Devaluing victims enables harm without guilt or remorse

Evidence

What was conspicuously absent in Keating’s self-reactions was concern for those he harmed—many of them elderly who lost their life savings—or guilt over his injurious actions. The lack of empathy and remorse comes as no surprise, considering the low regard he had for his unwitting clients. In a memo he advised bond salesmen, “And always remember the weak, meek, and ignorant are always good targets” (McFadden, 2014). Maltreating those who are devalued does not rouse much guilt. — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 1411 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Sadistic enjoyment requires victims who can really suffer yet lack full moral status — Mark Fisher (edited by Darren Ambrose), K-Punk: The Collected and Unpublished…, 782; Monetary compensation without apology fails victims seeking recognition — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt: International…, 2089; Perpetrators can overlook their own role in degrading victims even when they caused it — Leonard S. Newman and Ralph Erber (eds.), Understanding Genocide: The Social…, 362 (+8 more)

Broader Connections

• Dehumanizing victims lets perpetrators disengage self-sanctions for mistreatment #expands (0.94)
• Devaluing victims as weak targets suppresses guilt in wrongdoers. #corroborates (0.93) — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 1411