Adolf Hitler: Evil or Insane?

**Machiavelli25** · June 02, 2012, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by cpreston5

Well, the way I see it a truly evil person knows that they do bad, ie. a murderer who knows that killing is wrong but simply enjoys it and thus does it.

I think Hitler genuinely believed that he was a messianic figure who was defending all that was good and beautiful in the world.

All of his victims were were either good Western soldiers, who were more victims of their own stupid governments who opposed him, political opponents who absolutely needed to die for the greater good, or sub-humans whose deaths could not even be thought of as murder.

He applied such a sick perception to the world that in his rationalistion he only ever did what was best for the world and humanity.

I think he was just incredibly unstable, deluded, and absolutely crazy. His entire reality was completely centred around him and just morphed seamlessly to shield him from any perceptions of wrong.

I would say that this person does not exist.

**Gatsby** · June 02, 2012, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by Machiavelli25

I would say that this person does not exist.

What a person who realises that their victim doesn't deserve to die but does it anyway? Sadists exist.

Hell, Harold Shipman was a respected doctor and a pillar in his community, even being consulted on the treatment of mentally ill patients, yet he could have killed more than 200 of his defenseless patients and was only caught when someone noticed that he had altered a victim's will to benefit him. As far as I know he wasn't a sadist, but he was never found insane.