If you’ve ever gotten negative vibes from someone, you’ll understand what it’s like to realize someone is evil. It may happen almost anywhere, from a sunny coffee shop to a dark street corner. You’re living your life, and all of a sudden, your blood runs cold.
This is your instinct informing you that someone isn’t good. Perhaps you were conversing with a stranger who plainly did not have your best interests at heart. Perhaps you were hanging out with a friend who was doing everything they could to exploit you for personal advantage. Whatever the circumstances, it’s fantastic that you were able to identify the “evil” before anything awful occurred.
Of course, you cannot assume that every somewhat scary individual has a cold, black heart. Some people have been through a lot in their lives and are simply trying to interact. As long as no one is wounded or outraged, the only thing you can do is tip your hat and leave. But what about really terrible people? What about those who are “out to get you”? The following are some warning signals to look for so you can avoid danger and stay safe.
1. They Take Pleasure In Other People’s Misfortune
You trip, and they laugh hysterically. There’s awful news on TV, so they get out the popcorn. Schadenfreude refers to a pleasant reaction to the misfortunes of others. It is defined as “exquisite joy and smug satisfaction from contemplating and reveling in the misfortune of others,” according to Adrian Furnham, Ph.D. in Psychology Today. To put it mildly, it’s quite creepy.
2. They Are Mean To Animals
Anyone who is cruel to animals sucks. There is no doubt about that. But did you know that it is virtually always a sign of underlying problems? “Since the 1970s, research has consistently reported childhood cruelty to animals as the first warning sign of later delinquency, violence, and criminal behavior,” Joni E. Johnston, Psy.D., stated in Psychology Today. Whether the brutality occurred 30 years ago or five minutes ago, consider it a clear indication that this individual is bad news.
3. They Use Humor To Insult You
There’s nothing amusing about being a complete jerk, yet jerks often use comedy to bring others down. Consider the classic movie bully who makes the entire school laugh by making someone the target of a joke. Not cool.
4. They Lie All The Time
We all tell little white lies, such as why we’re late for work or “too busy” to hang out. It’s usually not a big deal. However, bad people go above and beyond, employing excellent lying skills. They might, for example, be extremely truthful in order to gain people’s trust. According to Jeff Wise of Psychology Today, they will then tell lies in order to get their way. How extremely manipulative.
5. They Are Manipulative
Speaking of which, manipulation is another solid indicator that someone isn’t fantastic. Again, these folks are excellent at what they do. “Manipulators often voice assumptions about your intentions or beliefs and then react to them as if they were true in order to justify their feelings or actions, all the while denying what you say in the conversation,” Darlene Lancer, JD, MFT, told PsychCentral Do you see what I mean? Someone who degrades to those levels is clearly not worth being around.
6. They Belittle Your Fears
Keep an eye out for folks who make your troubles into a comedy. “If you need a little comfort because you’re worried about getting a job or think your best friend is mad at you, [they] shouldn’t be mocking your concerns,” Elise Williams told EliteDaily.com. Nonetheless, awful people are likely to do so.
7. They Don’t Feel Guilt Or Remorse
Let’s say you were having a rough day and took it out on your partner. Perhaps you were cranky or didn’t want to hear about their troubles. This happens, and it is usually followed by great guilt, correct? Cold-hearted people never feel remorse. “Their brains simply lack the circuitry to process such emotions,” said Mike Adams for NaturalNews.com. “This allows them to betray people, threaten people, or harm people without giving it a second thought.” Yikes.
8. They Have A Total Lack Of Empathy
The individual who abuses animals or lies for selfish gain lacks empathy. Susan York Morris of Healthline.com defines this as the ability to feel or share another person’s feelings. It fits along with the previously described lack of guilt and can be pretty frightening.
If you’ve made it to the end of this list and are feeling shocked, keep in mind that there are numerous reasons why someone may appear to be “evil.” They may have been traumatized or are suffering from an ailment. Not everyone is terrible just to be bad, and that is a meaningless distinction.
