Political Ponerology: A Science on the Nature of Evil Adjusted for Political Purposes

hypnosis (it was previously rejected as Mesmerism). [Editor’s note.]

POLITICAL PONEROLOGY

177

to develop contempt for factual criticism and to humiliate any-

one sounding an alarm. Contempt is also shown for other na-

tions which have maintained normal thought-patterns and for

their opinions. Egotistic thought-terrorization is accomplished

by the society itself and its processes of conversive thinking.

This obviates the need for censorship of the press, theater, or

broadcasting, as a pathologically hypersensitive censor lives

within the citizens themselves.

When three “egos” govern, egoism, egotism, and egocen-

trism, the feeling of social links and responsibility toward oth-

ers disappear, and the society in question splinters into groups

ever more hostile to each other. When a hysterical environment

stops differentiating the opinions of limited, not-quite-normal

people from those of normal, reasonable persons, this opens the

door for activation of the pathological factors of a various na-

ture to enter in.

Individuals we have already met who are governed by a

pathological view of reality and abnormal goals caused by their

different nature are able to develop their activities in such con-

ditions. If a given society does not manage to overcome the

state of hysterization under its ethnological and political cir-

cumstances, a huge bloody tragedy can be the result.

One variation of such a tragedy can be pathocracy. Thus,

minor setbacks in terms of political failure or military defeat

can be a warning in such a situation and may turn out to be a

blessing in disguise if properly understood and allowed to be-

come a factor in the regeneration of a society’s normal thought

patterns and customs. The most valuable advice a ponerologist

can offer under such circumstances is for a society to avail

itself of the assistance of modern science, taking particular

advantage of data remaining from the last great increase of

hysteria in Europe.

A greater resistance to hysterization characterizes those so-

cial groups which earn their daily bread by daily effort, and

where the practicalities of everyday life force the mind to think

soberly and reflect on generalities. As an example: peasants

continue to view the hysterical customs of the well-to-do

classes through their own earthy perception of psychological

reality and their sense of humor. Similar customs on the part of

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PONEROLOGY

the bourgeoisie incline workers to bitter criticism and revolu-

tionary anger. Whether couched in economic, ideological, or

political terms, the criticism and demands of these social

groups always contain a component of psychological, moral,

and anti-hysterical motivation. For this reason, it is most ap-

propriate to consider these demands with deliberation and take

these classes’ feelings into account. On the other hand, tragic

results can derive from thoughtless action paving the way for

spellbinders to make themselves heard.

Ponerology

Ponerology utilizes the scientific progress of the last dec-

ades and last years, especially in the realms of biology, psy-

chopathology and clinical psychology. It clarifies unknown

causative links and analyzes the processes of the genesis of evil

without giving a short shrift to factors which have so far been

underrated. In initiating this new discipline, the author has also

utilized his professional experience in these areas and the re-

sults of his own recent research.

A ponerological approach facilitates an understanding of

some of mankind’s more dramatic difficulties on both levels,

the macrosocial and the individual human scale. This new dis-

cipline will make it possible to achieve first theoretical, and

then practical, solutions for problems we have been attempting

to solve by ineffective traditional means, resulting in feelings

of helplessness against the tides of history. These latter means

are based on historiographical concepts and excessively moral-

izing attitudes, which makes them overrate force as a means of

counteracting evil. Ponerology can help equalize such one-

sidedness by means of modern naturalistic thinking, supple-

menting our comprehension of the causes and genesis of evil

with the facts necessary to build a more stable foundation for

practical inhibition of the processes of ponerogenesis and coun-

teraction of their results.

Synergetic activity of several measures aimed at the same

valuable goal, e.g. such as treating a sick person, usually pro-

duces better effects than the mere sum of the factors involved.

In building a second wing for the activities of moralistic efforts