Rising from the restless seam where the Indo-Australian and Eurasian tectonic plates collide, Indonesia’s volcanoes shape both the landscape and the lives of the people who call these islands home. With more than 120 active volcanoes, the country hosts the highest concentration on Earth. From Sumatra’s steaming craters to the smoldering peaks of Java and Bali, the archipelago is a laboratory of fire and ash. These mountains are more than geological marvels — they are constant reminders of the planet’s power to create and destroy. Each eruption etches new scars on the land, while enriching soils that feed millions.

Volcanoes are inseparable from Indonesia’s history. The 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora on Sumbawa Island was the most powerful in recorded history, its ash blotting out sunlight worldwide and ushering in a “year without a summer.” Mount Krakatau’s cataclysmic blast in 1883 reshaped global weather patterns and left a legacy of tsunamis that still haunt coastal communities. Yet eruptions are not just catastrophes; they are also catalysts for renewal. Fertile volcanic soils sustain rice terraces, spice gardens, and dense tropical forests, making the land one of the most productive agricultural zones on the planet.

For millions of Indonesians, volcanoes are not only natural phenomena but sacred presences woven into cultural and spiritual traditions. On Bali, ceremonies at Mount Agung honor the volcano as the spiritual axis of the island. In Java, offerings are made at Mount Merapi, where villagers live in the shadow of frequent eruptions, balancing reverence with resilience. These traditions reflect a deeper understanding of coexistence with the forces of nature, recognizing volcanoes as both destroyers and givers of life.

Yet as Indonesia’s population swells and cities expand into hazard zones, the risks intensify. Scientists and disaster agencies work tirelessly to monitor seismic tremors and gas emissions, issuing warnings when danger looms. Still, evacuation is often fraught, as families are reluctant to abandon their homes, livestock, and livelihoods. The challenge for modern Indonesia is not only to live with its volcanoes, but to prepare for their inevitable fury while respecting the ancient bonds that tie communities to these fiery peaks. In this delicate balance lies the story of a nation perched on the edge of creation.

Stretching across more than 3,000 miles of ocean, Indonesia sits at the heart of the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where shifting plates fuel one of the most volcanically active regions on Earth. The archipelago is home to nearly 18,000 islands, and beneath them churns a volatile network of magma chambers and fault lines. More than 75 percent of Indonesia’s territory lies within reach of volcanic activity, and an estimated 80 million people live within a danger zone. From towering stratovolcanoes to submarine vents hidden beneath the sea, the scope of Indonesia’s volcanic presence is unmatched — both in scale and influence.

The country’s volcanoes are as diverse as its cultures. Mount Rinjani on Lombok is a crescent-shaped caldera lake that draws pilgrims and trekkers, while Mount Bromo in East Java, with its smoking crater and vast sea of sand, is central to annual Tenggerese ceremonies. Farther east, the remote peaks of Papua and the Banda Islands remain less studied, their eruptions often going unnoticed except by nearby villagers. Indonesia’s underwater volcanoes are equally important, birthing new islands and reshaping coastlines. Together, these features create a landscape in constant motion, one where geography itself is never fixed.

This volcanic expanse has immense ecological consequences. Lava flows carve barren plains that, over decades, transform into lush forests teeming with unique species. Volcanic lakes, rich in minerals, sustain fisheries and provide fresh water to communities. At the same time, eruptions can blanket entire regions with ash, smother crops, and force mass migrations. The scope of Indonesia’s volcanoes thus reaches far beyond geology, shaping ecosystems, food security, and even patterns of human settlement. To understand Indonesia’s environment is to recognize how deeply volcanoes have sculpted its soils, rivers, and rainforests.

Globally, Indonesia’s volcanoes also exert an influence that belies their island locations. Eruptions have cooled global climates, disrupted air travel across Asia, and altered trade routes for centuries. Modern scientists track plumes from Merapi or Sinabung with satellites, knowing their ash clouds can ground aircraft thousands of miles away. As one of the world’s largest economies and most populous nations, Indonesia’s relationship with its volcanoes is not only a domestic concern but a matter of international significance. The scope of these fiery giants — local, national, and global — underscores why Indonesia remains the very epicenter of Earth’s restless geology.

Sumatra, Indonesia’s westernmost giant, is a land where mountains smolder above dense rainforests and the scars of ancient eruptions remain etched across its valleys. The island is home to some of the most formidable volcanoes in the country, including Mount Sinabung, which has roared back to life in the past decade after centuries of quiet. Its eruptions have displaced tens of thousands, a stark reminder of the fragility of life in volcanic shadow. Mount Kerinci, Indonesia’s highest volcano, towers over tea plantations and bird-filled forests in Kerinci Seblat National Park, where its fertile slopes sustain both biodiversity and human communities. Yet Sumatra’s volcanic legacy is not only recent. The colossal eruption of Lake Toba around 74,000 years ago, one of the largest in Earth’s history, reshaped global climates and left behind a vast caldera that now holds the world’s largest volcanic lake.

Just off Sumatra’s coast lies the Sunda Strait, dominated by the legendary Krakatau. Its 1883 eruption remains one of the most catastrophic events in recorded history, generating tsunamis that swept across the Indian Ocean and reverberating around the globe. Today, Anak Krakatau, the “child” of Krakatau, continues to rise from the sea, growing and collapsing in cycles of fiery activity. Its eruptions in 2018 once again triggered deadly tsunamis, a sobering reminder that the strait remains one of the most hazardous volcanic zones in Indonesia. Yet Anak Krakatau also symbolizes resilience, a young island forging itself from molten rock while seabirds nest on its shores and coral reefs recover in the surrounding waters.

To the east, Java hosts the densest cluster of volcanoes in Indonesia, where some 150 million people live within sight of smoldering peaks. Mount Merapi, perhaps the nation’s most active volcano, dominates central Java, its eruptions both feared and revered. Farmers continue to cultivate its slopes, relying on volcanic ash to enrich their fields, even as eruptions regularly send pyroclastic flows racing toward villages. Mount Bromo, with its haunting landscape of ash plains and sulfurous smoke, is a cultural epicenter, where the Tenggerese people conduct rituals to honor the mountain’s spirit. Meanwhile, Mount Semeru, Java’s highest peak, continuously releases plumes of ash skyward, a constant reminder of the island’s restless underbelly.

South of Java and Bali stretch the Lesser Sunda Islands, a chain where volcanoes rise dramatically from turquoise seas. On Lombok, Mount Rinjani dominates the skyline, its caldera lake Segara Anak considered sacred by local communities. Further east, Mount Tambora on Sumbawa Island is infamous for its 1815 eruption, the largest in modern history. Tambora’s blast reshaped global climates, causing crop failures and famine as far away as Europe. Today, its massive caldera looms as both a tourist attraction and a geological monument to Earth’s power. The islands of Flores and Timor also host active volcanoes, where eruptions mingle with myths and traditions that tie local identities to the mountains.

Beyond the Lesser Sundas lies the Banda Sea, ringed by remote volcanic islands once at the heart of the spice trade. Gunung Api, aptly named “Fire Mountain,” rises dramatically from Banda Neira, where nutmeg trees flourish on volcanic soils. These islands were once the most coveted territory in the world, fought over by European empires, and their volcanic origins provided the fertile ground for the nutmeg that fueled centuries of global trade. To the north, Sulawesi presents another dramatic volcanic landscape, where mountains like Mount Soputan and Mount Lokon punctuate rugged terrain. These volcanoes often erupt with little warning, challenging nearby communities while nourishing some of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on Earth.

Farther north still, the Sangihe Islands and Halmahera embody Indonesia’s volcanic frontier. The Sangihe chain, stretching toward the Philippines, is studded with active peaks such as Mount Awu, whose deadly eruptions have killed thousands over the centuries. These islands remain remote, their volcanic soils supporting coconut and clove plantations that tie them to wider trade networks. Halmahera, one of Indonesia’s largest yet least populated islands, is equally dramatic, with volcanic mountains like Gamalama on nearby Ternate shaping both history and daily life. Ternate itself, once a hub of the global clove trade, rose to prominence on the fertility of its volcanic soil, while its people continue to live with the hazards of eruptions. Across these regions, the story is the same: volcanoes dominate not only the landscape but the rhythm of life, defining the balance between danger and sustenance that has shaped Indonesia’s history for millennia.

Indonesia’s history is inseparable from its volcanoes, whose eruptions have often altered the course of human events far beyond the archipelago. The eruption of Lake Toba roughly 74,000 years ago remains one of the largest known in Earth’s history, blanketing much of South Asia with ash and leaving a crater so vast it now holds the world’s largest volcanic lake. Some scientists argue it triggered a “volcanic winter,” reducing global temperatures and nearly pushing early humans to the brink of extinction. More recently, the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora on Sumbawa Island expelled enough ash to disrupt climates worldwide, causing the infamous “year without a summer.” Crops failed in Europe and North America, famine gripped communities, and Indonesia’s distant mountains reminded humanity of their global reach.

The eruption of Krakatau in 1883 further cemented Indonesia’s volcanoes in the world’s collective memory. Its cataclysmic blast was heard as far away as Australia, while tsunamis radiating from the Sunda Strait killed over 36,000 people. The explosion’s ash cloud dimmed the sun, lowering global temperatures and painting vivid sunsets that inspired artists across continents. Even today, Anak Krakatau, the “child of Krakatau,” continues to grow from the sea, its periodic eruptions echoing the past while foreshadowing future risks. Such historical eruptions illustrate how Indonesia’s volcanoes do not simply threaten nearby villages; they have the capacity to reshape climate, commerce, and culture on a planetary scale.

Yet while the legacy of past eruptions looms large, the reality for Indonesia’s citizens is one of daily negotiation with risk. Java’s Mount Merapi erupts with terrifying regularity, producing pyroclastic flows that can obliterate everything in their path. Communities often return to its slopes soon after evacuations, drawn by the fertile soils that support rice paddies and vegetable gardens. This cycle of destruction and renewal embodies the paradox of living in volcanic zones. For many, the land’s bounty outweighs the danger, making relocation impractical, if not impossible. In this sense, the future of Indonesia’s volcanoes will continue to shape not only its landscapes but its patterns of settlement and survival.

The economic stakes are equally profound. Volcanic soils underpin Indonesia’s agricultural productivity, feeding one of the world’s largest populations. Minerals from eruptions enrich not just crops but also water systems, sustaining forests, rivers, and fisheries. At the same time, eruptions disrupt trade, destroy infrastructure, and displace entire communities. The aviation industry, vital to Indonesia’s connectivity across its sprawling islands, is particularly vulnerable to volcanic ash clouds, which can ground flights for weeks. Balancing these costs and benefits will be critical as the nation modernizes, seeking to protect its people while harnessing the wealth that volcanoes indirectly provide.

Scientists and policymakers are working to refine monitoring and preparedness systems, using seismic sensors, satellite imagery, and community-based alert networks. Yet challenges persist. Indonesia’s sheer number of active volcanoes stretches resources thin, while poverty and rapid urbanization increase vulnerability in hazard zones. Climate change adds another layer of uncertainty: rising seas and more extreme rainfall may compound the risks of volcanic eruptions, from lahars to tsunami-triggered collapses. The future will demand not only technological innovation but also cultural sensitivity, recognizing the deep spiritual ties many communities hold with the mountains that both threaten and sustain them.

In the centuries ahead, Indonesia’s volcanoes will remain as central to the nation’s identity as they are to its geography. They will erupt, sometimes with devastating force, but also with the gifts of fertile soil, new land, and ecological renewal. Their impact will extend far beyond the archipelago, influencing global climates, economies, and cultures just as they have for millennia. For Indonesia’s citizens, the task will be to adapt — through science, tradition, and resilience — to a future lived in the shadow of fire. In this delicate coexistence lies the enduring story of a nation built upon the restless heart of the Earth itself.

*Trigger Warning: This article includes information and accounts about human trafficking- including sex trafficking- of women and children.

Due to significant privacy over the accusations against Jeffrey Epstein and the often unbelievable circumstances of his death in imprisonment, the rumors and conspiracies about the life and death of the accused sex offender have exploded. Clearly there are aspects of his criminal behavior the general public will likely never learn about; but we do either know or can reasonably assume the majority of what he did, how he did what he did, and who else may have been involved.

First off, Jeffrey Epstein started his career in 1974 as a school teacher in physics and math at an esteemed Manhattan prep school. From this start of his professional life, Epstein seemed an unconventional hire and was often cited with inappropriate behavior towards- especially female- students. In one case, Epstein showed up to a party where his students were drinking, and paid “persistent attention” on girls in the hallways and classrooms of the school.[1]

Epstein held the job for only two years before the school laid him off for “poor performance,” but his networking during his time as a teacher helped him get a job with the banking firm Bear Stearns. Epstein rapidly rose through the ranks from an assistant to a floor trader in 1976 to becoming a limited partner in 1980.[2] The firm asked Epstein to leave in 1981 after a court found him guilty of a Regulation D Violation, but Epstein remained a financial consultant under his own firm through most of the 1980's

It was during the 1980’s that unanswered questions began to arise about Epstein and his work. In 2017, investigative journalist Vicky Ward reported a story from a former White House senior official about a false, Austrian passport Epstein used in the 1980’s. The passport used Epstein’s photo with a fake name and a Saudi Arabian residence. The US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida handling an Epstein criminal case in 2008 reported he was told Epstein “belonged to intelligence” and to “leave it alone.”[3]

While only speculation, there are several documents that suggest Epstein was likely involved in the Iran-Contra affair of the 1980's- during which the United States transferred weapons from Israel to Iran. At the time, Epstein worked with Saudi Arabian businessman Adnan Khashoggi who was the middleman for the weapons transfer, and Epstein made several trips to the Middle East during this time.[4]

After spending time consulting the failed Towers Financial Corporation- a collections agency later found to have been nothing more than a ponzi scheme that imploded upon investigation- Epstein started his own financial management firm in 1988- J. Epstein & Company. This is likely where Epstein’s human trafficking began. In 1991, Epstein gained full power of attorney over Leslie Wexner’s- chairman and CEO of L Brands and Victoria’s Secret- financial affairs.

During this time, Epstein frequented Victoria’s Secret fashion shows and company executives. He also hosted models for the company at his New York City home and assisted aspiring models get work with the company.[5] In 1996, Epstein changed the name of his company to Financial Trust Company and its location to the US Virgin Islands for “tax advantages”- where the islands could act as an offshore tax haven while simultaneously keeping Epstein’s company within the US banking system.[6]

Epstein spent the early 2000’s attempting to buy up media magazines such as New York magazine and Radar, but most of his activity at the time was centered around his role as president of Liquid Funding Ltd. The company marketed a new system of debt repurchasing known as the “repo market,” that eventually led to the 2008 Bear Sterns collapse and the financial crisis of 2007–2008 that created the Great Recession.[7]

When police raided Jeffrey Epstein’s Palm Beach home in 2006, they discovered two hidden pinhole cameras.[8] Further investigation found a 1996 employee for Epstein who told investigators about an instance when Epstein showed her a media room in his New York City home accessible through a hidden door where men sat and watched camera feeds of restrooms and bedrooms monitoring private moments.[9]

Epstein also had cameras installed on his Virgin Islands private island where Epstein intended on filming guests involved in sex trafficking and drug use to use as blackmail.[10] Epstein would record videos of guests raping children and save them to CD’s to use as blackmail against high-profile individuals.[11] Initial investigations of Epstein’s Florida home discovered evidence Epstein paid women and children as young as fourteen for sexual acts.[8]

Further investigations found that Epstein had raped at least thirty-four children with a possible number as high as eighty.[12] In one case, Epstein allegedly flew in twelve-year-old triplets from France, raped them, then sent them back to France the next day.[13] Additionally, Epstein was involved in numerous eugenics experiments at his New Mexico home (known as the “baby ranch”) where he intended on using his sperm to genetically engineer the future of the human race- planning on impregnating women- up to twenty at a time- for his own transhumanist intentions.[14]

That’s where the court cases and lawsuits finally began. After a lengthy criminal court proceeding, the criminal justice system gave Epstein an extremely lenient sentencing. While Epstein received a lifetime label as a “Level Three” sex offender (one highly likely to repeat offenses), the New York Police never enforced his required return to New York from his Virgin Islands home every ninety days- even though the police were legally required to do so (police non-compliance on these orders is a felony).[15]

As a result, several civil cases ensued with victims- some named others kept private- sued Epstein and- in some cases- alleged partners in crime to Epstein. Some of these alleged partners included three accusations against British Prince Andrew, one accusation against US President Donald Trump, and six accusations against Epstein’s business partner Ghislaine Maxwell- out of a total of eighteen lawsuits filed between 2008 and 2020.

As a result of the overwhelming civil cases, a second criminal case ensued in 2019. It was during this investigations that FBI investigators uncovered evidence of sex trafficking of children- including the several CD’s depicting videos of Epstein’s guests raping women and children and using illegal drugs as well as his fake Austrian passport.[16]

While in jail awaiting trial, Epstein requested to be released on bond, but Judge Richard M Berman denied the request on 18 July. At 1:30am on 23 July, police found Epstein injured and semiconscious on the floor of his jail cell. Police investigators questioned Epstein and his cellmate- a former police officer charged with four counts of murder- about the injury to which both claimed to have no knowledge about what had happened.[17]

In August, police found Epstein dead in his jail cell in an alleged suicide. On the night of his death, guards transferred Epstein’s cellmate to a different cell- leaving Epstein alone. While they were required to check the cell every thirty minutes, the cell guards fell asleep on duty and left Epstein unguarded for three hours. During that time, the two videocamera watching the cell malfunctioned and did not record any evidence of how Epstein died.[18]

Ten days later, Judge Bergman dismissed all sex trafficking charges against Epstein, and the second criminal case over Epstein’s obviously criminal behavior once again went relatively unanswered.[17] A third criminal case is currently underway in France where prosecutors allege Epstein raped children over and under the age of fifteen and associated with criminals with the intention to commit felonies.[19]

Following the anticlimactic second criminal case, several rumors and conspiracy theories abounded around Jeffrey Epstein, alleged partners, and known personal contacts. Without delving too much into these (due to the lack of substantial evidence regarding the possibility of their involvement), there is some evidence of the involvement of certain individuals worth noting.

Epstein owned a private jet nicknamed (disgustingly) the “Lolita Express” (a reference to the novel and film “Lolita” about a man who kidnaps a child and rapes her throughout a cross-country road trip) which flew an average of six hundred hours per year- frequently with guests aboard. Virgin Islanders were the ones who nicknamed the plane due to witnessing several teenage girls frequently departing the aircraft. Noted passengers of the plane include- but are not limited to- US Presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton and actors Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker.[20]

Further investigations found that on several trips, Bill Clinton flew on the plane in 2016 without Secret Service detail- unusual even for a former president.[20] Surprisingly, Donald Trump may have been less lenient to Epstein. In 2002, Trump spoke high praises about Epstein and his pursuit of “beautiful women,” [21] but banned Epstein from setting foot at his Mar-a-Lago club for “unseemly pursuit of young females.”[22]

Unfortunately, that’s where praises for Trump end. Author Michael Wolff wrote of Epstein, Trump and other alleged criminal partner Tom Barrack that the three were a “set of nightlife musketeers” and that Trump and Epstein frequently socialized in both New York City and Palm Beach.[23]

With all that being said, FBI investigators have released little information about the numerous civil and criminal case reports that could list which individuals are named on the CD’s discovered at Epstein’s home- leaving the general public to speculate as to who may have been accomplices and partners to the crimes and to what extend they may have been involved. What is known however is that several victims of rape and other forms of sexual abuse- mostly children in some cases as young as eleven years old- will likely never receive the justice and closure they deserve, and several wealthy men and women will likely never face trial for what they did.

Baker, Mike and Harris, Amy Julia. “Jeffrey Epstein Taught at Dalton. His Behavior Was Noticed.” The New York Times; 12 July 2019.

Alexander, Sophie; Melby, Caleb; and Metcalf, Tom. “Mystery Around Jeffrey Epstein’s Fortune and How He Made It.” Bloomberg; 8 July 2019.

Schindler, John R. “It Sure Looks Like Jeffrey Epstein Was a Spy- But Whose?” Observer; 10 July 2019.

Ward, Vicky. “The Talented Mr. Epstein.” Vanity Fair; 27 June 2011.

Eder, Steve; Goldstein, Matthew; Maheshwari, Sapna; and Steel, Emily. “How Jeffrey Epstein Used the Billionaire Behind Victoria’s Secret for Wealth and Women.” The New York Times; 25 June 2019.

Farrel, Greg; Kocieniewski, David; and Metcalf, Tom. “The Jeffrey Epstein Guide to Cutting Your Tax Bill by 90%.” Bloomberg; 27 July 2019.

Hall, Kevin G and Nehamas, Nicholas. “Leaked documents show Jeffrey Epstein kept funds offshore. Can the money even be tracked?” Miami Herald; 18 July 2019.

Marra, Andrew. “The Man Who Had Everything: Jeffrey Epstein craved big homes, elite friends, and underage girls.” The Palm Beach Post; 5 December 2019.

Mason, Anthony. “Jeffrey Epstein accuser says his house had cameras ‘monitoring private moments’.” CBS News; 5 December 2019.

Grigoriadis, Vanessa. “‘They’re nothing, these girls’: Unraveling the mystery of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s enabler.” Vanity Fair; 19 August 2019.

Stanglin, Doug. “Inside Jeffrey Epstein’s New York mansion: ‘Vast trove’ of lewd photos, a life-size doll and other oddities.” USA Today; 10 July 2019.

Brown, Julie K. “How a future Trump Cabinet member gave a serial sex abuser the deal of a lifetime.” Miami Herald; 28 November 2018.

Legendre, Benjamin. “French model tycoon at heart of Epstein scandal accusations.” Associated Press; 1 September 2019.

Miller, Ryan W. “3 startling takeaways from the New York Times’ report on Jeffrey Epstein, DNA obsession.” USA Today; 2 August 2019.

Sales, Ben. “Alan Dershowitz helped Jeffrey Epstein secure his controversial plea deal. He has no regrets.” Jewish Telegraphic Agency; 11 July 2019.

Drury, Colin. “Jeffrey Epstein: Billionaire paedophile found with neck injuries in jail.” The Independent; 25 July 2019.

Piederson, Brendan. “Case against Jeffrey Epstein dismissed following his death.” Reuters; 30 August 2019.

Goldbaum, Christina; Ivory, Danielle; and Watkins, Ali. “Inmate 76318–054: The Last Days of Jeffrey Epstein.” The New York Times; 18 August 2019.

Crouin, Antione and Siad, Arnaud. “Three alleged victims come forward in rape investigation into Jeffrey Epstein in Paris, prosecutor’s office says.” CNN; 13 September 2019.

Whalen, Andrew. “What is the Lolita Express? Epstein’s infamous sex plane included VIPS like Bill Clinton.” Newsweek; 27 November 2019.

Miles, Frank. “Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged sex trafficking involved locations in NY, Virgin Islands, Florida, NM ranch; attorney.” Fox News; 8 July 2019.

Fischer, Marc. “Palm Beach trial could reveal details of billionaire’s alleged abuse of teen girls.” The Washington Post; 14 July 2019.

Palsey, James. “Inside the relationship of Trump and convicted sex offender Epstein, from party buddies to ‘not a fan’.” Business Insider; 19 July 2019.

Many people in the US wrongfully perceive Africa as a homogenous culture filled with Safaris and singing lions, but the second largest continent on the planet is filled with tremendous diversity in both human presence and wildlife. From the Mediterranean coast in the north to Madagascar in the south, the continent houses a wealth of historical and contemporary diversity among its several countries. As a cinephile, I found the best way to learn about that diversity was through film. This week’s Foreign Film Friday series will help suggest the best movies worth watching set in Central Africa.

5. Viva Riva!

Viva Riva! is a crime thriller set in the Democratic Republic of the Congo- Central Africa’s largest country. The plot revolves around a fuel smuggler pursued by an Angolan gang leader as he becomes deeply involved in local gangs in the DRC. The action is intense, and the movie rarely slows its fast pace.

4. Hotel Rwanda

While there are several films depicting war and conflict in Africa- for example Blood Diamond or Tears of the Sun, most of these movies portray the “White Savior” narrative- a white man or woman saving people of color. Hotel Rwanda stands out because the plot centers around the true story of a Rwandan hotel manager attempting to hide refugees of a genocide in his hotel as his country descends into chaos around him. Throughout the film, the only white characters- journalists, aid workers, and UN peacekeepers are helpless to stop the violence. Instead, the main character must take the initiative to utilize the resources at his disposal to keep his friends and neighbors alive.

3. The Last King of Scotland

The Last King of Scotland centers around a fictional Scottish doctor who travels to Uganda to work for the historical President Adi Amin. The movie uses a historical fiction story to recount the factual brutality of the Amin administration in Uganda and President Amin’s violent personality.

2. Africa United

While several films set in Africa either depict violence or nature (or violent nature), Africa United displays a more empathetic look at African culture. The plot centers around a group of teenagers on a journey through Central Africa to get to South Africa for the World Cup where the main character has an invitation to perform during the opening ceremonies. Along the journey, the movie delves into contemporary issues facing the region- human trafficking, economic inequality, sex work, and the AIDS epidemic- all in a way that instead of inspiring pity inspires empathy.

Honorable Mentions

Few biopics document the lives of Africa’s wealth of historical women. Njinga: Queen of Angola tells the story of the famous warrior Queen Nzingha who led successful wars against both the Portuguese and the Dutch in what is today Angola. While the characters in the film often delivered shallow emotion, the film sold out in most of its film festival premiers and is one of the only successful films about a historical African queen.

The Siege of Jadotville depicts a group of Irish UN peacekeepers in the Congo in 1961 when their unit comes under attack by Congolese rebels. The movie was mostly popular among Irish Netflix subscribers. While it does have gripping action sequences, the dialogue has often been described as cliche.

1. Queen of Katwe

Also set in Uganda, Queen of Katwe depicts the accomplishments of Ugandan youth chess champion Phiona Mutesi. The film does a great job of documenting the lives of Mutesi and her family as they struggle with poverty to pay for Phiona’s travels to chess competitions as well as the work of her teachers and coach attempting to find a way to help Mutesi and the other chess players in the school navigate contemporary African poverty. The film’s actress who portrayed Mutesi- Nikita Pearl Waligwa- died recently at only fifteen years old, but Waligwa was able to bring to life Mutesi’s story in an incredible performance definitely worth watching.

In 1899, the Boer War was turning in favor of the British as the Dutch Boers struggled to hold out under siege in their revolutionary capital, but the Boer President Paul Kruger hatched a plan to prevent the Boer treasury from falling into the hands of the British. Kruger sent what is today about five hundred million US dollars worth of gold and jewels eastward by train to an undisclosed location, and the fortune was never seen again.

Apart from a 1947 claim of discovery and a 2016 April Fools Day prank, there have been no solid leads on what happened to the treasure- until recently. One of the best aspects about the treasure is that it predominantly consists of “Kruger coins”- gold coins minted with Kruger’s face. Made of nearly pure gold, and weighing a consistent weight, it’s easy to differentiate the coins from fakes- and since nearly the entirety of the coins’ minted were part of the lost horde, authentic Kruger coins discovered are likely from the lost treasury.

A mint in South Africa recently came across an authentic Kruger coin from a treasure hunter looking to authenticate the find. The treasure hunter reported finding the coin in an old cave that also contained ammunition from the Boer War- giving some promise as a site of the treasure. Further investigation however found little evidence of the lost Kruger Millions. Instead, there may be a simpler- and perhaps anticlimactic- answer.

It’s no secret that there is a clear distinction between the haves and the have-nots in South Africa. After a century of Apartheid and continued racism have established a deeply entrenched economic divide in the country. The most probable answer is that the treasure was redistributed after evacuation- or that it was never evacuated at all. Regardless of where the Boer wealth went after the end of the Boer War, the wealth of the Boer reserve today is dispersed among the wealthiest South Africans in a nation still haunted by colonialism and Apartheid.

Indigenous Peoples in Canada have faced prejudice and racism for centuries, but renewed apathy towards the struggles of Canada’s native peoples is opening the proverbial doors for unanswered violence against indigenous women and girls. Indigenous Canadians are legally divided into three categories- First Nations, Inuit, and Metis. The Metis are the descendents of indigenous peoples and white colonists (like French fur trappers)- particularly common among the Ojibwe and Cree nations. The Inuit are those indigenous to the arctic circle- as well as parts of Alaska and Greenland. First Nations peoples are all other indigenous peoples in Canada- and are the focus of a new genocide happening in the 21st Century in Canada.

First, let’s dramatically sum up the history that led to the 21st Century genocide against First Nations peoples in Canada. During early colonial decades, French and British merchants sparsely populating the densely indigenous populated modern-day Canada were forced to see their numerically superior predecessors as equals. Things began to change following the Six Years War (or French and Indian War) when the British Empire had to try to rule over Indigenous Nations that fought against them during the war.[1]

In the early years of the 19th Century, Anglo-Canadian prospectors discovered gold in the Canadian interior- leading to a mass migration of white settlers to the region. This led to rapid deforestation and resource exploitation- but also the delivery of European disease and ideas of racial superiority to the region. As a result, roughly 90% of the indigenous population was wiped out by the middle of the century. The new Canadian government decided to follow the US model of Indian Removal to relocate the surviving indigenous peoples to reservations further west.[1]

Discontent with the rebounding population of indigenous peoples during the second half of the 19th Century, the Canadian government followed a second idea from the US- boarding school reeducation programs. At these boarding schools, the Canadian government gave Christian missionaries a “cart blanche” to enact whatever brutality they wanted to forcibly destroy indigenous cultural practices and replace them with Anglo-Canadian practices in order to integrate indigenous peoples into the Anglo-Canadian workplace. The missionaries abused their students- physically, emotionally, and sexually- and stole their artifacts to display in private museums; and those “reeducation” students that graduated- even from higher education- faced unemployment rates tremendously higher than the national average.[1]

This practice continued into the 20th Century, but when soldiers returning to Canada following the war in Europe, they came to the uncomfortable realization that part of the UN charter about defining genocide Canada helped write applied pretty specifically to what Canada was doing to their own people. Canada decided to abolish the boarding school program, but realized desegregating public schools- which taught only Anglo-Canadian culture themselves- wouldn’t exactly end the cultural genocide either and established a special legal status for Indigenous Canadians.[1]

That’s where things sort of spun out of control in the 20th Century. Rather than changing the public education system to integrate indigenous cultural education programs into the curriculum, the Canadian government further entrenched their own racist ideologies through a new phase of segregation. Anglo-Canadian schools continued to teach outdated racist ideologies which produced a population with outdated racist ideologies- leading to increased rates of police brutality against indigenous peoples. That brutality did not only include violence against unarmed Indigenous Canadians though, it also included not investigating cases of murders and missing persons cases; and that last piece is what would spark the 21st Century genocide.[1]

As segregation continued throughout the second half of the 20th Century, Anglo-Canadian communities gained far more funding for public works and public service programs- like public transportation and employment assistance programs- than indigenous communities. Grocery prices in indigenous communities were dramatically higher (and continue to be) than in Anglo-Canadian communities, and child poverty rates exploded among non-white Canadians.[2] As a result, many Indigenous Canadians in the later 20th Century were forced to turn to hitchhiking as a means of transportation two and from work- and that attracted dangerous characters.

In 1970, the Canadian police finally began investigating cases of missing indigenous women and girls, but still followed up on only a handful of cases. In rural British Columbia, a series of cases of missing persons was showing a pattern along a stretch of Highway 16 known as the “Highway of Tears.” Investigators finally formed a committee to investigate the pattern in 2006. At first glance, investigators found that- between 1989 and 2006- nine women and girls had gone missing along the section of the highway with all but one being indigenous. Further investigation revealed twice that number when they expanded their time window to 1969–2006.[3]

As investigators continued to sift through missing persons cases in the region, their number of victims increased to thirty, but the number is now far greater. As of 2020, police investigating the missing persons cases have convicted three serial killers after linking them to known cases of missing and murdered victims of the region, but there are rumors that more serial killers had been involved in the cases between 1970 and 2005. The problem is that the committee formed to investigate the cases- E-Pana- is rapidly losing funding as the Canadian government continues to slash funding each year even though missing person cases continue to increase.

In 2015, the Canadian government faced backlash after the “BC Government Email Scandal” during which testimony revealed politicians in the British Columbia government were not only not responding to emails about the missing and murdered persons cases, but were deleting all emails related to them.[4] The government officials found responsible for the scandal faced a fine of $2500- and that was all. An unknown number of emails that could have had information about missing or murdered women and girls, emails from police investigators about cases, emails containing leads on cases- all of it just wiped from existence; and those responsible only faced a fine of about a month’s worth of pay.

The Canadian Transportation minister announced that year that a new public transit line would start in the region to help decrease reliance on hitchhiking- as the investigations revealed almost every missing and murdered victim went missing after hitchhiking along the highway, but- by 2017- that public transportation service had already decreased to operating only on alternating days.[5]

In 2019, cases of missing and murdered persons along the road increased dramatically. After a couple visiting the area from Australia and the US were found killed by their van along the highway in July 2019, police began investigating whether their deaths could be linking to the other missing and murdered cases occurring that same year along the road. In 2018, three women were either murdered or went missing along the road- making a total six individuals either murdered or missing along the road within the twelve months leading to and including the Australian-American couple.[6]

Centuries of racist ideology in Canada has fueled 19th and 20th Century genocide through mismanaged education programs leading to 21st Century segregation in Canada, and continued racist ideologies continued to influence police apathy towards cases of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. Even in the 21st Century, funding for investigating potential serial killers along the Highway of Tears dwindles, and programs meant to prevent those cases rapidly decline based on government convenience. Even within the Canadian government, officials try to absolve their involvement through deleting emails related to missing and murdered indigenous women and girls- allowing further violence against Canada’s indigenous peoples.

FacingHistory.org. 2020.
“First Nations Poverty in Canada.” True North Aid; 9 July 2019.
“Highway of Tears.” Highway of Tears; Preventing Violence Against Women. Carrier Sekani Family Services; 2020.
Bellrichard, Chantelle. “BC’s Highway of Tears Email Scandal Raises Doubts for Families of Murdered Women.” Vice News; 24 October 2015.
Stewart, Briar. “‘Safe, reliable and affordable’: New bus service aims to make notorious Highway of Tears less dangerous.” CBC News; 21 September 2017.
Wharton, Jane. “Serial killer fears after couple shot dead on Canada’s ‘highway of tears’.” Metro News; 20 July 2019.

When I was a kid, I grew up with video rental stores, eagerly awaiting new movies to bring home on Fridays and watch with my family with homemade popcorn. In a big sense, many of the adventure films I watched- like Monty Python’s Holy Grail and The Lord of the Rings films inspired a desire to travel. Many locations around the world though were not as widely covered as others, so let’s delve into some films set or made in Polynesia worth watching.

First off, let’s define our search area. Oceania- Australia and the islands of the Pacific excluding those islands that make up Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia- is typically divided into linguistic zones. Polynesia- the region associated with Polynesian languages- is often drawn as a triangle with the points at Hawaii, New Zealand, and Easter Island. We’ll follow these guidelines and check out five great films worth watching either set or filmed within this zone worthy of your next movie night.

5. The Dark Horse (2014)

The Dark Horse is based on the true story of Maori chess champion Genesis Potini who suffers from a sever case of bipolar disorder. Without giving away too much of the story, the film covers Potini’s work in founding a community center chess club to help keep youth off the streets and to give them positive role models to look up to.

4. Kon-Tiki (2012)

Kon-Tiki gets its influence from the work of anthropologist Thor Heyerdahl who- in 1947- led a team of explorers on an authentic Polynesia sailing raft to disprove centuries old racist ideologies. Heyerdahl had spent time in Polynesia before his voyage recording folk stories from local people about a trade link between Pacific voyagers and South American natives citing the existence of the pineapple- a plant native to Brazil- throughout much of Polynesia. Especially in today’s political climate, Kon-Tiki brings to life one of the most important moments in anthropology helping prove the Polynesia sailors were far more ingenious than Europeans gave them credit for.

3. Lilo & Stitch (2002)

There’s a lot of films based in Hawaii- including several centered around themes of family and surfing; but as someone who lived in Hawaii, few could come close to the surprisingly authentic Lilo & Stitch. First, almost zero sci-fi films or tv shows exist outside of European or American settings (the only other exception I can think of that came close to Lilo & Stitch’s success was District 9 set in South Africa), and- while Hawaii is technically part of the United States- Lilo & Stitch involves almost zero white characters. That alone makes this movie and important film. More importantly though, the scenes depicting the everyday lives of working class Native Hawaiians, paired with a vision of surf culture that is not overly religious (ahem, Soul Surfer), Lilo & Stitch succeeds at depicting the lives of indigenous peoples in a revolutionary way; one where the audience does not feel pity or guilt, but sympathetic and empathetic. Plus the soundtrack is incredible.

2. Whale Rider (2002)

Another film from Aotearoa (the Maori term for New Zealand), Whale Rider centers around the coming of age of a young Maori girl in a coastal town. Based on the book of the same name, Whale Rider covers the events of a town attempting to revive their indigenous Maori culture following centuries of colonization efforts to stamp out indigenous cultural practices. But the main character grapples with her traditionalist grandfather who refuses to allow women and girls to participate in his efforts to train local boys in the ways of the old Maori warriors. The film does an incredible job at showing the struggle of identity in New Zealand among Maori women and girls- both attempting to revive traditional Maori cultural practices while simultaneously trying to overcome outdated practices of gender discrimination.

Honorable Mentions

Before we get to what I believe is the best film to come out of Polynesia, let’s take a look at some other great films that did not make the cut. The 2011 film The Orator was the first ever Samoan film- and made the circuit in the foreign film festivals. The film covers a farmer attempting to protect his people from foreign invaders and reclaim his ancestral chieftainship. The 2016 film Moana also needs a serious mention. It narrowly missed the cut because I think Disney (for justifiable reasons) watered down the character of Maui- who in Polynesian mythology had some pretty X rated adventures). That being said, the film does do a great job of integrating indigenous language into the film’s soundtrack and highlights the an often overlooked corner of world mythology. The last honorable mention is the 2009 film Princess Kaiulani which covers the true story of the titular character who- while at school in England- learns of the American annexation of her kingdom and must grapple with the politics of annexation, colonization, and revolution as the figure her kingdom suddenly turns to for guidance.

1. What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

The number one film for this list was honestly a no brainer. The first time I watched the 2014 What We Do in the Shadows, I was in someone’s backyard in Laramie, Wyoming watching on an at-home projector- and I instantly fell in love. The film is a mocumentary about vampires in New Zealand sharing a house and depicts their fictitious every-night lives navigating contemporary New Zealand metropolitan culture. The film was one of celebrated Maori filmmaker Taika Waititi’s first movies, and he absolutely nailed it. There are some gruesome moments, so- if you’re looking for a more family friendly film- be warned.

Archaeologists and historians alike have long searched for the missing explorer Amelia Earhart with several theories thrown around about just where the pilot ended up. Some stories cite the pilot as an American spy on the expanding Japanese Empire, others report Earhart quietly faked her own death to retire to a tropical island. So just what did happen to one of the most famous missing persons of the 20th Century?

For those unaware of Amelia Earhart or her journey, here’s a brief overview. Earhart wanted to break records as a female aviator in the 1930’s with an aerial circumnavigation of the globe. The pilot flew with a navigator who worked with Earhart to fly eastward across the word. Just as the aviator was entering the final stages of her journey, she failed to appear at a designated checkpoint on her route and any search efforts to locate Earhart, her navigator, or her plane all failed. So just what happened to Amelia Earhart?

Amelia Earhart started her journey in Oakland, California and made several stops along her planned journey stopping almost every day. After completing the Asian leg of the journey, Earhart made stops in what is today Indonesia, Australia, and Papua New Guinea before disappearing. Her next stop was meant to be Howland Island- the third to last stop on her journey (later being Hawaii and then back to California). On their approach to the island, Earhart’s radio began malfunctioning and would not receive incoming transmissions. The US Navy ships assigned to signal Earhart managed to pick up several signals ending in a final message of lost hope- that she was low on fuel and could not find the island.

While there are several rumors and theories about what happened to the pilot, hard evidence sheds simple light on the obvious location of the missing aviator. Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan often got info verbal arguments made worse by Noonan’s heavy drinking. The endurance of the trip also put incredible strain on the pilot’s physical and mental health, making things far worse. Near the end of the journey, both Earhart and Noonan were running out of patience. Noonan was known to make errors in his map readings too- meaning the stress of the journey would have increased the number of mistakes on the navigator’s part.

When Amelia Earhart approached where Noonan’s charts told them Howland Island would be, the two could not locate the island, climbed elevation in an attempt get a larger view, sent signals hoping for a response from the US Navy, heard nothing, reported lowering altitude to conserve fuel and avoid incoming clouds, then disappeared. The obvious result was that the two crashed into the ocean after loosing fuel due to looking for an island that wasn’t where they thought it was. In the section of ocean where the two would have gone down, the sea floor lay 18,000 feet below the surface.

The two likely lay at the bottom of the ocean- most likely five miles from Howland Island. Most nautical, aeronautic, and deep sea diving experts agree on the “crash and sink” theory being the most plausible as a result of calculating the combination of fuel loss, navigational errors, and weather at the time of the final transmission.

In anthropology, several researchers have cemented a pattern of human psychology based on linguistic exposure. Linguistic relativity described the phenomenon in humans where a person’s environment affects their diction (the set of words an individual uses in everyday situations) and how their diction affects how they interpret their surroundings. For example, an individual exposed to several shades of the color green (say in a rainforest) will naturally develop different words in their vocabulary for the different shades of green. Simultaneously, if given a color wheel of the color green, that individual would point out a greater number of individual shades of green than someone from a different upbringing.

As an anthropologist that researches women’s sports across the world, I have long wondered if this same explanation could be applied to the polarizing debates over contemporary women’s sports. Viewers of televised sports often cite male athletes as being better than female athletes at a given sport in conjunction with adding that men’s sports are more entertaining to watch than women’s sports. Firstly, my position does not allow me to enter these specific debates for either end of the argument, but I am curious about a pattern that certainly may explain the debate.

There are far more men’s sports on television than women’s sports. Excluding specialty events (like he homerun derby or all-star competitions, and excluding affiliate channels like ESPN2), ESPN airs eleven men’s sports leagues including baseball, college and professional basketball, and college and professional football to name a few. The channel only airs three women’s sports leagues however- including WNBA and WTA (tennis).

If every sports channel aired exactly the same number of women’s sports as men’s for so many years that the oldest television viewers in the United States never remember a time when air time equality did not exist, anthropologically speaking; the perceived equality between men and women athletes among sports viewers would dramatically change. Because a massive and simply unrealistic experiment would have to take place to test that statement, unfortunately there is no way to know just how different that perception would become. Men and women- and to a further extent male and female- athletes simply have different bodies and the sports that allow them to perform best with the anatomies they have are different. (That’s an article for a different day.)

A better question for today however is what eleven sports leagues should air on ESPN to help balance the number of women’s and men’s sports aired on ESPN. Surprisingly, there are several highly competitive sports league that showcase not just women competing in traditionally male sports (like say baseball), but uniquely women’s professional sports that could make for high viewership. So for the sake of making a “top [insert number here]” list- here’s a sports anthropologist’s list of what eight women’s sports leagues ESPN should air- and how you can actually watch. Firstly, ESPN already airs professional basketball, tennis, and golf.

8. ANZ Premiership (Netball). Netball is an iconic women’s sport among Commonwealth (former British Empire) Countries that blends the sports of basketball and handball (or for US readers, think ultimate frisbee). The ANZ Premiership is New Zealand’s club league (one level below international competition). Luckily, fans of the ANZ Premiership outside of New Zealand can watch games for free online at the league’s website.

7. WFTDA (Roller Derby). Roller Derby first entered popularity in the 1970’s when women in Texas developed a harcore sport on rollerskates. The sport simmered in popularity in the 90's, but has recently been making a comeback in the last ten years. The WFTDA is the premier roller derby league in the United States and roller derby is often cited as one of the most popular women’s sports to watch live. The league often airs games on YouTube, but with three divisions of the sport, watching local teams live makes for an incredible spectacle.

6. X-Games. The X-Games is a multi-event sports series and technically does include women. That inclusion however is as unpaid entertainment without prize money while their male counterparts receive prize money. This recently made headlines in several news websites and the women of the X-Games are currently on strike to earn the right for equal competition equality. Since the women are pulling out of the games, unfortunately there are no women’s events to watch.

5. NCAA Volleyball. Volleyball is the most common sport for girls at the high school level and college volleyball teams recruit the top players from across the United States. Competition is fierce and games often feature intense action that would attract a great television audience. Head to the NCAA’s website to learn how to watch games.

4. FIVB (Beach Volleyball): While volleyball certainly exists at the international level, beach volleyball without a doubt attracts a larger audience. Like with surfing, beach volleyball often “serves” as a reminder that there are warm places in the world, but maintains their wanderlusting audience with intense 2-on-2 competition pitting country-against-country over which world women are the best in the sport. You can watch live streams of major competitions on the league’s website.

3. NWSL (Soccer). The NWSL is the club level women’s soccer league in the US and ESPN has announced recently a partnership with the league. For those not yet watching one of the team of the league, the NWSL features each member of the USWNT and several international players from across other countries’ world cup rosters. To view games, head to Yahoo Sports for those in the US and the league’s website for viewers outside of the US.

2. IIHF (Hockey). After several years of an intense rivalry, the US defeated Canada’s women’s hockey team in the most recent Winter Olympics and the game electrified American audiences. The continued rivalry would serve as powerful fuel for continued viewership for international women’s hockey. To watch games, head to the league’s website.

1. Littlewoods Ireland Camogie League- Division 1 (Camogie). Camogie is an iconic women’s sport in Ireland. The sport serves as the women’s equivalent to hurling (a sport extremely similar to lacrosse). While the popularity of lacrosse is often isolated to New England, US citizens of Irish heritage have been viewing Gaelic Football across the US in massive numbers- showing an interest in Irish sports. Blending the physical intensity of lacrosse with the cultural roots of Irish heritage, camogie has a serious potential among American audiences. To watch games, head to the league’s website.

Fencing is rapidly growing sport both among participants and viewers. With the Tokyo Olympics starting next year, many are scrambling to learn more about the sport. In 2017, I conducted an ethnography around the current state of the participation of women and girls competing at the international level in this historic Olympic sport. I decided to leave an summary for the book “Behind the Goal: An Ethnography of Women in Fencing” for those interested in learning more about the sport.

Fencing consists of three sub-competitions named for the names of the three different types of swords used in competition: epee, foil, and saber. Each of the three “weapons” in fencing derived from different origins. Foil and saber evolved from military training for infantry and cavalry respectively while epee developed from illegal dueling- and for a long time was banned as a competitive sport. Women’s participation in fencing however derives from a unique origin.

Few women fought as infantry and cavalry in organized warfare in Europe, but the swords that evolved into the modern-day sporting equipment used in the sport certainly wound up in women’s hands. Several known women from Europe, North America, the Caribbean, North Africa, and East Asia took up swords as pirates during times of extreme gender barriers. Those women often found refuge from arranged marriages, homebound lives, and non-consensual sex by joining pirate ships and taking to the sea.

Coincidentally enough, many of the world’s top women fencers come from the same parts as the world as the most successful women pirates- and that correlation may tell a more important lesson about women’s world history. In East Asia, Central Europe, North Africa, and the Caribbean; there are few opportunities for women. Sports act as an avenue for escape from societal demands- especially in fencing. But because fencing is an ameatur sport (meaning nobody gets any prize money), athletes compete only for the thrill of success.

This means that for those few fencers lucky enough to survive years of potential injuries, bankruptcy, and the psychological stress of competition have to eventually retire from the life of dodging societal demands and accept a desk job that pays the bills. That falls right in line with many women pirates from world history. The small few that managed to survive battles at sea, privateers hunting them down, and maintaining just enough [stolen] money to keep their boat on water; had to eventually retire and disappear from fame.

A new generation of names of top women fencers is emerging on the world rankings as several of the top athletes begin to retire from competition, so unfortunately I cannot provide any advice for sports betting for anyone reading. What I can say however that women in fencing work hard for something most people can only dream of- an opportunity to live a self-defined life. It rarely lasts forever, but those athletes- if even for just a single season- manage to be exactly the person they always hoped they could be- and that’s the greatest treasure hunt any pirate could have ever hoped for.

For those interested in reading the full book, you can find “Behind the Piste: An Ethnography of Women in Fencing” by yours truly (Joseph C Wilson) in paperback on Amazon today.

Philosophers and anthropologists alike have debated the causes and qualifications for assigning the label of “evil” to individuals. A team of psychologists may shed a more mathematical view on the term however. Several psychologists recently met to develop a psychological test for individuals to determine the “darkness” of a person’s personality. A person ranking high on the scale would register as extremely dangerous to both themself and others at a level on par with historical serial killers, while those ranking low on the list would fall somewhere along the normal or healthy lines of human behavior.

According to the team, an evil personality is the result of sadism, self-centeredness, spitefulness, narcissism, egotism, and moral disengagement. A person that might care a lot about themselves, but still could not bear the guilt of hurting another person and would never have a desire to enact revenge on someone that wronged them would therefore not rank very high on the scale. A person that ranked high in each category however would be considered extremely and alarmingly dangerous. Let’s break down what each of these character traits really mean.

Sadism is the desire to enact pain on others. A common trend among serial killers is a childhood of physically abusing animals, so this makes sense. Sadism by itself however does not solely make a person evil however. Martial artists often enjoy the thrill that comes with fighting in self-defense, but these are sports where there is a consensual agreement to the potential pain- meaning martial artists care about both themself and their opponent enough to agree to a set of rules and regulations to the degree level of pain that could occur (thus establishing a base of empathy).

Self-interest often fuels most human beings. There is a drive to survive that often makes people choose their own safety over others. If a bear attempts to attack a person and that person defends themself- valuing their own life more than the bear- that definitely does not make a person evil. Self-interest can however lead to a larger problem when paired with other characteristics. Scapegoating as a response to an economic crisis can lead to a world leader suggesting genocide against a minority population for example.

Wanting retribution for wrongdoing- spitefulness- again is not always a terrible characteristic. This is the whole reason for punishment for broke laws. Vigilantism and unlawful pursuit of revenge however can often go far beyond a healthy dose of criminal justice- especially paired with other characteristics on the list.

Narcissism too is relatively innocent by itself. Every person should have a healthy point of view about their self and their body. And even those that are obsessed with their looks and the personality the public sees them as gets unhealthy, that does not necessarily make them evil. Cults of personality however do develop and individuals like Charles Manson or Aleister Crowley pair that self-assigned divinity with other factors in the test to become extremely dangerous.

Psychopathy is a disconnect that disables the ability for empathy from an individual. Empathy goes beyond emotional support. When watching another person endure pain, most human beings endure a mental process that mimics that pain. Some individuals however are not capable of empathy- whether physical or emotional- and that trait is often an early warning sign to psychologists to begin testing for other mental health disconnects.

Egotism, like narcissism, is not necessarily evil on its own. Egotism essentially describes the dislike for humiliation of character- and few people enjoy being humiliated. That over inflated ego however can cause individuals to go to dark places to maintain their image as a perfect person. A constant need for attention and a desire to seem immortal can lead to serious issues when paired with psychopathy and sadism.

The last category is moral disengagement. This describes an individual that cares more about their personal moral compass than a socially constructed one. Martin Luther King Jr is a great example of an individual with moral disengagement. As a social deviant, he led protests and marches in opposition to long established laws and regulations holding minority groups back from racial equality. But MLK did that out of a love for his neighbors, through non-violent strategies, and for the betterment of more than his own community. Moral disengagement paired with narcissism, self-interest, and spitefulness can be a dangerous character trait.

In case you’re wondering, anyone can take the psychologists’ test online. There are short, medium, and long versions of the test. I took the short, 16 question version and learned I am 5% “dark.” (Admittedly a bit self-interested) To learn more about the study and how to learn how evil you might be, head over to darkfactor.org.