Evil Does Not Begin with Harm
We commonly define evil as “inflicting harm on others.” However, I see it slightly differently. Evil does not begin with the harm itself; it sprouts the very moment one pursues their own interest. Without a victim, evil simply remains unrevealed. Only when harm occurs does evil finally acquire a name. If so, the boundary between good and evil cannot be absolute. Evil is not an essence, but a role revealed within a relationship. French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas said, “Ethics is the responsibility before the face of the Other.” The moment my actions reach the Other, I become a being who bears responsibility. Regardless of intent, my pursuit of self-interest inherently carries the possibility of wounding someone.
Are Only the Powerful Evil?
Many narratives cast the powerful as villains and the weak as protagonists. Yet, in the sense that they both pursue their own interests, the powerful and the weak are no different. The difference lies in the ripple effect. The self-interest of the powerful affects more people and can create greater damage. That is why the evil of the powerful appears larger. The evil of the weak also exists; it is merely less noticeable due to its smaller scale. In Beyond Good and Evil, Friedrich Nietzsche argued that “good and evil are not absolute values, but distinctions arising from power relations.” The evil of the powerful is more prominent because their power is greater. Evil is merely amplified by the magnitude of that power; its essence remains the same for both the strong and the weak.
A New Question of Ethics
If evil is the pursuit of self-interest itself, how should we live? I cannot stop pursuing my own interests. I eat, seek safety, desire love, and strive for achievement. In that process, someone may get hurt, and at that moment, I become an evildoer. At this point, ethics shifts from “Pursue good” to “Minimize harm.” While Kant asked, “Can your action become a universal law?”, I want to ask: “How will I manage the harm created by my pursuit of self-interest?” The task of ethics is not to eliminate evil, but to endure and take responsibility for it.
My Conclusion
I now want to learn how to handle evil rather than simply hating it. I want to contemplate how to maintain a balance so that while I pursue my interests, the lives of others do not collapse too profoundly. Evil is not something we can eradicate, but something we must carry with us. That, I believe, is the starting point of a mature ethics.
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