Harmdoers become permanently morally altered by their own rationalizations

Evidence

In the insightful words of one of the parishioners, a person is neither “entirely good” nor “entirely bad” (Medina & Lovett, 2013). Indeed, with selective moral disengagement, the same person can be both good and bad simultaneously and even preserve a sense of moral integrity while behaving inhumanely. On one hand, Cardinal Mahony marched with César Chávez for the rights of Hispanic farm workers and championed other Hispanic causes (Goodstein, 2013b). On the other hand, he betrayed the Hispanic community by allowing the sexual abuse of children. — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 530 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Harmdoers rationalize by elevating science and derogating victims; Moral damage from evildoing socialization persists and keeps individuals susceptible to future harmdoing; Moral disengagement can make harm exilarating and not always sustainable (+7 more)

Broader Connections

• Moral disengagement can make harm exilarating and not always sustainable #complicates (0.78)
• Selective moral disengagement lets the same person be both good and bad at once #complicates (0.72) — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 530