I had read a part of this book a few years back, and recently came across it again while visiting a friend.
I tore through it.
It’s practically ancient history, being written in 1983. But I appreciate what he writes about evil personality traits, since we all come across people like this in our lives:
- consistent destructive, scapegoating behavior, which may often be quite subtle.
- excessive, albeit usually covert, intolerance to criticism and other forms of narcissistic injury.
- pronounced concern with a public image and self-image of respectability, contributing to a stability of life-style but also to pretentiousness and denial of hateful feelings or vengeful motives.
- intellectual deviousness, with an increased likelihood of a mild schizophreniclike disturbance of thinking at times of stress.
People of the Lie, M. Scott Peck, M.D., (Touchstone Publishing, 1983,) p. 65.
An interesting phenomenon, for sure. But it’s true. Sometimes we meet people who are either evil in this subtle kind of way, or whom we experience similarly as evil.
As long as we learn to recognize them, while remaining prayerful.