Many people think that evil people are easy to spot, but it’s not always that simple. Sociopaths, psychopaths, and narcissists can be hard to tell apart from good people. Key signs of these bad characters include not feeling guilty, wanting power and control, and not caring about others’ feelings. This article looks into the minds of people who tend to be harmful.
Control Issues
Individuals with malevolent intentions seek total dominion over every aspect of their own lives. This fixation is sometimes falsely associated with positive traits like politeness and punctuality. Nevertheless, if you allow these individuals to become closer to you, they may gradually extend their influence to take control over your life too.
Revelling In Other People’s Misfortune
Similar to energy vampires, malevolent individuals thrive on the suffering and sorrow of others. Whether it’s a conflict in their immediate surroundings or a significant disaster reported in the news, they appear to derive pleasure from the misfortune of others.
Unnecessary Cruelty And Meanness
When the facade of benevolence crumbles, malevolent individuals reveal their true intentions through acts of cruelty and meanness. They may engage in fights, inflict harm upon their family and friends, or even exhibit violence towards animals.
Habitual Dishonesty
Let’s be honest — occasional lying is a part of human behavior. However, for malevolent individuals, deceit and falsehoods are integral aspects of their lives. They engage in constant and pathological lying, at times without even being aware of it.
Lack Of Remorse
Regardless of the harm they inflict, an evil person seldom feels genuine remorse for the emotional impact they have on others. If confronted about their malevolent behavior, they tend to deflect and gaslight, attempting to make you believe in their distorted version of reality.
Lack Of Responsibility
Evil individuals completely lack a moral compass, acting on their own whims without ever feeling accountable for the pain they inflict upon others. Rather than apologizing for the harm they cause, they are consistently prepared to shift the blame onto others.
Lack Of Loyalty
When a malevolent person extends a helping hand, it often comes with the expectation of a reciprocal favor. Otherwise, their presence is limited to times of ease and prosperity. As soon as challenges arise, they are quick to vanish.
Bigotry
Bigoted views, such as racism, sexism, and homophobia, serve as common tools for malevolent individuals to create divisions among good people. While some individuals with bigoted beliefs may be misinformed, a significant number of them harbor outright hostility.
Manipulative Behavior
Malevolent individuals may display kindness, but often with ulterior motives, such as a need for money or a desire to gain control over your life. It’s crucial to recognize that the kindness exhibited by these individuals always comes with a hidden price tag.
Disregard Of Boundaries
Malevolent individuals can exhibit traits of being excessively clingy, intense, nosy, and insincere in their interpersonal relationships. Despite your efforts to maintain boundaries and keep them out of your private life, they persistently return, aiming to sow chaos and disrupt your peace.
Belittling Attitude
As evil individuals typically harbor a sense of superiority, they frequently employ various methods to belittle and humiliate others. For instance, malevolent individuals may engage in body shaming, ridicule your interests, mock your living space, or demean your goals, hopes, and dreams.
Spreading Confusion and Conflict
Evil individuals exploit confusion, conflict, and chaos to their advantage. The greater your state of confusion, fear, and uncertainty, the more control they can exert over you.
Sadistic Pleasure in Causing Pain
Individuals with this trait take pleasure in causing physical or emotional pain to others. They often seek out opportunities to harm or degrade others, finding satisfaction in their discomfort or suffering. This sadistic behavior can manifest in both subtle psychological torment and overt physical abuse.
Extreme Selfishness
This trait is characterized by a profound focus on one’s own needs and desires, often at the expense of others. People with extreme selfishness prioritize their own interests above all else and are typically indifferent to the needs and feelings of those around them. They may exploit or disregard others to achieve their own goals.
Persistent Violation of Social Norms
Individuals exhibiting this trait consistently engage in behaviors that are widely considered unacceptable or taboo in society. This can include acts like public disturbances, blatant disregard for laws and regulations, or socially inappropriate behaviors. Their actions often reflect a lack of respect for social conventions and the rights of others.
Intense Jealousy and Envy
This trait involves an overwhelming sense of jealousy and envy towards others, often accompanied by a desire to undermine or harm those they perceive as rivals. These individuals may engage in slander, sabotage, or deceit to diminish the perceived advantages or successes of others.
Chronic Anger and Hostility
People with this trait exhibit a persistent state of anger and hostility towards others. They are often quick to take offense and may react aggressively to perceived slights or challenges. Their constant state of irritability and antagonism can make interpersonal relationships difficult and strained.
Exploitation of Others for Personal Gain
This trait is marked by a willingness to take advantage of others to benefit oneself. Individuals with this characteristic often manipulate or deceive others for personal or financial gain, showing little regard for the harm or inconvenience they cause to others in the process.
Inability to Form Deep Emotional Bonds
Individuals with this trait struggle to form genuine emotional connections with others. They may engage in relationships that are superficial or transactional in nature, lacking the depth and empathy typically found in healthy relationships. This can stem from an inability to trust, a lack of empathy, or a focus on self-interest.
Tendency to Blame Others for Personal Failures
People with this characteristic habitually shift the blame for their own mistakes or failures onto others. They refuse to acknowledge their own role in negative outcomes, often concocting excuses or pointing fingers to avoid taking responsibility.
Persistent Lying for Personal Advantage
This trait involves a habitual tendency to lie or distort the truth for personal benefit. Individuals with this characteristic are often deceitful and untrustworthy, using lies to manipulate situations or people to their advantage.
Lack of Empathy and Compassion
This trait is characterized by an inability or unwillingness to understand or share the feelings of others. People with a lack of empathy show little concern for the emotions, needs, or suffering of others, often acting in ways that are callous or indifferent to the welfare of those around them.
Written By: Eduardo Gaskell
This article was originally published on relieved.