Recently I’ve started
watching the series “Lucifer” on Netflix. Lucifer Morningstar is the devil, and
he is on vacation and running a nightclub in Los Angeles. I’m only on the third
episode and it’s clear that he’s being influenced (for the good) by some of the
people around him, but even apart from that influence, this character isn’t
very devilish. He isn’t evil; he’s only “evil.”
That is, there’s a
difference between real evil and stage “evil”, rather like there’s a difference
between being a ballet dancer and simply wearing a costume of tutu and ballet shoes. I’m
not complaining. If the character were truly evil, the show would be
unwatchable. Who wants to watch a show with a totally unsympathetic main
character?
(Note: I did just finish
watching “Deathnote”, but the main character started off thinking he was
pursuing justice, even if he was wrong about his methods. He became
increasingly evil as the show went on, but he was opposed by some good
characters and it made for a fascinating battle of wits. As long as you have
equally important good characters in opposition and the main character isn’t
completely evil, you can still have a very watchable series.)
Stage “evil” is the fun
kind, the trappings of evil without the substance. Lucifer has devilish good
looks and charm, a bold disregard for rules and authority, and a penchant for
causing trouble. But let’s notice that the people he causes trouble for are
usually themselves either troublemakers or really irritating people. He scares
a school bully and terrifies a fraudulent street preacher. If he really wanted
to increase the misery in the world, he should have encouraged them, not scared
them. But the audience wouldn’t like him then, because that would be real evil.
He also runs a nightclub
with scantily clad dancers and is often found in bed with a number of
individuals of either gender who are equally scantily clad (and would be
wearing even less if this weren’t a TV show.) But notice that it is strongly
implied that all these individuals chose to be there, and that there is never
the slightest hint that the nightclub dancers might be exploited or working for
him only reluctantly. He’s sleeping with a psychiatrist, but there’s no
suggestion that she might be married or otherwise attached. No one gets hurt.
I said that he does cause
trouble for troublemakers, and Lucifer rationalizes his selectivity by saying
that he is punishing evil-doers, and isn’t punishing evil what the devil is supposed to do?
That’s curious, because punishing evil doesn’t
itself seem evil (though it isn’t merciful either.) If the devil is supposed to
be evil, presumably he would encourage evil-doing in order to cause more
misery. The devil is supposed to tempt people in ways that twist their souls
and ruin their lives and the lives of other people as well.
But again, a main
character who was truly evil wouldn’t make for an entertaining show. If you
want to learn about real evil, there are plenty of documentaries, but I wouldn’t
call them “entertaining.”
Why make a big deal about
this distinction between evil and “evil”? Because real evil doesn’t come with
labels, and people sometimes mistake stage “evil” for the real thing.
I’m thinking, for
instance, of people I have known who find dark, occult-looking things
appealing. Or maybe they’re into vampires. Stage “evil.” They’re playing with
props. They aren’t really evil at all. But some people don’t seem to realize
that. They take the appearance of stage “evil” as a desire for the real thing.
Granted, there are some people
drawn to stage “evil” who really are kind of twisted, and others who do so in
order to shock and offend (not exactly a kind motive). On the other hand, there
are people who are drawn to exactly the opposite symbols (of goodness and
light) while behaving in a genuinely evil manner. You really have to look at
people’s deeds, not their outerwear or outer attitude.
So, I’m enjoying a TV
show about the devil on vacation in Los Angeles. That’s okay. It doesn’t mean I’ve
been drawn to the dark side. I know the difference between “evil” and evil.