Theodore Dalrymple Essay Frivolity Of Evil

Theodore Dalrymple, in the essay “Frivolity of Evil” reflects on the evil things committed by the people and how the people have, and are facing life in a negative way even if they do not want to do so. Dalrymple’s real name being Anthony Daniels, he picked up the pseudonym of Theodore Dalrymple in 1990 to anonymously bring into light some situations in Great Britain. From the essay, it is understood that Dalrymple has served as a physician in prison in Britain for fourteen years. As he mentions, “the slate is wiped clean once a prisoner is released from prison, but the debt is not paid off”. For example, if a person committed a murder, he has chances to come out of jail, but the victim of his evil act is not going to turn out alive any time.

The evil things once done cannot be compensated by godly things done later in one’s life.
As Dalrymple travels around the world, he notices how tyranny, dictatorship and superiority lead people into doing things even to the extent of killing a person or a group of people for fame and inheritance.

“Instead of one dictator, though, there are thousands, each the absolute ruler of his own little sphere, his power circumscribed by the proximity of another such as he”, states Dalrymple. This is what every person is fighting for, in his life. The world sees more competition day after day. Even if one person does not want to put another down in a society directly, that is what the world is indirectly up to. The level of violence perseveres from one person’s home to a whole country with the level of evilness getting greater as it goes up the

ladder.
One of his personal experiences with his mother explains his point of view in detail. During her early age in Blitz, she felt safe in spite of the black outs; but, now the same woman is afraid to the thought of going out at dusk. She has been pickpocketed of her purse not once, but twice in Britain. He further provides statistical records by stating, “There has been 12-fold increase since 1941and an even greater increase in crimes of violence” (Dalrymple 4-5). He describes a woman he came across during his work. She was abandoned by her mother, who was in love with another man seven years younger than her. The woman then married three times and had three children by the age of sixteen and is abandoned by all her husbands. This hints that, even if people are aware of the consequences of their act, they still are prone to do them for a temporary happiness or pleasure. If this is the current case, the future world is nowhere to be thought of even having as many good people as we have now. It is a number of small things that stack up to become big things.
Dalrymple defines frivolity of evil as the elevation of passing pleasure for oneself over the long-term misery of others to whom one owes a duty.

Like the women, the men are also aware of their consequences. Yet, some of them continue to do the same and all for the same reason-temporary pleasure. Dalrymple is very precise in saying that these father-abandoned single parent children face the most difficulties in their lives. Those little children have nothing to do with the fights between their parents nor deserve to spend their lives in difficulty. If the parents could think of their children’s future for a moment, this situation can be avoided in many places; if this realization came to people, why would they even think of abandoning the mother and their children? Dalrymple states, “They do it over and over again, to such an extent that I should guess that nearly a quarter of the British children are brought up this way”

(Dalrymple).
Welfare state provides for such children abandoned by their fathers. The single-parent mothers are given priority in the government and are excluded from certain payments. Although this helps the child in financial ways, there is yet a lack of love of a father. He explains that many of these children, due to lack of education and a good background are involved in violence themselves, starting at misbehaviors and going up in more evil paths. He insists this condition with a saying “A spoiled brat becomes an evil tyrant” (Dalrymple 10). He is completely right about this opinion; I myself have seen and heard such children growing up and getting involved in violent things. This is due to lack of parental and educational teaching, which molds a kid; if a child does not receive it, he loses all. If not taken care at the young age, their evil behavior would continue to grow up as they grow.
The society views have changed. The youngsters of this age are in no way comparable to the ones of their previous generations. Although the technologies have taken over and life has become more convenient, what matters are morals; “For them, the highest form of morality is amorality” states Dalrymple (Dalrymple 10). He classifies the people into two groups: one believes that a man has rights but no duties and the other that the consumer choice is the solution. A man has a right to marry and a choice to abandon his children. A woman has a choice to remarry and abandon her children for her new man. This is exactly how the system works; the politicians would not change the system because they fear that the people will feel that they are deprived of their rights.
Rather than the politicians or others telling people how they should be, it is easier if each one is personally willing to be morally good. Abandoning the traditional beliefs and respect for others takes people nowhere. Not one person knows where or how life is after death; it is important to live at the moment with respect, love and care for others and be moral.