The worst human pleasures, including cruelty and power, are mental rather than physical
Evidence
In so far as the division of mind and body can be accepted, the worst pleasures, as well as the best, are mental—for example, envy, and many forms of cruelty and love of power. — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 615
Categorization
- XREF: XREF connects Platonic mind-body separation to psychological insights about malice and power. — connects to: To dehumanize someone is to strip them of qualities that make them recognizable as fully human, so cruelty no longer feels like cruelty — The Psychology of Dehumanization and Moral Disengagement; Ethical systems that despise happiness often unconsciously provide outlets for cruelty and power. — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2347; Collective shaming discipline is psychologically violent though non-corporal — , The Rod and the Child: A Global History…, 5618 (+2 more)
- corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 615
Broader Connections
- Collective shaming discipline is psychologically violent though non-corporal
#exemplifies(0.60) — , The Rod and the Child, 5618 - Torture psychologically damages the torturer even more than the victim
#corroborates(0.50) — Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Algeria 1954-1962, 614