Human beings are plenty loving

[redchartreuse]

No, they wouldn't. And haven't.

But in general that IS what most parents would say. You have to be mindful of that. Look at it from a balanced perspective and not from a biased one-sided one.

In general, yes. And I am actually very mindful of that.

Your point actually aligns with mine perfectly. The average person, acting from love unchecked by rationality, will mercilessly defend their "loved ones" until the bitter end. You can't really blame them for this behavior, because that it exactly what is pounded into their heads at every turn.

For every single rapist, pedophile, murderer, terrorist, there is typically a throng of other friends and family members who genuinely feel it is their duty to "protect" the ones they love, by offering excuses and making cover-ups and otherwise enabling bad behavior.

Did you know that studies into "radicalized" and other destructive people has revealed they generally have *higher* levels of empathy than average?

What most typically happens is they somehow end up connected with a "community" that takes advantage of their empathic nature, and feeds them lies and false reasonings to goad them into taking action. And they almost invariably believe that their harmful acts are born of "love." And yes, even pedophiles.

To be clear, love isn't the problem. It is love unchecked by light. Love that is steeped in ignorance and lies until it morphs into hatred. And typically it could all have been averted if the person had learned how to reason, and think for themselves.