Accepting for the moment that evil is socially constructed, are we as individuals complicit in said construction of evil? (Explain)
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Title: Individual Complicity in the Social Construction of Evil
Introduction
The concept of evil as a socially constructed phenomenon raises profound questions about individual responsibility and complicity in shaping societal norms, values, and behaviors. This essay will explore the extent to which individuals contribute to the construction of evil within society and examine the ethical implications of this complicity.
Individual Contribution to the Construction of Evil
1. Compliance with Norms: Individuals play a role in perpetuating evil by conforming to societal norms, beliefs, and practices that may be oppressive, discriminatory, or harmful to others.
2. Silence and Inaction: Remaining silent or passive in the face of injustice, violence, or wrongdoing allows evil to persist and thrive, as complicity through inaction enables harmful behaviors to continue unchecked.
3. Participation in Harmful Systems: Engaging in institutions, systems, or structures that perpetuate inequality, exploitation, or violence contributes to the normalization and reinforcement of evil within society.
4. Obedience to Authority: Blind obedience to authority figures or institutions that promote unethical practices or values can lead individuals to act in ways that perpetuate evil without critical reflection or moral scrutiny.
5. Lack of Empathy and Compassion: Failure to empathize with the suffering of others, show compassion towards marginalized groups, or recognize the humanity of all individuals can fuel attitudes of indifference and apathy towards evil acts.
Ethical Considerations
1. Personal Accountability: Individuals bear a degree of responsibility for their actions, choices, and behaviors that either contribute to or challenge the construction of evil within society.
2. Ethical Agency: Recognizing one’s agency and capacity to resist, challenge, and confront evil is essential for cultivating a sense of moral courage and integrity in the face of societal pressures.
3. Social Influence: Acknowledging the influence of social dynamics, peer pressure, and cultural norms on individual behavior can help individuals reflect on their complicity in perpetuating or countering evil within their communities.
4. Intersectionality and Power Dynamics: Considering how intersecting identities, power dynamics, and privilege shape individual perspectives and actions can deepen awareness of complicity in upholding systems of oppression and injustice.
5. Collective Responsibility: Embracing the idea of collective responsibility for addressing societal evils encourages individuals to engage in collective action, advocacy, and solidarity to dismantle harmful structures and promote positive social change.
Conclusion
As individuals within a larger social context, we are not passive bystanders but active participants in the construction and perpetuation of evil within society. By recognizing our capacity for both complicity and resistance, we can engage in critical self-reflection, ethical discernment, and moral action to challenge systemic injustices, promote empathy and compassion, and work towards a more just and equitable world. Embracing a commitment to ethical agency, personal accountability, and collective responsibility empowers individuals to confront evil, foster positive social transformation, and uphold fundamental values of dignity, justice, and respect for all members of society.
