streets of American cities, and some applaud it because they don't just lack empathy -- they HATE the victims.

Setting aside current events, if no one is being victimized -- no evil is being done -- does a lack of empathy in and of itself constitute evil?

Sociopathy, perhaps.

[Jbraybarten]

11. Lack of empathy was praised by Kirk too.

[electric_blue68]

12. There's lack of empathy & compassionate, plus Active Cruelty