--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have seen that man’s capacity for evil…" description: "\"“I have seen that man’s capacity for evil has no limit, just as man’s genius is not limited to reaching new heights in every human endeavor.”\" — Alter ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4a/alter-wiener-218199_genius_i-have-seen-that-man-s-capacity-for-evil_3096329.jpg" --- # I have seen that man’s capacity for evil has no limit… ![“I have seen that man’s capacity for evil has no limit, just as man’s genius is not limited to reaching new heights in every human endeavor.” quote by Alter Wiener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4a/alter-wiener-218199_genius_i-have-seen-that-man-s-capacity-for-evil_3096329.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4a/alter-wiener-218199_genius_i-have-seen-that-man-s-capacity-for-evil_3096329.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4a/alter-wiener-218199_genius_i-have-seen-that-man-s-capacity-for-evil_3096329.jpg) > ““I have seen that man’s capacity for evil has no limit, just as man’s genius is not limited to reaching new heights in every human endeavor.”” Alter Wiener ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human capacity for evil is boundless, while human genius can continually reach new heights across endeavors. **In simple terms:** Evil knows no limits; genius can always rise. Key Takeaway Balance ambition with moral responsibility. Themes philosophy human nature potential Mood thoughtful serious Type observation philosophical When to use this quote - leadership training - ethical debates - education Key Concepts ethics creativity psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can we foster genius while curbing evil? - What safeguards limit harmful potential? A Different Perspective The statement may be overly dichotomous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) ## Related quotes > [Let us not paralyze our capacity for good by brooding of man's capacity for evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sarnoff/let-us-not-paralyze-our-capacity-for-good-by-brooding-of-man-s/) [David Sarnoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sarnoff/) > [You can measure a man's capacity by the depth of his mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-hayden/you-can-measure-a-man-s-capacity-by-the-depth-of-his-mistakes/) [Sterling Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-hayden/) > [“If a man has a capacity for great thoughts, he is likely to overtake them before he is decrepit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/if-a-man-has-a-capacity-for-great-thoughts-he-is-likely-to-overtake/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [Wealth is the product of man's capacity to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/wealth-is-the-product-of-man-s-capacity-to-think/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“There was a lot to be said for a man’s capacity to be comfortable while alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/there-was-a-lot-to-be-said-for-a-man-s-capacity-to-be-comfortable/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [Freedom is man's capacity to take a hand in his own development. It is our capacity to mold ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/freedom-is-man-s-capacity-to-take-a-hand-in-his-own-development-it-is/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [When the weak want to give an impression of strength they hint menacingly at their capacity for evil. It is by its promise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-the-weak-want-to-give-an-impression-of-strength-they-hint/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“If we don't harness their potential for good, their societies will continue to reap their capacity for evil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rom-o-dallaire/if-we-don-t-harness-their-potential-for-good-their-societies-will/) [Roméo Dallaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rom-o-dallaire/) > [As human beings we have the most extraordinary capacity for evil. We can perpetrate some of the most horrendous atrocities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/as-human-beings-we-have-the-most-extraordinary-capacity-for-evil-we/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [I think we all have the capacity of evil in us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolaj-coster-waldau/i-think-we-all-have-the-capacity-of-evil-in-us/) [Nikolaj Coster-Waldau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolaj-coster-waldau/) > [“Terrible, dreadful, blasted awful kids. They've all got a darkness inside them. They've all got the capacity of evil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-jewell/terrible-dreadful-blasted-awful-kids-they-ve-all-got-a-darkness/) [Lisa Jewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-jewell/) > [“Maybe we all have a monster inside. Maybe we all have the same capacity for evil as we do for good. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-cross/maybe-we-all-have-a-monster-inside-maybe-we-all-have-the-same/) [Ethan Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-cross/) > [I think 'A Serious Man' is genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-requa/i-think-a-serious-man-is-genius/) [John Requa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-requa/) > [Skrillex. The man is a genius and paved a new way for music and it's very inspiring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-grimmie/skrillex-the-man-is-a-genius-and-paved-a-new-way-for-music-and-it-s/) [Christina Grimmie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-grimmie/) > [“Napoleon, the man of genius, did this! But to say that he destroyed his army because he wished to, or because he was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/napoleon-the-man-of-genius-did-this-but-to-say-that-he-destroyed-his/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More Genius quotes > [“If people fully understand you, they will think of you as a normal, if they half understand you, will think of you as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-people-fully-understand-you-they-will-think-of-you-as-a-normal-if/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Woman, in short, has an unconscious life, man a conscious life, and the genius the most conscious life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/woman-in-short-has-an-unconscious-life-man-a-conscious-life-and-the/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The truth is I've just never had any kind of plan at all for my career, which is probably not a very flattering thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burrell/the-truth-is-i-ve-just-never-had-any-kind-of-plan-at-all-for-my/) [Ty Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burrell/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I have known many chess players, but among them there has been only one genius - Capablanca!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-lasker/i-have-known-many-chess-players-but-among-them-there-has-been-only/) [Emanuel Lasker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-lasker/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius; and the feminine situation has up to the present rendered this becoming practically impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/one-is-not-born-a-genius-one-becomes-a-genius-and-the-feminine/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [The beginning of genius is being scared shitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/the-beginning-of-genius-is-being-scared-shitless/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [Treason implies responsibility for something, control over something, influence upon something, knowledge of something. Treason in our time is a proof of genius. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/treason-implies-responsibility-for-something-control-over-something/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/mediocrity-knows-nothing-higher-than-itself-but-talent-instantly/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [With the proper training, I could've been an evil genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/with-the-proper-training-i-could-ve-been-an-evil-genius/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Never try to judge any one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajat-dogra/never-try-to-judge-any-one/) [Rajat Dogra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajat-dogra/) > [“genius is a path that we can all take and derive much benefit, happiness, fulfillment, and success from...not a genetic windfall or divine gift.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-patrick/genius-is-a-path-that-we-can-all-take-and-derive-much-benefit/) [Sean Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-patrick/) [Browse all 5,125 Genius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I have seen that man’s capacity for evil has no limit, just as man’s genius is not limited to reaching new heights in every human endeavor.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alter Wiener" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alter-wiener/i-have-seen-that-man-s-capacity-for-evil-has-no-limit-just-as-man-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Genius" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alter-wiener/i-have-seen-that-man-s-capacity-for-evil-has-no-limit-just-as-man-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4a/alter-wiener-218199_genius_i-have-seen-that-man-s-capacity-for-evil_3096329.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4a/alter-wiener-218199_genius_i-have-seen-that-man-s-capacity-for-evil_3096329.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4a/alter-wiener-218199_genius_i-have-seen-that-man-s-capacity-for-evil_3096329.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have seen that man’s capacity for evil has no limit, just as man’s genius is not limited to reaching new…” — Alter Wiener", "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": "Alter Wiener", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alter-wiener/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I have seen that man’s capacity...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alter-wiener/i-have-seen-that-man-s-capacity-for-evil-has-no-limit-just-as-man-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alter-wiener/i-have-seen-that-man-s-capacity-for-evil-has-no-limit-just-as-man-s/#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 } } ] } ```