Do we really have to know evil to fight it?

A while ago, I was having an argument with a friend and roommate, Rommel, about evil. It came as a result of him explicitly telling me he hated me for how I’ve acted these past few days--I was so into the concept of personifying evil.

As accusations go, I acted vicious, sexist, mean, stupid, slang, etc. The most significant part of the act however was feeling pleasure while doing these deeds of evil. And when Rommel criticized the character (or me), I responded with a statement I didn’t even know was coming from me--

To fight the evil, you must know the evil.

(Well, if you really wanted to)

After having said that, I started getting paranoid that might be becoming a monster myself, with figurative big horns and long pointed tails, holding a trident, and endlessly partying around fire in a cave. (read: credit to Dan Brown for using these images again that attribute to devil)

Rommel opened up the topic again last night and I was on the defensive this time.

One can argue that it’s best that we never know evil at all. Then we wouldn’t have to deal with it.

Innocence days are over though!

My Christian self believes that ever since Adam and Eve made the bite of the forbidden fruit, mankind was forever led to vulnerability. We are left to deal with evil ourselves whether we like it or not; and I believe that knowledge is the best way of arming oneself against enemies. The same can be said of evil. Not recognizing evil is ignorance and, in its nature, is evil itself.

(Comment June 21, 2014 This was written way back when I was fresh out of high school. Right now I don't consider myself Catholic or Christian anymore but I still believe that knowledge is power.)