The intentions of terrorists are good!

If I say, from a belief point of view, even terrorists have good intentions, there is a sense of discomfort.

When I do something ‘wrong’, I do it because of 3 major reasons

a.Ignorance: I do not know at that moment that it is ‘wrong’. It is not deliberate. This can happen because:

a.I am ignorant of the norms of the society/ group I am living in or belonging to. This can cause one-time or multiple episodes until the laws of the society or the rules of the group comes into play after being caught

b.I am psychologically incapable of deciphering right from wrong. For example, psychopathic behaviour, which affects 1% of our population. Such people have a ‘mental’ disease and I can be a victim of such a disease

c.Crimes of passion – when my emotions hijack my rational mind and I have no emotional control.. This is also sometimes labelled as temporary insanity. Mob mentality may also fall in this – when it loses all reason

b.Acts of commission: I justify in my mind that I am correct in my reasoning and therefore justified in my action. This is deliberate and systematic.

a.This happens because sometimes I can get away with it

b.I get a psychological thrill of power or similar feelings that I have been missing from childhood,

i.maybe because I was myself a victim or

ii. because I saw that this was done by others who got away with it, or

iii. other perpetrators told / indicated to me the feeling that came with it and I wanted to experience similar feelings.

c.Sometimes extraordinary situations put social laws and laws of the country into abeyance, like acts of war (where abuse of the invaded is provided as a reward – e.g. Chengiz khan), the atrocities during the Emergency (see Hazaaron Kwahishen Aisi – if you have the heart), or the reactive nature of security controls of the US government. Here some powers create their own laws and justify these laws in the name of security etc.

d.Sometimes I are coerced into doing something wrong. This is because I too am a victim of the psychological / physical pressure that is forced on me.

c.Acts of omission: When I sit on the sidelines and watch things happening. I am still part of this.

a.I am afraid of the consequences and also feel like a victim. I am on the victim’s side but I cannot raise my voice or interfere

b.I think, or rationalise, that it is justified. Sometimes the perpetrator may tell me it for the victim’s own good. E.g. corporal punishment

The above are the reasons or beliefs that have caused the action. In case B above, the psychological map or belief has been created because of which the perpetrator believes that he is right and that his intentions are good. Any abuse, be it abuse of mankind, race, sexual, mental, physical comes because it has been justified in the perpetrator’s mind that he/she is right in his/her action.

Please understand that I want to separate the cause from the action. There is no justification of the action from the point of view of the victim or from the point of view of the extant societal norms or laws. From that perspective, the perpetrator needs to be punished for his ACTION. Societal norms and laws are also beliefs (shared beliefs) about what is best for the good of the majority. Please note the word majority, as there will always be a minority that will not believe this.

To summarise, the intention in my mind, as the perpetrator, is good, from my frame of reference, but the action is BAD, from the victim or society’s frame of reference.

Take the instance of ragging. I, as a victim of ragging in the first year, believed that this is immature and not necessary. But when I go into second year, I do as follows:

·I do not know the norms of ragging. What are the limits or norms

·I do not know that what I am doing is called ragging

·I are part of the mob and have lost the sense of reason

·I am part of a group and want to prove myself as being equally capable.

·I was a victim and I need to pass it on

·I get angry at some junior and abuse my position

·I can get away with it as people turn a blind eye

·Others have got away with it

·People tell me what fun it is and I want enjoy that fun

·I know that this is a temporary phenomena and there will be an end to it. I will make amends later by providing a peace offering.

·I know it is wrong but as part of a group, I cannot raise your voice.

·BUT MY INTENTIONS ARE GOOD!!!