Aaron Vehling

War. Despair. Greed. Infant mortality. Politicians. The Holocaust.

Evil is a reality in the everyday world of our contemporary era, but it is not the same for everyone, nor is it an easy term for most to digest.

“Most people are uncomfortable with the word ‘evil’ today,” said Charlene Burns, assistant professor of philosophy and religious studies. “It calls to mind Hollywood images of demons, ghosts, ‘Jason,’ ‘Chucky,’ et cetera.”

There are many contributors to a person’s comprehension of evil, Burns said, and they explain why people tend to view evil differently.

“Since the things we value tend to vary cross-culturally, it makes sense that the way we perceive evil will vary as well,” she said. “Cultural, social, religious and psychological factors are all at work in how we understand and experience evil.”

Students’ perceptions of evil vary.

Senior Leah DeZiel said she sees evil as the intent to cause emotional or psychological pain to someone or something for the benefit of someone or something else.

“Evil is a battle for energy,” she said. “When a person lacks a connection with their own spiritual energy source, they have to manipulate others into giving them their energy in order to feel at peace.”

Junior Johanna Feier, an exchange student from Austria, has a more secular view of evil.

“(Evil) is something that has very bad consequences for not only the person who is causing evil but for innocent people as well,” she said.

Feier was specific as to who is instigating evil today.

“Nowadays, I think that most evil is done by politicians, wealthy industrialists and businessmen, because they have the most power,” she said.

She said those who commit evil acts care about nothing except for their own success and well-being.

The methods the two women use to counter and control evil vary as well.

Building on her belief of spiritual energies, DeZiel said she tries to be conscious of the way she manipulates people into giving her their energy.

“I try not to use my control dramas as my energy source,” she said. “I also recognize when others are overusing my energy for their personal use, and I tend to avoid these people in the future.”

She explained that it is quite easy for her to determine who is attempting to manipulate her spiritual energy.

“You can tell who these people are, because you feel emotionally bankrupt around them,” she said.

Feier said she tries not to support people who are inclined to do evil deeds, especially in politics.

“As far as stuff like shopping is concerned,” she said, “I try not to support ‘evil’ chains that make money by exploiting their workers in Third World countries. This is easier said than done.”

The language of ‘evil’ played a role in the terrorist attacks on this country in 2001, Burns said.

“For the Taliban, the U.S. was Satan incarnate, perceived to be a major threat to their way of life,” she said. “In that thought-world, the attacks ‘made sense’ – eradicate the ‘evil ones.’ ”

Though people have their own definitions of evil and do recognize its existence, Burns said that use of the word ‘evil’ is fairly scarce today because of its implications.

“When we label something ‘evil,’ humans seem almost compelled to eradicate it.”

This, Burns said, is why people were disturbed when President George W. Bush coined the term “Axis of Evil.”

“It communicated that the world is being framed in ‘Us vs. Them,’ ” she said, “and at an unconscious level that we might now be compelled to attempt eradication of the Axis.”