http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2006 by the authors Thu, 30 Nov 2006 21:09:32 EST http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/11/19/103356.php#comment-489664 Great piece, Richard. This puts me in mind of a book called "The Gift of Fear" by Gavin deBecker (if memory serves)--one of the leading experts in stalkers, serial killers, et. al. In order for him to get inside the mind of even the most depraved criminal, he has to be able to imagine the world through the killer's eyes. This kind of empathy, if you will, is a positive force, though it "embraces" an evil one. The author also challenges readers to think of the most horrible things one person could do to another--and then says if you can imagine it, there is someone out there who has done it--and worse. The point being we all have the capacity to think violent thoughts, as well as commit therm--but only some of us have the empathy and insight to turn that terrible knowledge into something constructive and positive--despite the horrific frustrations. 489664@blogcritics.org Thu, 30 Nov 2006 21:09:32 EST