How Putin Convinced the World That Evil Does Exist
Putin’s behavior over the past year has been so wild it destroyed every contemporary diplomatic and military certitude. Now it’s driving us to ask the biggest questions of all.
A. Craig Copetas
Published Mar. 04, 2023 7:57PM ET
It’s one of the oldest philosophical debates in history: does evil exist?
Humankind’s original word for evil, 𒉆𒅆𒌨—pronounced namhul—emerged 6,000 years ago in Sumer, one of the cradles of civilization located within the borders of modern-day Iraq. It was applied to a wicked despot: “The Sumer tablets describe an evil leader as one who oppresses orphans and widows; those who do not seek equity under the law; do nothing to prevent chaos, and murder their own people,” explains Dr. Jonathan Tenney, Cambridge University assistant professor of Assyriology and a specialist in the Sumer language. “Namhul is also an abstract for rottenness.”
Six millenia later, another rotten leader stalks the Earth.
“Evil is still around today, and when evil comes after you,” Zelensky warns, “there will be no one to protect you.”
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more at link
I'm convinced.
= new reply since forum marked as read
As I've said before, I visited the USSR in the late '80s with my grandmother and the peace group she joined, an incredible group and an eye-opening trip. There was such hope back then under Gorbachev with his policies of glasnost and perestroika, openness and transparency - let alone the groups we met who were dedicated to the cause of a lasting peace. After the suffering of the Russian people during WWII, fought on their own land, their cause was "Never Again." There were monuments and plaques everywhere, dedicated to those who were lost, and museums even in schools to teach the children about about their history - but everything has changed under Putin whose aim has been to recreate the worst abuses of the USSR. 
And my heart breaks for the young people we met back then, the little Russian girl I went on an amusement park ride with (none of the older ladies in our group would join me), the girl about my age who I sat next to at the opera and chatted with during the intermission who spoke three languages and the young woman who my grandmother and I were paired with at a peace group meetup who was training to be a doctor. And then there were the children who met us with bouquets of flowers when we visited the school in our "sister town." They sure don't deserve Putin and I hope that they're all safe and well today. 
The other members of my grandmother's peace group were all senior citizens back then except one other woman - and me. And I can't help but wonder what they would think now. As for our welcoming "sister town," I'm guessing that no American group could ever go back.
