Are Some Parents Actually Evil? A Reflection on "People of the Lie" by Dr M. Scott Peck

Today I want to explore a big, uncomfortable question: Are some parents actually evil? Not just toxic. Not just narcissistic. But… evil?

This video was inspired by a book a few of you recommended to me: People of the Lie: The Hope for Healing Human Evil by psychiatrist M. Scott Peck. It was a bestseller back in 1983, and while it’s a little older, it absolutely gripped me.

Thank you to everyone who told me to read it. You were right — I found it deeply affirming, and I want to share a few key reflections with you.

What Is “Evil,” Really?

Dr. Peck doesn’t define evil by actions alone — not even harmful ones. He compares people he's encountered in his psychiatric work with those in the prison system and makes a striking claim: many criminals, in his eyes, aren’t evil. They may have done terrible things, but they often show remorse or at least awareness.

What he defines as evil is:

the complete and ongoing refusal to acknowledge the harm one causes.

It’s not about what’s been done — it’s about an attitude. The belief that they are right, always. That they know better. That they don’t need to reflect on their impact.

It’s not the absence of conscience. It’s the refusal to engage with it.

The Case Studies That Hit Home

Some of Dr. Peck’s case studies involve children and their parents. As I read those stories, I had that bone-deep, full-body reaction of recognition. "Yes. That. That’s exactly what I lived through.”

The way the parents spoke. The dismissive tone. The manipulation disguised as concern. The mask of benevolence with nothing loving underneath. It was uncanny. And for those of you who watch my videos and tell me, “Chess, it’s like you’re describing my life even though our stories are different,” — I know you’ll get that feeling too.

The Horror Behind the Smile

What truly shook Dr. Peck — and what felt so validating to me — was how these parents presented. They weren’t physically violent. They weren’t withholding food or shelter. In fact, they often looked like model citizens: well-dressed, respected, church-going, professionally successful.

And yet behind the mask, they were emotionally barren. They refused to see their children’s pain. They denied responsibility at every turn. They gaslit, manipulated, and rewrote reality mid-sentence.

Dr Peck describes the lies and maniuplation behind his definition of evil.

Dr. Peck shares how the mask would occasionally slip — just for a second. A flash of contempt, a cold shrug. Then, just as quickly, it would snap back into place. Smile. Nod. Move on. As if it never happened.

He found this not just disturbing, but horrifying.

Lies, Gaslighting, and Denial

The book’s title — People of the Lie — is no accident. Dr. Peck explores not just blatant lies, but the more insidious ones:

• The lie of “I care,” when there’s no action behind it.

• The lie of denial — that what happened didn’t happen.

• The lie of inversion — blaming the victim, twisting the narrative, making concern look like defiance.

  
  

In one scene, the parent contradicts something they said just moments earlier — then denies ever saying it. As quick as a flash, without hesitation. That kind of manipulation is soul-eroding. But what makes it evil, according to Peck, is the complete unwillingness to even consider that they might be wrong.

Arrogance Disguised as Confidence

One part of the book that really stood out — and honestly blew me away — was the arrogance. These parents were sitting in the office of a trained psychiatrist, brought there because their child was in psychiatric care. And yet they showed no interest in understanding their child. None.

Worse still, they challenged the psychiatrist’s credibility. They dismissed his assessments. They questioned his training, his diagnosis, even his right to be there. One couple stormed out of his office — only to be overheard by staff saying what a great doctor he was.

That contradiction… that brazen manipulation of public image… it’s chilling.

Final Thoughts

I found this book hard to read in places — and if you're a survivor of emotional abuse, you might too. But overall, I found it incredibly validating. Dr. Peck doesn’t shy away from hard truths. And he doesn’t sugarcoat the kind of damage these parents can cause — not just to their children, but to reality itself.

So if you’ve ever felt like your experience was invisible, or that what you went through wasn’t “bad enough,” I want you to know this:

It was real. You’re not imagining it. And yes — there are people who refuse to see the harm they cause.

That doesn’t make you weak for being hurt. That makes you human.

Thank you so much for being here. Whatever brings you to the Scapegoat Club, I’m sending you care and courage.

As always, much love

Chess xxx