The Frivolity of Evil by Theodore Dalrymple

The article "The Frivolity of Evil" by Theodore Dalrymple analyzes the causes of human misery. His work as a psychiatrist in Great Britains slums afforded him a great vantage point to analyze this topic "nearer to the fundamental of human existence." He concluded that the citizens of Great Britian willingly participated in precipitating their own misery. Their are three recurring theme in his article the lack of moral responsibility, extreme individualism and lack of cultural expectations. Dalrymple begins his article by showing the mind frame of a prisoner released from prison, who had the idea that he had paid his debt to society. In order to get his point across Dalrymple compares the prisoners situation to his very own, the 14 years he spent as a psychiatrist in the slums of Great Britain. He had a choice to choose a different neighborhood just like the prisoner had a choice not to commit the crime. His argument in this article is that our misery stems from the choices we make about how we choose to live our lives. He was also able to cement his arguments by comparing and contrasting the political and social differences between Great Britain and those of Liberia, North Korea and Central America. Dalrymple observed that the people in other countries had their choices taken way from them the crimes and brutality committed in these countries where not their own making. However, in Great Britain the life of violence and poverty was "unforced and spontaneous." Dalrymple argues that the evils in his country are a product of a society that promotes individualism and accepts the right of its citizens to pursue pleasures for their own self interest.

Dalrymple assert that judgmentalism is important in creating a healthy soci...

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...ctors that contributed to the unhappiness of these individuals. I think that society and the government allowed the life of crime, poverty and brutality to be an acceptable form of living. I believe that if the government was strict on the amount of money given to mothers with no support from the fathers, the number of children born out of wedlock would not be so high. Also the fathers would be held accountable for their own children, and expected to help support them. Social norms are rules and regulations that govern society, something lacking in this society. Without cultural expectations these individuals where not expected to want more for themselves or take responsibility for their actions. Because it is clear that they are aware of their situations, but because their are not punishment for their behavior it will continue until someone says differently.