The Mirror of Evil

The discourse of evil has been a dominant tenet of the society since the ancient days to the contemporary world. The way the discourse is portrayed varies across generations, which, in turn, depend on the cultural setup of a given society. This variance manifests in the way humans treats its fellows in different parts of the world. Considering Stump’s position on what is and what is not considered evil, it is imperative to investigate the discourse from the perspective of the ancient days through to the situation of the contemporary world. Notably, evil as a problem manifests in different forms, instigated by the inconsiderate nature of man. For instance, incidents such as rape, assault, murder, economic exploitation, war, and genocide are a manifestation of the evil mindset of humans. In this way, it follows that man does not only hold the wrong view about evil but has assigned unwarranted perceptions about evil. Nonetheless, it is imperative for everyone to conduct a self-reflection of what could be ailing the society and link it to a potential cause. With reference to the perception of evil in the ancient days, I believe that most of the factors that perpetuate evil in the contemporary society are the result and continue to be influenced by the historical recordings of the way of life in the ancient days.

For instance, the age of slavery presents the perfect case of an evil society; a society that seems to shun morals and promote social injustice that rather perpetuates evil than counteract it, by promoting the moral. According to historical records, the age of slavery presents a case that shows the degree of selfishness that has cropped humanity. The literally stronger and wealthier factions of the society were more than willing to subject their counterparts to the immense suffering of slavery. Notably, the discourse of slavery was practiced within the confines of racial segregation and discrimination against some communities that were considered minority such as the Native Americans, Indian Americans, and the African Americans. In this way, evil was practiced to the highest degree without the perpetrators realizing their evil deeds. Markedly, the problem of evil still forms a larger portion of the contemporary society. Today, evil manifests in the economic, political, and religious corridors of the social context. For instance, the vivid economic difference between the developed countries and the third world countries is a manifestation of a carefree society that does not consider the plight of the underprivileged minority. As Stump observes of the economic inequalities that grapple the society, it is notable that in some parts of the world such as Africa and India still experience higher degree of famine, hunger, and economic tribulations that continue to ravage the regions despite the onset of a global economic revolution that ought to inspire mass production of food.

Sadly, unjust economic deals between the developed and the developing countries have continued to immerse the latter to unprecedented human suffering. In this way, it is imperative for everyone to conduct a self-reflection and revert to the moral ways for the common good of the entire society. Stump presents various responses to the discourse of evil that has continued to grapple the society. For instance, while some people take notice of the evil that faces the society and ignore it, others have the belief that the evil can be eliminated from the society. Notably, Stump notes that the former strategy does not provide the best response to the discourse of evil since it is not only limited in its effect, but also short lived. Rather, Stump prefers the absolute eradication of evil from the society. In this way, Stump relates evil to the Garden of Eden that most people believe is the underlying reason for human suffering. In this response, Stump posits that evil can be eliminated when people revert to the moral virtues and operate within the provisions of the Bible.

On this note, it is imperative for the members of the society to create and promote an environment that promotes peaceful coexistence in the society since this will not only revert the subjugation upon which the unprivileged minority are subjected but will also eliminate the social injustices that seem to permeate evil in the society. Stump’s response suffices the provisions of the moral good that correlate with the ethical conduct expected of every member of the society. I believe that Stump’s response is the best remedy for the discourse of evil since it serves to model the moral uprightness of humans. With a modeled uprightness, the discourse of evil shall have been eradicated from the society. To achieve this result, Stump asserts that it should begin with reforms in social intuitions that affect a person’s perception of the roots of evil and the moral benefit of acting within the confines of the moral values. On this note, it follows that fundamental moral principles and established ethical theories are best positioned to offer guidance to humanity with respect to moral conduct. In this way, the discourse of evil shall have not only been suppressed, but its faint effect on the societal well-being shall have been neutralized at the expense of the moral good.