Originally Posted by
Sooky
Definitions of Evil-
Morally wrong.
Causes harm or injury.
Characterised by anger or spite.
Causes suffering or destruction
I didn't say "evil" always referred to using brute force. Evil deeds can also be sneaky. Devious people can still be morally wrong and cause suffering/destruction without resorting to brute force directly.
Where's the evidence that the Emperor wanted peace? Didn't he destroy a whole planet for essentially no reason? Sounds pretty evil to me. I'd say ultimately he wasn't so interested in peace, but more in gaining power. And he deliberately wiped out all the people who'd oppose him (Jedi, Alliance etc), so that he could achieve total power.
I don't think everybody wants peace. I think some just want war to destabilise societies and make them easier to dominate/control. I'd say its the control that so called "evil" people seek and not peace.
Everyone wants to be in control, but some are willing to do whatever it takes (sacrifice lives etc) to gain this power and control.The more evil a person is, the more harm/suffering they are willing to inflict in order to get control.
I don't think there is such a thing as pure "evil" in the way you seem to define it. I'd say most of the time peoples end intentions are good, or at least so they think. EG - Maybe the Emperor truly believed that in some way his dominance would bring an overall order to the Universe, and that once he achieved power he could maintain this order. However, by inflicting suffering on others to essentially achieve his own desires (desires for control and power) I'd say the Emperor should be defined as evil. As the Dark Side leads to anger and suffering I'd also say that the Dark Side should be defined as evil.
I agree that the Light Side is also questionable, as it can cause harm and suffering too. However, generally the Light Side acts to try and reduce harm and suffering, and is certainly self-less compared to the selfish nature of the Dark Side. The Dark Side relies on emotions of anger and fear, but the Light Side seeks to avoid these emotions. So I'd say "evil" is a relative thing, and compared to the Light Side the Dark Side is definitely evil.
Mmm... So… you have evil plans… interesting…