Good vs. Bad - two different sub-species?
The question: Why does there seem to be two types of people: those who are willing to harm another (physically, financially, or emotionally) and those who would never do so intentionally?
I got another scam call today. It doesn't matter who they were claiming to be, or what they wanted me to do. The only important point was that they were trying to defraud me. Take my money. With no benefit to me. Theft.
How can they do this, and live with themselves? A few times in the past, I have asked one of these people: "Does your grandmother know what you do for a living, and is she proud of you?" Another alternative, for example when "Kevin" is clearly calling from Mumbai: "How is your dharma?"
These people are often ridiculously incompetent, so those of us who have managed to evade their grasp make jokes about scammers - yet thousands (millions? !source needed!) of people are snagged every year, which is clearly why this antisocial behaviour persists. !how much? source needed!
They may make us roll our eyes, but how different are they from the people we recognize as evil: those who assault others, commit murder, or perform genocide? The consequences of their actions may be more dramatic, but destroying a person's life by stealing all their money can be just as significant as doing it by beating them into a wheelchair. These acts share a fundamental wrongness, regardless of how many people are affected, and to what degree.
Even an act as easily overlooked as a parent telling their child that they are stupid can be classed with the scammers and killers - they are exerting power to harm another person. Usually there is a specific outcome that benefits the perpetrator - like cash - but in some cases it's a vague psychological lift.
I don't claim to be a paladin, but I have never done something intentionally that would harm another person. Oh, I've delivered some crushing bodychecks while playing hockey, and won business contracts by competing fiercely - but that's different (I think?) because they had entered the game freely and had the opportunity to do the same to me. !explore other differentiating aspects!
And I'm pretty sure that all my friends, most of my relatives, and the vast majority of people I interact with are like me. We obey the law, pay our taxes, and most of all observe the golden rule. We never, ever hurt someone else. In fact, we go out of our way to avoid verbal or physical confrontation, even when someone might deserve to be slapped down a mite.
Is this a black-and-white thing? Are there two types of humans: people like me, and people like "Kevin"? Or is there a continuum of behaviour? !need lots of research here! Is this a nature vs. nurture issue, and can people really change?
It will be interesting to explore the details of to whom and how this distinction applies, but ultimately we know that the two ends of the spectrum do indeed exist. Does is seem to anyone else like that bad guys are the ones running many of our governments and businesses? I know many honest and fair-dealing business leaders, and I'm pretty sure I can identify a number of politicians who have integrity and moral values, but there are an awful lot that don't.
I know this isn't a revelation - kings and popes, shopkeepers and publicans throughout history have stolen, lied, trampled, and faked.
Is there anything we can do about it? Send them all to Venus where they can indulge their venality? Detect their propensity in youth, and fix it? Identify them all publicly and shun them?
Do tell.