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Good begets good; evil begets evil; and even if the good…

“Good begets good; evil begets evil; and even if the good you give is met by evil, you have no choice but to go on giving better than you get. Otherwise-and these were Willy's exact words-why bother to go on living?” quote by Paul Auster
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““Good begets good; evil begets evil; and even if the good you give is met by evil, you have no choice but to go on giving better than you get. Otherwise-and these were Willy's exact words-why bother to go on living?””

Paul Auster

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Good actions generate good outcomes; even when met with evil, one should continue giving better than received.

In simple terms: Give good despite evil; keep improving.

Key Takeaway

Persist in generosity.

Themes

ethics resilience kindness

Mood

reflective determined

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • personal relationships
  • community service
  • conflict resolution

Key Concepts

reciprocity moral philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can you maintain generosity when faced with hostility?
  • What does “giving better” look like in practice?
A Different Perspective

If evil persists, continued generosity may seem futile.

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