THE SHADOW

You can learn about your shadow by reading history. You can read about Auschwitz, you can read about the concentration camps in Russia, and you can imagine yourself as a guard instead of as a heroic rescuer of unfortunate victims, which would be very, very unlikely. And once you can imagine yourself as a guard, which is a terrifying thing to do, then you understand something about yourself. 

You cannot have proper respect for yourself until you know that you are a monster, because you won't act carefully enough. If you think well I'm a nice person, I'd never do anyone any harm... You're no saint, you can be sure of that, and the harm that you do people can come in many many ways. (Jordan Peterson)