Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: SauronOfMordor
" The essense of evil is the lust for power over others, and the way to restrain evil is to minimize the avenues for power."

Simplistic. You neglect greed and lust as primary motivators.

272 posted on 03/29/2003 10:41:26 PM PST by sauropod (If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies ]


To: sauropod
" The essense of evil is the lust for power over others, and the way to restrain evil is to minimize the avenues for power." Simplistic. You neglect greed and lust as primary motivators.

When I say "power over others", I mean the ability to FORCE others to obey your will, whether they want to or not. Simple persuasiveness is influence, not power.

Desire for money is OK, if it is satisfied by producing something of value to exchange for it, but evil if it is satisfied by using physical power to rob or intimidate

Desire for sex is OK, if it is satisfied by persuading the other person to cooperate voluntarily, but evil if you use power to rape or intimidate the other into cooperating

That's why I say "the essense of evil is the lust for power over others" -- it is the decision to satisfy your desires thru the use of force rather than free exchange and cooperation, because you don't want to go thru the effort needed to satisfy your desires thru exchange, persuasion, and cooperation

298 posted on 03/30/2003 10:16:29 AM PST by SauronOfMordor (Heavily armed, easily bored, and off my medication)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 272 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson