The largest gap in MyraвЂ™s reasoning is the kidnapping plot itself. This relativistic вЂњreasoningвЂќ allows Myra to feel no guilt for her crime. Later, she orders Billy to kill the child: вЂњDo it for me, Billy, so we both can be safe.вЂќ To believe that the ends justify the means is to reject any absolute standard of right and wrong. You agree with the end, donвЂ™t you?вЂќ She then argues, вЂњWell, you must agree with the means.вЂќ Myra believes that if Billy agrees with her desire to become famous (the ends) then he should agree with kidnapping a girl (the means). She tells Billy, вЂњWhat we are doing is a means to an end. MyraвЂ™s reasoning is that the ends justify the means. Just keep saying that.вЂќ Through rationalization, Myra convinces herself that they have not committed a crime. She even convinces herself that they have not kidnapped the girl: вЂњWeвЂ™ve borrowed a child, Billy. Because her plan involves a crime, she engages in rationalization to justify it: вЂњthe most commonly used defense mechanism, in which an individual justifies ideas, actions, or feelings with seemingly acceptable reasons or explanations.вЂќ 2 Myra reasons that вЂњwhat we are doing is not wrongвЂќ because вЂњthe child wonвЂ™t be hurt in any way.вЂќ In MyraвЂ™s mind, the only kind of harm she can cause a child is physical, not emotional. Myra manipulates Billy so she can achieve her dream of becoming a famous medium. Myra is a bully who has her unemployed husband вЂњwhipped.вЂќ She tells him, вЂњyouвЂ™re weakвЂќ and вЂњyou need me.вЂќ He obeys her like a willing servant, his eyes often averted from her gaze. Due to his asthma, he is unable to work, making it easier for Myra to manipulate him. One reason Billy appeases Myra is because he is financially dependent on her. He risks the physical and emotional well-being of an innocent girl to make his wife happy. Billy is a weak husband, giving in to MyraвЂ™s unjust demands. It is a policy of exempting the emotions of others from moral judgment, and of willingness to sacrifice innocent, virtuous victims to the evil malice of such emotions.вЂќ 1 To stop being an appeaser requires strength-the ability to say no. Ayn Rand defines appeasement as вЂњthe consideration for and compliance with the unjust, irrational and evil feelings of others. Billy becomes a criminal due to a long-standing habit of appeasement in his marriage.ДЄppeasement is giving in to the unjust demands of another person to avoid a conflict.

In Brian ForbesвЂ™s SГ©ance on a Wet Afternoon (1964), Myra Savage (Kim Stanley) persuades her husband Billy (Richard Attenborough) to commit a вЂњsavageвЂќ act: He kidnaps a young girl, and then by revealing knowledge about the girlвЂ™s whereabouts to the parents, Myra hopes to achieve fame and fortune as a medium.

Seance on a wet afternoon