The Nature of Evil

When I sat down out on the deck of my house to begin my second novel, which came to be called, "And Ye Shall Be As Gods, " I think (and I stress that particular verb), that I started with a feeling. It was one of regret for the way I treated a member of my family as a child. I was cruel in the way children can often be--at least in my own perception. This led to the creation of "Grace", the little and very damaged sister of "Jake", the protagonist.

I suppose it made me wonder what it is that leads people to commit evil (although I hope my behavior never descended to that level). Are some born that way? If not born that way, what is it that leads people to commit the atrocities through history with which we are all familiar? Mob behavior? An absence of empathy? Greed? Self-hate that needs to be displaced onto others? The Devil? All of the above?

How could some people actually enslave others--and how can slavery continue to exist?! How can some seek to extirpate a whole ethnic group from the earth? And most incredible and terrifying of all, how could people who are loving parents and friends commit such horrific acts?!

These are the questions and ideas I sought to explore in "And Ye Shall Be As Gods". To those who have read it or plan to (or hopefully are reading it now) I hope you will share with me your thoughts on this subject.

And I yearn to know what you think, how you might answer these questions. For I truly believe we are all capable, and that it is that very knowledge and the keeping of it in mind that keeps us from the commission of such evil.