In the 17th century, French philosopher Blaise Pascal observed that humans are both glorious and wretched. Pas grand chose n’a changé (Not much has changed). We frequently receive reminders of people’s inspiring good and unimaginable cruelty. In every minute, there are tears of joy, screams of horror, acts of courage, and unthinkable suffering. People’s dreams and worst nightmares are realized every day. How do we exist in a world where bad things seem to happen so often without living in a constant state of worry and grief? Or is that the admission price for living?

People commit acts of unspeakable terror. Understanding what causes people to be so brutal could help everyone who witnesses it more effectively cope with these events. Understanding cruelty’s triggers might also inspire people to advocate for solutions that make the world a more humane place. Most people who rape, torture, kill, kidnap, and abuse are sadistic, psychopathic, or sociopathic. What does that mean? How do people become this way? And what can we do to help?

Sadists take pleasure in causing others pain, suffering, and humiliation. Sadists are ruthless and show no mercy on their victims. Sadism is a personality disorder. Its leading cause is exposure to physical abuse as a child. Victims of physical abuse frequently view their abusers as having power. They seek to regain the power that their abuser stripped from them by becoming an abuser as an adult. Sadists are treated with cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy and medication, which corrects chemical imbalances in the brain that distort perceptions. We can also reduce sadism by stabilizing family life, which might involve expanding access to mental health care, investments in schools, affordable housing, and employment opportunities, and other initiatives that help people live healthier lives.

Suicide bombers are often called sadistic. But they believe their acts are a moral calling, so while people might think that terrorists have no morals, they might argue that it is their morals that inspire them to kill. In their mind, they are getting revenge and sending a message—an end that justifies the means. They often view themselves as martyrs for their cause. To reduce their desire to become martyrs, the public might think more strategically about how to address their causes whenever possible.

Dehumanizing people can exacerbate sadism. Calling people animals, monsters, vermin, and roaches, depriving them of basic necessities, and leaving them with no hope can give sadists added pleasure in seeking revenge and increase its severity. Thus, the public would be well served to choose language carefully and seek to resolve conflicts and social, political, and economic issues that provide fertile ground for sadism to flourish, especially considering that sadists have plenty of company in the general population.

Millions of people have sadistic tendencies, commonly referred to as “everyday sadists.” Everyday sadists elicit and enjoy watching suffering (e.g., horror movies, bar fights, and violent video games). They also might easily engage in acts of legal violence (e.g., killing animals for sport or food). These Machiavellian personalities are widespread and normalized. People who scheme and use people for their advantage are everyday sadists. Many politicians who use their office to raise their profile, to inflict pain on others, and for personal financial gain are everyday sadists. Cheering for a fight at a hockey game, telling mean jokes, undermining people to bring them down, showing indifference to people crying, being extremely rude to waiters, and trolling people on social media are textbook examples of everyday sadism. Parents, communities, and schools should address these issues as they provide fertile ground for violent sadism to flourish.

Whereas sadists harm others for pleasure or revenge, psychopaths typically seek something in exchange for their violence. Psychopaths are reckless, remorseless, and impulsive. They lack fear and, therefore, take risks without concern. Deficient in empathy, they focus on short-term gains and do not think of consequences. Psychopaths want to be rich, famous, and loved, but they rarely love others. They typically cannot understand other people’s emotions. Surprisingly, most psychopaths are not violent. They are associated with violence because violent psychopaths draw so much attention (e.g., Jeffrey Dahmer). The cause of psychopathy remains unknown, although research indicates it might be linked to genetics and childhood exposure to trauma, violence, or brain dysfunction as a result of environmental factors (e.g., a mother smoking during pregnancy). Prevention remains elusive. It is a personality disorder, not a mental health issue. While there is no cure and no medication for psychopathy, cognitive behavioral therapy can help to control some behaviors in less severe cases. 

Sociopaths lack empathy and show no regard for right and wrong. They do not care how others feel, break laws, disregard social norms, manipulate people, get angry and defensive when confronted about their misconduct, and constantly lie, especially for personal gain. Sociopaths are arrogant, superficially charming, and driven to dominate others. Sociopathy is typically a learned behavior, frequently resulting from childhood trauma, abuse, neglect, and an unhealthy environment. It can also result from early brain damage, faulty brain wiring, or early disruption in personality development by abuse or trauma in childhood. Donald Trump is a textbook example of a narcissistic sociopath. Treating sociopathy is extremely difficult and rarely successful. There is no known psychological treatment or medication. For context, it is inconceivable to imagine Donald Trump ever changing how he acts. Preventing sociopaths from gaining power and identifying their behaviors might be the best way to limit their influence and avoid contact with them. 

In light of how nature and nurture shape people, what can we do to create a safer and healthier society? We can use knowledge about how people differ to lead a more meaningful life, show more kindness, and do more good to help offset cruelty. Perhaps a greater awareness keeps us more grateful every day our luck does not run out and we come face to face with a sadist, psychopath, or sociopath. Maybe their presence causes us to be greater advocates for solutions. It is understandable to feel depressed and hopeless, but we can also make the world less wretched and more glorious.