Week # 12: Do you think evil is born or made?

I believe that evil is generally made. I do not think people are born evil unless they have a severe mental disorder like people who are sociopaths or psychopaths.  We are born with certain traits and tendencies but we have free will to encourage them or not. Often people that have done something that is considered evil have had harsh experiences that lead them in that direction.

Even some people that are sociopaths or psychopaths are able to fight against their nature and not do evil. According to THE CRIMINAL PSYCHOPATH: HISTORY, NEUROSCIENCE, TREATMENT, AND ECONOMICS 93% of psychopaths are in the criminal justice system.  The remaining 7% percent could have not been caught committing a crime or are actively fighting against their nature. 

How many people are actually psychopaths and born evil?  According to Karolina Sörman at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, who conducts research on psychopathy only about 1% of males are psychopaths.  This 1% does not account for all the evil acts created by humanity.  

A majority of evil is caused by people's upbringing, perspective, and inner pain.  It is common knowlege that abuse runs in families.  The reason why could be partially genetics, but also that it is hard to break the cycle of abuse.  In the case of Perry Smith from the novel In Cold Blood, I wonder if his mother, Flo Buckskin was abused as a child or if her parents were alcoholics?  If they were then that would partially explain her behavior and why Perry experienced so much neglect.  

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