implies that most people think that mistreating people is a very strong temptation and/or reliably useful This does seem to be a common assumption - I remember being very confused as a teenager when people said that something I was doing was morally wrong, when the thing didn't actually benefit me. (My memory is fuzzy, but I'm pretty sure this was family members getting frustrated with the way I acted when depressed.)
If it's worth saying, but not worth its own post (even in Discussion), then it goes here.