Evil Quote by Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn
““Gradually it was disclosed to me that the line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either -- but right through every human heart -- and through all human hearts. This line shifts. Inside us, it oscillates with the years. And even within hearts overwhelmed by evil, one small bridgehead of good is retained. And even in the best of all hearts, there remains ... an unuprooted small corner of evil. Since then I have come to understand the truth of all the religions of the world: They struggle with the evil inside a human being (inside every human being). It is impossible to expel evil from the world in its entirety, but it is possible to constrict it within each person.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Gulag Archipelago, 1973
Human morality is a mixture of good and evil within every heart; both coexist and shift over time.
In simple terms: Everyone carries both good and evil inside.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and nurture the good within.
Themes
morality
human nature
duality
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- personal growth
- conflict resolution
- leadership decisions
Key Concepts
ethical philosophy
psychology of good andevil
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies foster the good side?
- What practices help individuals limit personal evil?
A Different Perspective
The balance can be hard to measure in practice.
![“Evil does not fight against evil, rather it struggles against Good. Where as, Good does not struggle against evil, rather it overwhelmingly defeats it". ~R. Alan Woods [2012]” quote by R. Alan Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c6a/r-alan-woods-1455_evil_evil-does-not-fight-against-evil-rather_900519.jpg)
![“Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to [be] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is in play. Society has no obligation to try to rehabilitate evil.” quote by Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b89/bill-o-reilly-1019_destroyed_evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be_3597.jpg)
