When we feel we have been wronged by someone, we tend to think the worst of them.
Irredeemable.
Evil, even.
But the concept of what is evil depends on the individual and their level of tolerance.
So what is pure evil then?
It's not always about demons. Because the truth is, humans are capable of doing some of the worst things imaginable.
Curious to hear about strangers' experiences with sinister forces around us, Redditor ThatOneDude44444 asked:
"Who do you believe is literally evil?"
Those who prey on the weak and vulnerable are some of the worst kinds of people out there.
The Scammer
"I knew a guy who retired from an investment firm before he was 40. I inquired if I could get a job at the firm. He told me 'if you can look a woman in the eyes, who’s scrubbed floors all her life, and tell her that you can quadruple her life savings by investing in a stock you know is worthless. Then you could work there' I felt sleazy just listening to him. I lost all respect for him. He preyed on poor desperate people, and ruined their lives, so he could retire in his 30s. I found out from a friend that the investment firm was a boiler room fly-by-night scam. Everyone who worked there was taken out in handcuffs."
– GoddamnCabbage
Manipulative System
"Health insurance denying treatments that your doctors have personally recommended."
"Health insurance companies insisting that you try other treatments first, or insisting that you work with in-network doctors who can't be seen for 6-8 months, intentionally delaying your proper treatment. It's f'king murder as far as I'm concerned."
"I could keep listing ways that the health insurance industry is pure evil."
– rachelsnipples
Where Is The Care In Medicare?
"My mother was just diagnosed with a very serious condition that if not treated will make her go blind, her insurance is refusing to pay for her treatment. She’s 73 and will now owe 1500 usd each month so that she doesn’t go blind despite having Medicare. This is our system."
– MamaFuku1
And there are those who are the devil incarnate.
The Moors Murders
"Ian Brady and Myra Hindley. The tape recording of one of their young victims crying for her mum while being tortured is awful. They refused to say where they buried Keith Bennett and that boy's poor mum died without knowing where he was. I hope they are forever being tortured in Hell."
– joacaster
The Torture Mother
"Gertrude Baniszewski, the 'caregiver' of Sylvia Likens. Her story still gives me chills."
– gingeritis90
"I barely made it through that story it was so, so horrendous. And our f'king legal system did barely anything to the heinous b*tch Gertrude and her evil daughter."
– astrongerpeyote
The fact that an individual can be solely responsible for a major national crisis is unthinkable.
But here we are, and several people came forward to share their stories.
Origin Of The Opioid Crisis
"Richard Sackler specifically would be the more correct answer in my opinion. The rest of them are greedy and borderline sociopathic sure, but I think few of them truly understood the ramifications of what Richard was orchestrating. Richard intentionally orchestrated the opioid epidemic and he knew exactly what he was doing and what the outcome would be. He banked the future of his company on creating a legion of opiate addicts that had no idea they were becoming opiate addicts. That is evil."
– aveganrepairs
Victim Speaks Out
"I am a victim of this f'ker. Slipped a disk and was prescribed Oxycontin 2 40mgs a day. Within 6 months I was upped to 80mgs 3 times a day. That's the equivalent of 48 5mg percocet. I'm still struggling and this happened in the late 90s."
– bucklebee1
Time For Commiserating
"I’m so sorry to hear that that happened to you and that the effects are lingering 3ish decades later; that’s a significant period of time/portion of your life."
"I would like to also let you know that I am victim of this f'ker/family, but in the opposite way. I have had 2 discs in my neck collapse, I have had 2 spinal surgeries, I am in intractable pain. And all I can get is Rx ibuprofen or aleve or other NSAIDs that don’t touch the pain and can cause kidney and liver damage at the dosages I’m being prescribed. I’ve gotten to try every treatment EXCEPT opiates: surgeries, injections, lidocaine patches, antidepressants, nerve medication, massage, yoga, acupuncture, physical therapy, prolotherapy, and plasma rich protein treatment. The one time I asked for low dose opiates (like a single 5 mg Percocet as needed - not 48 daily), I was discharged from the pain management practice immediately for 'drug seeking'. And they’re the biggest practice in my state."
"Further, in the intervening time between my 2 surgeries (before I knew I needed the second surgery as my second disc had collapsed), I presented to the ER in intractable pain with physiological indicators like elevated heart rate and blood pressure. Not only was I not given any pain medication at all (not even toradol, an NSAID), I was also urine drug tested and told that even though I had no drugs in my system that I 'didn’t deserve' any medication and was wasting their time when they could be saving someone else’s life."
"We are BOTH victims of the Sackler family and the opiate prescription practices that led to what’s being called the 'opiate epidemic'. I am not trying to invalidate your experience (and I hope that comes through). I am just trying to show people reading these comments my side of the coin too. I see you u/bucklebee1. And I validate you. And I send you nothing but the best."
– caboozaliciousAnyone who is capable of taking another life without even a hint of remorse doesn't deserve the title of being human.
They are purely evil.
And what's terrifying is that we don't really know the capabilities of most people until they snap.
Feel-good dramas and hysterical comedies can leave an indelible impression on audiences and make them want to come back for multiple viewings.
The films with inspiring storylines, brilliant cinematography, or Oscar-worthy performances are the most memorable.
But there are films that have the opposite effect on moviegoers, making them wish they never saw them in the first place, despite critical acclaim in their respective genres.
Curious to hear some of the more negative moviegoing experiences, Redditor Outrageous-Abies8391 asked:
"What is the most disturbing movie you've ever come across ?"
The atrocities of war are dramatically represented in some of the most powerful films.
WWI Soldier
"Johnny Got His Gun, saw it in early ‘70’s, still can’t forget it."
– vousoir
Depiction Of Nuclear Winter
"Threads (1984) is by far the scariest movie I've ever seen. It shows the events of a nuclear war breaking out, and the chilling aftermath. There's no hope and no happy ending, truly terrifying stuff."
– LuxGang
A Devastating Letter
"The answer to this and all questions like it is always 'dear zachery…' I cant unsee that rage from the grandfather. Its maybe 30secs and it's stayed with me longer than anything I've ever seen in a movie. Want real proof that a good, loving person WISHES he had murdered someone in calculating, cold blood? Got your movie for you."
– Goldbera1
Parents' Worst Nightmare
"Netflix documentary Abducted in Plain Sight. Movie synopsis: WTF, really!?"
– Upper-Job5130
Real-life horrors make for even greater disturbing cinematic experiences.
Trapped In Delusion
"Requiem for a Dream. It's one of those you can really only watch once."
– MichaelScottssmug
They're called horror movies for a reason.
Torture
"The first Hostel movie really got to me. Not sure if I was just unprepared or what, but that movie disturbed me more than I expected."
– TimeclockTurtle
It's Banned In Many Countries
A Serbian Film
"Came to say this. There were scenes that I wish I could scrub from my memory."
– evmt95
"I own this one and honestly it's just sort of shock value for the most part. Ironically because the cinematography is relatively professional it makes some of the scenes somewhat goofy for their disturbing content."
"The actual content itself is pretty f'ked but somehow because it's well made I didn't really feel as disturbed as I should have. Films like Cannibal Holocaust, Irreversible, Antichrist, and although I haven't seen them Audition and Martyrs, those films make you feel sickly and carry a heavy weight of knowledge with viewing them."
"A Serbian film is the transformers of the disturbing film genre, there's alot that goes on but it's mostly shock value and well put together production value. I've seen A Serbian film 4 different times."
– aFan0Film
Vomit Gore
Slaughtered Vomit Dolls
'If you need a movie to have some form of a linear story, don’t bother with this one. If you are tired of seeing women constantly berated and insulted and shown as weak and scared, don’t bother with this one. And if vomit isn’t your thing, yeah, definitely don’t bother with this one.' - Horrornews.net
"Yeah, might give it a pass."
– Painting_Agency
Mad scientists coming up with the most twisted experiments is the premise in these revolting flicks.
Enough Said
"The human centipede."
– nuttynutz00-D
"I have not seen that, so can't really answer. The worst part of Human Centipede for me was the bodily claustrophobia and psychological horror, not the visible gore. There are only two films I have ever seen that I wanted to walk out of: that and Lars von Trier's Antichrist."
– ipakookapi
Obsession With A Walrus
"Tusk."
– ChuyImposter
"Agreed ! f'king made me feel so uncomfortable soo weird!"
– snakeysauce
The movies that disturbed me most were, as mentioned above, Tusk and Human Centipede.
I could have stopped watching them as soon as I got sick to my stomach. But as a completionist, I voluntarily subjected to torturing myself.
If you are faint of heart, I strongly suggest you avoid these films. You've been warned.
People Who've Changed Their Opinion On Something After Doing Research Share Their Experiences
Have you ever rolled your eyes as a friend tried to convince you to try the latest fad, eat at a restaurant that had not appealed to you, or watch a movie or TV show that didn't spark your fancy?
Then, after reading about it more, discover it was all that was missing from your life?
Or, on the flip side, have you ever stopped watching what was once your favorite TV show, eating at your favorite restaurant, or partaking in the fad of the moment, upon learning a little more about it?
They say ignorance is bliss, and perhaps the saying is accurate.
Reading up on various fads, foods and movies has the potential to permanently change our opinions of them, for better or worse.
Redditor Pineapple_WarpDrive was curious to know the many things fellow Reddit users changed their opinions on after a bit of research, leading them to ask:
"What is something you changed your stance on after learning more about it?"
Getting away from screens
"Social media."
"I worked for an agency selling social media services to clients and I had to learn about it."
"The more I learned, the less I wanted to work with social media."
- GetDownAndBoogieNow.
Round and round we go...
"Roundabouts."
"Based on all the complaints, I assumed they were confusing and unnecessary."
"When my city put in a bunch, I realized that I no longer had to wait 3 minutes at all of the punishment lights."
"Love roundabouts now."
"Of course that didn't stop the older population of the city from trying to have them removed."
"One guy even ran for city council on the platform that he would immediately put the stoplights back in."
"Change is hard, I guess."- AlternatePersonMan.
episode 4 roundabout GIFGiphyMy feet have never been happier.
"I didn't think orthopedic shoes were for me, but I stand corrected." - user deleted
I'm worth more than this.
"Working Hard."
"More specifically, working hard in a corporate environment."
"I like to work hard for things that I own and maintain, my home, my family, my body, my hobbies."
"But I've worked for almost 20 years for big tech companies."
"I've started at entry level jobs and worked up to middle management."
"Support jobs."
"Sales jobs."
"I've made 6 figures."
"What I've noticed is that they want to pay you less and keep training and experience as a reward."
"That is to say, you are not working for a paycheck."
"You are working towards the next thing."
"But they convince everyone to work hard in an entry level position, working unpaid overtime and you might be rewarded with a higher job."
"Statistically, you will not be promoted."
"There are 30 people on your team who all have that same goal and you can't all be supervisor or manager."
"Now, I just work for my paycheck."
"If you would like me to work harder, you can pay me more."
"I'm not going to go above and beyond for 2 years just to get passed over again."- KevinAnniPadda.
Pay Me Bitch Better Have My Money GIFGiphyPumping up.
"Lifting weights doesn’t make you 'bulky' as a woman and is one of the best things you could do for yourself not only in terms of body composition but in terms of posture, activities of daily living, mobility, joint/bone health, etc."
"It changed my entire life."- clauseandpaws.
It's your decision and no one else's.
"Empathy for the choices people make when they are not able to fully control themselves ."
"I.E. addiction, mental health crisis/episodes."
"Having personal experience on both the receiving and giving ends really deepened my empathy and understanding that allows me to have a more nuanced and individualized approach to these kinds of things now."- theoriginalsmore.
If you take a closer look...
"That case where McDonald's had to pay a bunch of money to a woman who spilled hot coffee on herself." - user deleted
Don't knock it till you've tried it.
"Disc Golf."
"All the guys I grew up with that played were huge d-bags."
"Years later a neighbor dragged me out on a nice day and I’ve been playing ever since."
"10+ years."- moarturnips.
Getting the help you need.
"Getting therapy."
"My upbringing is within an asian household so when it comes to dealing with emotions, we tend to shove that into jar and move on."
"I used to think that receiving therapy is for the mentally ill, weak etc."
"I don't have 'problems' therefore I don't need therapy."
"But after recent events in 2021 with certain people I tried therapy and after a few sessions it just revealed some baggage I wasn't even aware of."
"Honestly I wish I started earlier when I was in my 20s."
"I would be more emotionally prepared, and would probably have had healthier relationships with women if I had dealt with the trauma growing up and from my first relationship that devastated me."- Jono-san.
Everything!
"Not sure I can think of anything I DIDN'T change my stance on after learning about it."- RandoKaruza.
It is amazing how your opinion might change on something after a little research.
Or, just by actually doing it.
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Not everyone is going to believe what you believe. Our own experiences and values add up to make us who we are. Without them, we'd all be the same amorphous blob of consciousness covering the planet in bland beliefs. You hold something in high regard, and that might mean someone else disagrees with you.
Hold your ground, and be ready to die on that hill, kind of like these people.
Reddit user, realduckbutter, wanted to know what you will never let go of when they asked:
"What’s the smallest hill you’re willing to die on?"
What is it about this hill that makes it worthwhile to fight over? Is it something ingrained in your core or something that you can never let go?
This Is Good, Great, And Dandy
"Oxford commas are GOOD and should be EMPLOYED LIBERALLY."- CopsaLau
Squats All Day
"Nice butts are better than big butts."- Crockpot_gator_Snot
Doesn't Hold Up
"KFC gravy isn't as good as it used to be."- AshySlashy902
Chilling No Worries GIF by YUM KFC SouthAfricaGiphyMe Am No Good With Words And Things
"It''s 'I couldn't care less,' not 'I could care less'."
"If you could care less, you care a little!"- thedoginapound
The workplace is somewhere you (possibly) go to every day. If there's something about it you like or don't like, don't let it go.
Proper Bathroom Ambience
"Bathrooms at the work place should all be required to play music to help drown out the sounds being made"- zerorush8
Better Be Some Money That Comes With That Title
"Don’t give me a 'promotion' unless it comes with a pay raise."
"The only reason I would want a promotion is because I get paid more, not so I can flex my title on ppl."- traws06
pay me principal skinner GIFGiphySo Grateful
"All companies regardless of what industry they're in do their best work and are the most consumer friendly when they're in second or third place in their industry."
"The 'leader' is almost never the best option."- Nayko214
They deserve a little rest
"Cashiers should be allowed to sit down during their shifts."
"There should be no reason why they need to keep standing in place for an entire shift"- kdotismydad
Whatever it is about these hills we're all supposedly dying, you cannot deny the fact it's super fascinating to see bodies dropping on them.
Do Any Of Us Know What We're Eating?
"When people say 'it has chemicals in it'."
"Your mom is chemicals."
"Everything is chemicals."- nosmase2
Mix Lab GIF by BrownSugarAppGiphyDiamond Eyeglasses? Diamond Cups? Why Stop There?
"Lab grown diamonds are real diamonds."
"Chemically. It’s purely marketing that makes you pay more for mined diamonds."- ScoobyTrue
*tap, *tap, *tap
"Mobile gaming is better when it's simple games like Angry Birds or Fruit Ninja"- ofsquire
Holding Up The Line With Your Niceness
"Pay-it-forward drive-through chains are pointless."
"They aren’t really helping anyone, they’re just making everything awkward."- lassie86
It Hurts So Good
"If Q-Tips were not meant to go deep in your ear canal, then God would not have put the g-spot in there."- Virtual-Stranger
q-tip beauty GIF by James CurranGiphyStill doesn't change a thing
"Frisk and Chara have different genders."- Mato_Man
Quid Pro Quo
"If I am acting in an objectively respectful way towards you and you cannot reciprocate I have the right to return the favor in full."- SeanConneryIsMaclean
There are better ways to enjoy ice cream
"Ice cream sandwiches are absolutely disgusting."- drowsyprof
ice cream graphics GIF by Ryan SeslowGiphy"Mint choc-chip ice cream can burn in hell."- Huge-Advisor3558
Don't knock it till you've tried it
"Pineapple on pizza is actually good, and so is peanut butter and bacon."- TheWolfFromNether
If you want to be on the good side of the locals
"It’s pronounced 'App-uh-latch-uh' not 'App-uh-laych-uh'.”
Are you sure that's how you're feeling?
"The seeming ubiquity of people saying 'weary' when they really mean 'wary' or 'leery'."- Tricky-Engineering59
Safety First
"If you don't use your turn signal when changing lanes, you deserve to get hit."- Temporary-Complex751
driving mini cooper GIF by MINI USAGiphyHeaven in a blue box
"Kraft is the superior box Mac and cheese options."
"Particularly the shells kind"- ChucksNorris243
Precision and Order
"In the cutlery drawer, the order goes: fork, knife, spoon."
"As fork and knife go on the left and right side of the placemat, respectively."
"The spoon goes last as it is not often used."- Remarkable_Macaroon5
Meet lots of people, develop a set of values, then enact those values upon yourself as you engage with the world. Be the person you want to be.
Tell us how you won't let anything go in the comments below.
You think you know someone. Until they open their mouths and spew negative nonsense.
"Have you ever genuinely lost respect in someone because of their opinion? Why?"
People with no compassion and don't have an open mind can stay living under a rock.
Undermining
"Any time I hear from someone that my depression is fake, my doctors are brainwashing my brain and the pills is just placebo to act like a zombie, I can handle it. And an ex-friend did that except she wanted to sell to me her Bach roses/mlm sh*t and told me they CURE everything. I asked her if she even had a time per month to listen to my worries and said 'I don't have time for that.'"
– Edgefish
Questionable Therapy
"A friend I have since withdrawn from told me that she wanted her boyfriend; who has Aspergers; to go on a 5 day course to 'change his personality'. I didn't even know this existed! Horrifying."
– Cute_Island_260
The Xenophobe
"I'm an immigrant, and I have lived my whole in Europe ever since I was 4 months old . A 'friend' of mine back in high school complained about immigrants, and that they're 'filthy'. I told him 'Well, I'm an immigrant as well, and he just answered 'Well, you're a different immigrant. You're not like them'. I had known him since middle school. I guess I saw his true colors lol."
– EntertainmentFit2023
The Racist
"When I was in the break room, watching videos on my phone and my boss walked in, sat down, and was waved at me to take my headphones off and so I did and she said"
“'Do you go to the mall? Cuz I don’t, I hate seeing Mexicans and blacks just living off the government.'”
"I'm Spanish decent and I’m brown as well, what the f'k."
"Edit : added Spanish descent because an account reposted my story throughout my comment history because they were mad I said I was brown."
– Flywire789
Blaming The Victim
"Yeah Mt ex said that women who walk by themselves in the dark and get raped need to blame themselves."
"He was the ugliest man I ever met after that discussion."
"'I know it's illegal to rape someone but why walk about on your own after dark if you don't want that to happen to you?' BECAUSE WE NEED TO GET HOME FROM WORK, DANIEL. IT'S DARK AT 4PM HERE."
– [deleted]
An unpopular belief system is enough to write off a friendship.
Pro-War
"An old friend of mine thought wars are good and necessary due to overpopulation. She specifically mentioned WWI & WWII and why innocent people had to die."
– HotIcePack
Just The Facts, Please
"Yes. If someone’s opinion contradicts a scientific fact then I can’t respect them. Flat earthers are a good example of what I mean."
– Bjorn_Suicide
Flat-Out Believer
"A guy I was friends with started going on about how the earth is flat. I thought he was joking at first as there are a lot of flat earthers out there. But no, he's one of them. I struggle to hold a conversation with him now as it's all I think about when I (now rarely) see him."
– An-Englishman-in-NY
Support For An Autocrat
"A classmate of mine posts stuff on Facebook how it's NATO countries fault that Russia is invading Ukraine and not Putin. He makes it sound like Putin never had any fault in this and is blaming western countries. He also supports a dictator's son who is obviously a liar and a thief who is running for President. Seriously, that Dictator's son is a coward who doesn't show up at debates and interviews because they are 'biased'. That coward also has lots of troll farms on Facebook and Twitter."
– 567stranger
Outdated Norms
"A friend had his nephew (2 yrs) with him at another friend's place, I said i have toys at my place that I could bring over. I brought the toys over and he straight up said NO, he's not playing with these. Why? Because it was a kitchen set."
"I have had many of my nephews and cousins (boys and girls) play with them. I had already been realising that he was kind of sexist, but that just left no room for doubt."
– 1_step_at_atime
Perception Of Attractiveness
"People who think a relationship only works if you're entirely physically attracted to them. No I'm happy with being half into their looks. Really isn't as important as having a good personality with matching chemistry."
– joelfoy44
About Healthcare
"A former friend of mine once said that he hoped that healthcare was privatized here again. He said that he was 'sick of paying for other people's healthcare' and that people who couldn't afford it deserved to die anyway.He's from a middle class family and he said that to a group of people who were from working class families, who wouldn't be able to afford privatized healthcare and who in his eyes 'deserve to die.'"
These Redditors frowned upon those who lack having any sense of morality.
Cheaters
"People who cheat on significant others, when I learn you cheat I instantly assume you have zero integrity, I have 0 respect for you and I will distance myself from you any way possible because you are a backstabbing piece of sh*t."
– Kusanagi8811
Perception Of Criminals
"I work in medical research. It's a complicated topic and I don't want to get into an ethical debate in the comments, but I lose respect for somebody every time they say 'Why don't we just test drugs on criminals instead of poor little animals?'"
"You're philosophically bankrupt. We've got historic evidence that defining someone's right to human dignity and human rights based on criminal status is a bad f'kin idea. Tying that to profit motive and encouraging an increased 'production' of criminals to test on just gives you a system that is somehow even worse than the current American prison system."
"Kind of a niche rant, I know, but it bugs me that people actually believe this would work."
– Stradoverius
Bullies
"people who treat the weak badly."
– rasbperr1
Actions Speak Louder
"I have a sibling who is one of those people who makes a huge performative display of empathy and liberalism, but never undertakes action to back up the displays. A virtue signaler, I guess would be the term."
"Anyway, after years of outward display of being an LGBTQ+ ally, they justified Hillary’s stance against marriage equality in 2008 because 'it just wasn’t a smart political move'. This same sibling also told me they could never love a bisexual person because you could never trust that they wouldn’t cheat on you."
"Me and my fiancée are both bi and haven’t come out to our families."
– MagnusCranmegranate
Human beings are complex individuals, and we are constantly being influenced by our environment and those around us as things change.
So it's unsurprising how we grow distant from certain people as we get to know others who come into our lives.
And even though we may get along well with them on the surface, their views on the world around us and how they perceive others is a telling characteristic of who they are as a person.
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