---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The protection of evil must be the most…"
description: "\"The protection of evil must be the most self-destructive job.\" — Alice Walker"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/alice-walker-347_destructive_the-protection-of-evil-must-be-the-most_127504.png"
---

#  The protection of evil must be the most self-destructive…

![“The protection of evil must be the most self-destructive job.” quote by Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/alice-walker-347_destructive_the-protection-of-evil-must-be-the-most_127504.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/alice-walker-347_destructive_the-protection-of-evil-must-be-the-most_127504.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/alice-walker-347_destructive_the-protection-of-evil-must-be-the-most_127504.png)

> “The protection of evil must be the most self-destructive job.”

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

## About This Quote

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

Opposing evil requires self‑destructive actions, suggesting a paradoxical cost to combating wrongdoing.

**In simple terms:** Fighting evil can harm oneself.

Key Takeaway

Beware of self‑harm when confronting evil.

Themes

morality paradox self‑sacrifice

Mood

conflicted thoughtful

Type

philosophical warning

When to use this quote

- activism
- personal sacrifice

Key Concepts

ethical dilemmas psychology

Practical Applications

- set boundaries
- protect personal wellbeing

Questions to Reflect On

- Is it always necessary to sacrifice self?
- How can one fight evil without self‑damage?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Diversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diversity/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Protection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protection/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self destructive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-destructive/) [Social justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-justice/)

## Related quotes

> [Some people have the disease of criticising all the time. They forget the good about others and only mention their faults. They are like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-taymiyyah/some-people-have-the-disease-of-criticising-all-the-time-they-forget/)

[Ibn Taymiyyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-taymiyyah/)

> [“Realizing the seriously ruthless, venomous habits and agendas of evil always instills a more fierce passion and longing for a closer God. Men, out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/realizing-the-seriously-ruthless-venomous-habits-and-agendas-of-evil/)

[Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/)

> [“Now all is dashed wrong; by the fool’s craving to hear evil of self, that haunts some people like a demon!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/now-all-is-dashed-wrong-by-the-fool-s-craving-to-hear-evil-of-self/)

[Emily Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/)

> [By oneself the evil is done, and it is oneself who suffers: by oneself the evil is not done, and by one's Self one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/by-oneself-the-evil-is-done-and-it-is-oneself-who-suffers-by-oneself/)

[Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/)

> [There is no such thing as an evil genius, as evil in it's self is stupidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-farland/there-is-no-such-thing-as-an-evil-genius-as-evil-in-it-s-self-is/)

[David Farland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-farland/)

> [It becomes increasingly clear that we won’t be free of self-destructive patterns unless we develop a compassionate understanding of what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/it-becomes-increasingly-clear-that-we-won-t-be-free-of-self/)

[Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/)

> [ It wasn't that expectations changed. But \[teens\] went from general expectations of success to having no idea of the right thing to do. In… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-medved/it-wasn-t-that-expectations-changed-but-teens-went-from-general/)

[Michael Medved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-medved/)

> [ Digital \[photography\] has sped up the process to a point that it's a bit self-destructive. It is like driving by a new neighborhood without… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-kuhn/digital-photography-has-sped-up-the-process-to-a-point-that-it-s-a/)

[Mona Kuhn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-kuhn/)

> [We've all got out self-destructive bad habits, the trick is to find four or five you personally like the best and just do those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lee-roth/we-ve-all-got-out-self-destructive-bad-habits-the-trick-is-to-find/)

[David Lee Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lee-roth/)

> [Forgiveness feels most dramatic when some ancient pattern of self-punishment collapses in a torrent of tears. But it is just as effective when practiced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-patrick-miller/forgiveness-feels-most-dramatic-when-some-ancient-pattern-of-self/)

[D. Patrick Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-patrick-miller/)

> [The Bhagavad Gita is not as nice a book as some Americans think…Throughout the Mahabharata ... Krishna goads human beings into all sorts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-doniger/the-bhagavad-gita-is-not-as-nice-a-book-as-some-americans-think/)

[Wendy Doniger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-doniger/)

> [God desires to change us from the inside out. Renewing our minds, starving our self-destructive tendencies, and teaching us to form new habits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/god-desires-to-change-us-from-the-inside-out-renewing-our-minds/)

[Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/)

> [One thing I'm recognizing more and more in myself - and looking to change - is going down more of a self-destructive path when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-blackburn/one-thing-i-m-recognizing-more-and-more-in-myself-and-looking-to/)

[Tyler Blackburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-blackburn/)

> [Perfectionism is self-destructive simply because there is no such thing as perfect. Perfection is an unattainable goal. Additionally, perfectionism is more about perception -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/perfectionism-is-self-destructive-simply-because-there-is-no-such/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/)

[Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/)

## More by Alice Walker

> [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [Just be what it is that you are, and that is just fine. You don't have to be what you're not in any way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/just-be-what-it-is-that-you-are-and-that-is-just-fine-you-don-t-have/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [“Remember this-- say it &amp; know it is true: Alice loves me Alice loves me and I am not blamed for this. ... she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/remember-this-say-it-know-it-is-true-alice-loves-me-alice-loves-me/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [“Only the sky above us do we hold in common.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/only-the-sky-above-us-do-we-hold-in-common/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [“Why aren't you happy in America, if everyone there drives motorcars?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/why-aren-t-you-happy-in-america-if-everyone-there-drives-motorcars/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [“She saw poetry where other writers merely saw failure to cope with English.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/she-saw-poetry-where-other-writers-merely-saw-failure-to-cope-with/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [My mother had handed down respect for the possibilities...and the will to grasp them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/my-mother-had-handed-down-respect-for-the-possibilities-and-the-will/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [Helped are those who are content to be themselves; they will never lack mystery in their lives and the joys of self-discovery will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/helped-are-those-who-are-content-to-be-themselves-they-will-never/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [“As others might prepare for an exam whose subject matter is unknown to them, so I must study, cram, for every conversation with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/as-others-might-prepare-for-an-exam-whose-subject-matter-is-unknown/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [The original crime of niggers and lesbians is that they prefer themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-original-crime-of-niggers-and-lesbians-is-that-they-prefer/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [My mother was very strong. Once, she picked up a coconut and smashed it against my father's head. It taught me about women defending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/my-mother-was-very-strong-once-she-picked-up-a-coconut-and-smashed-it/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [Many readers fail to realize this, but 'The Color Purple' is a theological text. It is about the reclamation of one's original God: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/many-readers-fail-to-realize-this-but-the-color-purple-is-a/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [The good news may be that Nature is phasing out the white man, but the bad news is that's who She thinks we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-good-news-may-be-that-nature-is-phasing-out-the-white-man-but-the/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [Humans - whatever billions we are - we don't have the control. We are considered expendable, basically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/humans-whatever-billions-we-are-we-don-t-have-the-control-we-are/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [All my life I had to fight. I had to fight my daddy. I had to fight my uncles. I had to fight my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/all-my-life-i-had-to-fight-i-had-to-fight-my-daddy-i-had-to-fight-my/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

[Explore all 654 Alice Walker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

## More Destructive quotes

> [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/)

[Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/)

> [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/)

[David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/)

> [What I was concerned about when I wrote the 'Downward Spiral' record was being a self-centred destructive force. The point was tearing down everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/what-i-was-concerned-about-when-i-wrote-the-downward-spiral-record/)

[Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/)

> ['The Hunger Games' takes place in Panem, a country which is part of America. It's post-apocalyptic. There's been a global war. The Panem country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-hemsworth/the-hunger-games-takes-place-in-panem-a-country-which-is-part-of/)

[Liam Hemsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-hemsworth/)

> [People project a grey energy that is very destructive to weaken you, to drain you - just as the snake uses position to capture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/people-project-a-grey-energy-that-is-very-destructive-to-weaken-you/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [“Slander does to a soul what cancer does to a cell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/slander-does-to-a-soul-what-cancer-does-to-a-cell/)

[Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/)

> [Information from destructive activities going back a hundred years right up until today is being incorporated into the system. And as that happens the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/information-from-destructive-activities-going-back-a-hundred-years/)

[Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/)

> [Early on in my life, I had a broken soul. I was abused by my father, abandoned by my mother and ended up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/early-on-in-my-life-i-had-a-broken-soul-i-was-abused-by-my-father/)

[Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/)

> [One of the most destructive mistakes we Christians make is to prioritize shared beliefs over shared relationship, which is deeply ironic considering we worship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/one-of-the-most-destructive-mistakes-we-christians-make-is-to/)

[Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/)

> [I think that, honestly, people's censorship issues are personal but I disagree with most of those personal choices that I see others make. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-rogen/i-think-that-honestly-people-s-censorship-issues-are-personal-but-i/)

[Seth Rogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-rogen/)

> [Liberalism's fatal flaw,... is that it has no permanent norms, only a succession of enthusiasms espoused by minor prophets. Each of these seems like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/liberalism-s-fatal-flaw-is-that-it-has-no-permanent-norms-only-a/)

[Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/)

> [A label is a soul-tattoo that is ingrained deep in our hearts, so much so that it determines how we see ourselves, And how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derwin-l-gray/a-label-is-a-soul-tattoo-that-is-ingrained-deep-in-our-hearts-so-much/)

[Derwin L. Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derwin-l-gray/)

> [Downsizing itself is an inevitable part of any creatively destructive economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/downsizing-itself-is-an-inevitable-part-of-any-creatively-destructive/)

[James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/)

> [I still have highs and lows, just like any other person. What's missing is the lack of control over the super highs, which became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/i-still-have-highs-and-lows-just-like-any-other-person-what-s-missing/)

[Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/)

> [I don't think there's any harm at all in allowing a kid to fantasize. In fact, I think to stop people from fantasizing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-there-s-any-harm-at-all-in-allowing-a-kid-to-fantasize/)

[J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/)

Browse all 1,057 Destructive quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The protection of evil must be the most self-destructive job.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Alice Walker"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-protection-of-evil-must-be-the-most-self-destructive-job/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Destructive"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-protection-of-evil-must-be-the-most-self-destructive-job/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/alice-walker-347_destructive_the-protection-of-evil-must-be-the-most_127504.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/alice-walker-347_destructive_the-protection-of-evil-must-be-the-most_127504.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/alice-walker-347_destructive_the-protection-of-evil-must-be-the-most_127504.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The protection of evil must be the most self-destructive job.” — Alice Walker",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Alice Walker",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The protection of evil must be...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-protection-of-evil-must-be-the-most-self-destructive-job/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-protection-of-evil-must-be-the-most-self-destructive-job/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
