A murderer is regarded by the conventional world as something almost monstrous, but a murderer to himself is only an ordinary man.... It is only if the murderer is a good man that he can be regarded as monstrous.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A person who kills is seen as a monster by society, but sees themselves as normal. Only if they know they are good does the act seem monstrous.
- In plain terms
- People see killers as monsters, but killers see themselves as normal.
- What can you take from it?
- Self-perception shapes whether evil feels monstrous.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do killers justify their acts?
- Is self-awareness required for remorse?
Another view
It assumes all killers lack self-awareness.
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