"Transgression…harms the soul and affects all humanity" claimed C.S. Lewis. And indeed we typically see the transgressive — breaking rules, acting cruelly and 'being bad' — as unacceptable. But critics argue its status is unknown and transgression might be necessary and desirable. Many have argued that breaking rules and the capacity to transgress is essential if we are to challenge authoritarian systems of thought. In fact, recent research shows individuals express freedom and agency through breaking such norms. And whilst cruelty is universally condemned, studies have shown that people who cause harm and later reflect on their actions report an increased sense of moral awareness.
Should we accept that transgression is vital to a healthy culture central and necessary for humans to flourish? Or should we seek to remove transgressive behaviour from all public and private life? More radically is the mistake to embed talk of ‘right’ or ‘wrong’, ‘bad’ or ‘wicked’ in the first place, and should we instead abandon moral terms altogether?