"Bad guys don't think they're bad guys. Hitler probably thought he was a wonderful guy doing some wonderful and righteous work for Germany"

People often imagine villains as self-aware evildoers, consciously plotting malevolence. Yet, the most dangerous and consequential acts in history have often been committed by those who believed themselves heroes in their own narratives. When Martin Landau remarked that even someone like Hitler believed he was performing tremendous and just work for his country, he highlighted a profound aspect of human psychology: self-justification and moral relativism.

Every human action is filtered through personal beliefs, cultural upbringing, and perceived ethics. Rarely do individuals recognize themselves as villains; instead, they construct narratives, sometimes elaborate and deeply flawed, that validate their choices. Even the architects of atrocities can be driven by genuine conviction, distorted by ideology, trauma, fear, or ambition. Hitler, for example, acted under the conviction that his vision would lead Germany to greatness, rationalizing brutal policies as necessary for the greater good as he saw it.

The refusal to see oneself as the villain can be one of humanity's most dangerous traits because it silences doubt and forecloses self-examination. When people are convinced of their own righteousness, dissent is not just opposition, it becomes heresy, actively threatening the supposed 'good.' This dynamic turns ideological or political disputes into struggles for existential survival, fueling fanaticism and violence.

Recognizing that “bad guys” see themselves as “good guys” challenges us to look beyond black-and-white morality. It encourages empathy, not to condone immoral actions, but to understand the roots of wrongdoing. History, psychology, and literature warn repeatedly that unchecked certainty can foster dehumanization and cruelty. True moral vigilance demands humility, a willingness to question one’s own motives and a recognition of the common human capacity for self-delusion. Only by doing so can society prevent the repetition of history’s darkest chapters.