Perpetrators recast their character flaws as assets making harm a side effect

Evidence

Armstrong describes his personal flaw as a “relentless desire to win at all costs.” However, he does not regard the flaw as a defect, rather as a powerful asset that enables him to do extraordinary things. Any accompanying harm is an unavoidable side effect. This was the driving force, he explained, that enabled him to triumph over his metastasized cancer and to defeat his cycling challengers. These two benefits demonstrate that the flaw can result in good things as well as detrimental ones. Armstrong could also take pride in the good work done by his cancer foundation, for which he raised millions of dollars. — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 244 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Armstrong describes his personal flaw as a “relentless desire to win at all costs.” However, he does not regard the flaw as a defect, rather as a powerful asset that enables him to do extraordinary things. Any accompanying harm is an unavoidable side effect. This was the driving force, he explained, that enabled him to triumph over his metastasized cancer and to defeat his cycling challengers. These two benefits demonstrate that the flaw can result in good things as well as detrimental ones. Armstrong could also take pride in the good work done by his cancer foundation, for which he raised millions of dollars. — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 244 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: 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; Wrongdoers recast personal flaws as assets by citing their side benefits — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement: How People Do Harm…, 244; Perpetrators minimize grave harms by relabeling them as mere misconduct — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement: How People Do Harm…, 521 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Wrongdoers recast personal flaws as assets by citing their side benefits #corroborates (0.98) — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 244
• Wrongdoers recast a harmful flaw as an asset justified by its collateral benefits. #corroborates (0.97) — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 244
• Disguising wrongdoing as legitimate weakens restraint but not self-condemnation #complicates (0.74)
• Perpetrators minimize grave harms by relabeling them as mere misconduct #complicates (0.72) — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 521