Manichaean paranoia

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Manichaean paranoia is the moral certitude that one is leading the forces of good against the empire of evil. It is the idea that one's moral superiority justifies one in committing immoral acts. Because one perpetrates these acts on 'immoral' people, one is not morally responsible for the means used, only the ends achieved.

The term has its roots in the ancient Persian religion Manichaeism, which held a highly dualistic view of the world — a viewpoint of black or white, enemy or friend. It split the world into good (or light) and evil (darkness), which are in constant conflict. In Manchaean paranoia, this combines with a paranoia about the darkness, and the irrational fear that evil is actively out to "get" you, causing you to fight against it or be destroyed by it. This can lead to the justification of "evil" actions in the name of good.

This intense dualism can lead to a moral polarization, where every position can take on either a morally good or morally evil cast, resulting in very little ground for neutrality. Because everything is either morally good or morally evil, taking any position other than the good one can result in defaulting to evil. It is possible that those who criticize the morally good are seen as automatically morally evil, while those that pledge loyalty to the morally good are seen as morally good no matter the actions they commit.

There is a distinct similarity between this dualism and the dualism implied by the contrast, within Jewish, Christian, and Muslim doctrines, between Satan, as the original and personal manifestation of evil in the world, and the absolute, eternal goodness of God. The only way to be saved, according to these belief systems, is to adhere to the correct faith. This is analogous to the idea in Manichaean paranoia that loyalty to the correct ideals makes one morally good (regardless of what one might actually do).


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