Every villain you face is at heart, a victim. True?

[Anonymous]

Let's take an example here. Recently I read about a serial killer (Richard Ramirez) on Wikipedia, and noticed this pattern-like several other felons I've read about till date, his crimes too were influenced by incidents from his childhood. You can check out the article if you feel like; just click here.

I'm not here to defend any of these people (please!), but I realised that in several cases the offender's state of mind was seen as a result of neglect and abuse in the past.

So does that mean that people like this are merely victims to their circumstances?

[MCheetah]

In fiction, maybe. I can agree with that.

In the real world, hell no. It's usually the opposite. I am thinking of woke people, Progressives, bigots who think "everyone but me is a bigot, especially straight white males" and so on. These usually are among the pampered and most spoiled people in society. It's why they're called snowflakes: Every one of them thinks they are special and unique for existing, but are fragile and as soft as they come.

Human nature is complex. The root of all "evil" (as people generally know it as), is selfishness. Some people are selfish because they had no family of love growing up to show them how to love themselves, and love others in the world they live in (I can certainly relate). Others are selfish because they're spoiled brats who are narcissistic and used to getting their way without pushback, like the children of celebrities and the super-rich.

But there's probably a large number of different ways in why and how people are selfish, and selfishness is the TRUE root of all evil (not money; money only encourages it).

[jshm2]

False. You're drawing the wrong conclusions.

Nearly all criminals and killers have a similar background - it's why there are profiles to catch and identify them.

But these backgrounds and events do not "shape" them, they simply use them as stepping stones. Where a normal person would "break" or change lanes as fast as possible.

People of the "evil" disposition, however, get the sledge out to go faster down the rabbit hole. Where the rest of us would hit the breaks and never go further.

Thus every villain is such, because they really want to be, regardless of the drama and façade they put up.

I think instead of reading, you need to listen to police interviews with serial killers and mafia enforcers. Some are in the public archive. Actually hearing them talk and describe their crimes (usually with gusto) will change your mind.

[FreyaRed]

No. It's a long series of choices and such people choose always and exclusively the easiest option from their limited perspective.

[A_Bell]

Nonsense. No one who becomes an abuser is a victim. They lose that status when they abused someone else.

[HugoThe2nd]

Not always true, rarely true in fact.
There is a major genetic and neuro developmental component to psychopathy and antisocial behavior.
Most humans have functioning inhibition, conscience and empathy, some don't due to the way their brain developed - the centers of the brain that normally control emotions and behavior simply aren't developed well enough for them.

This is (largely) not the fault of the environment and because of this the behavior is not treatable either.
Some people just get screwed by genetic lottery and they end up being born as irreparable shitty people.

We could say they are a victim of genetics, I guess.

[BCA6010]

Most people in the 21st century in general try to play the victim card whenever they can, to justify whatever they can. It's not too much of a stretch from doing bad things with good intentions. You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone in history who genuinely commits evil acts for the sake of being evil, and not because they believed they were serving some kind of higher purpose or perceived justice.

[ImproveEveryDay]

Sure, many criminals are bound to have had a very tough childhood. And maybe they were always destined to do bad things, given where they were brought up and by who. Although there are also many great people that have come from terrible childhoods, I don't like comparing people too much due to the insane amount of factors you would have to consider in each person's life. Their family, their friends, their environment, the lessons they've learned from others, conditions they've had, etc. The list goes on. Just cuz some person "made it out well" compared to someone else shouldn't mean the ones that are bad are simply "shit people" or inferior to the good ones. Those good people would have probably been bad if they were born with everything the bad people was born with, down to the brain.

But in the end, it doesn't make much difference in regards to punishment. If someone is dangerous, they should still go to jail, obviously. Unfortunate, but necessary.

[NathanDavis]

Jason was actually such a sweetheart...

according to his mom

[Asker]

😆😆

[crmoore]

You could philosophically argue yes. But I'd say practically no, but only because the statement is absolute with "every." I'd imagine in many cases, billions are the way they are due to something bad happening to them. But I'd imagine there are some people out there who are truly just born with a brain wired for evil. And this makes it'd way back to my first sentence. Some people might say they're still a victim to how their brain is wired. I don't have a strong opinion on that.

[crmoore]

I'm not sure where "billions" came from. I might have meant millions but it could have been some weird sort of coincidental auto-correct of "bad people."

[Anonymous]

Who isn't a victim? I was beaten and abused my entire childhood. I ended up with PTSD because of my upbringing. I struggled to earn every thing that I received.

Being a victim is not an excuse for being a villian. Most heroes were abused too but they chose a better path

[JesseJayNeak]

That's true only in movies. In real life it's often caused by people following and sticking in the wrong path, learning wrong ways, consciously committing crimes that their past selves would have never dreamed of and regretting only when it's too late (or not at all). Notorious criminals influenced by bad childhoods and abusive parents? They're quite few. It's usually about bad companies giving bad ideas

[Kaneki05]

Most are. Been influenced by childhood yes, like you said that's very common with killers and criminals.
But not all.

[Kaneki05]

tyler hadley i think would just be a good example of not really a bad childhood but yet did an super awful thing.

[BUNroaster]

Victim or brought up in evil ways. Also power can seriously change anyone. My friend was getting fucked all the time it seemed and had his job and life in order finally. Completely different ass hole eventually.

[Deathraider]

Everyone is a victim of circumstance beyond their control. It would seem every quality that constitutes as you are a product of what you have experienced, which is out of your control.

[Juxtapose]

No.

Regardless of your trials in life you are still 100% responsible for your own actions.

There is no excusing evil, you choose to commit evil of your own volition.

[ItsTheNephilim]

Yeah, that or made to feel like a victim by others while not being one.

[jasco]

In real life this some are true. However that are many people who do bad things on purpose knowing their is a better way.

[COMMODOREII]

You could argue that they are victims to their emotional biology as well.

[Anonymous]

Not always but a cycle of violence can sometimes be causal.

[2ndTryatThis]

Perhaps, but many of those victims are only victims of their own mentalities.

[ODC2112]

No, every villan belive that is a victim, and also every people that belive is a victim is a villain.

[Snakeyes7]

Not in every case but some were always pure chaos.

[anylolone]

Everyone is a victim.
It comes with living.

[Plumeria]

Sometimes..