Cruelty is indifference to suffering and even positive pleasure in inflicting it.
Cruel ways of inflicting suffering may involve violence, but violence is not necessary for an act to be cruel. For example, if another person is drowning and begging for help, and you merely watch with disinterested amusement or pleasure, you are being cruel — not violent.
Cruelty is often used in the regards to the treatment of animals, children, and prisoners. See: punishment, draconian, and cruel and unusual punishment.
According to Friedrich Nietzsche, almost all higher culture comes from the spiritualization of cruelty.
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