--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For the first time in history, the…" description: "\"For the first time in history, the rational and the good are fully armed in the battle against evil. Here we finally find the answer to our paradox; no..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d04/andrew-bernstein-29505_answers_for-the-first-time-in-history-the-ration_1891703.png" --- # For the first time in history, the rational and the good… ![“For the first time in history, the rational and the good are fully armed in the battle against evil. Here we finally find the answer to our paradox; now we can understand the nature of the social power held by evil. Ultimately, the evil, the irrational, truly has no power. The evil men’s control…” quote by Andrew Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d04/andrew-bernstein-29505_answers_for-the-first-time-in-history-the-ration_1891703.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d04/andrew-bernstein-29505_answers_for-the-first-time-in-history-the-ration_1891703.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d04/andrew-bernstein-29505_answers_for-the-first-time-in-history-the-ration_1891703.png) > “For the first time in history, the rational and the good are fully armed in the battle against evil. Here we finally find the answer to our paradox; now we can understand the nature of the social power held by evil. Ultimately, the evil, the irrational, truly has no power. The evil men’s control of morality is transient; it lives on borrowed time made possible only by the errors of the good. In time, as more honest men grasp the truth, evil’s stranglehold will be easily broken.” [Andrew Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bernstein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Rationality and goodness together can defeat evil, which only persists through the errors of the good **In simple terms:** Reason and virtue together can overcome evil, which is weak when truth spreads Key Takeaway Promote rational, moral action to diminish evil’s influence Themes ethics philosophy social change Mood determined hopeful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - activism - education - policy making - community organizing - personal development Key Concepts Moral realism rationalism power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can societies sustain moral vigilance? - What role does education play in weakening evil? A Different Perspective Evil may adapt and find new justifications despite rational resistance ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Borrowed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borrowed/) [Borrowed time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borrowed-time/) [Broken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broken/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Control Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control-morality-2736783/) [Errors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/errors/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Irrational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-irrational-2736781/) [Evil man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-man/) [Evil Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-men/) [First time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-time/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Honest man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest-man/) [Irrational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irrational/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Morality Transient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality-transient-2736784/) [Paradox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradox/) [Rational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational/) [Rational Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational-good-2736782/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-power/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Transient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transient/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [I saw that evil was impotent—that evil was the irrational, the blind, the anti-real—and that the only weapon of its triumph was the willingness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/i-saw-that-evil-was-impotent-that-evil-was-the-irrational-the-blind/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [There is nothing inhuman, evil, or irrational which does not give some comfort, provided it is shared by a group.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/there-is-nothing-inhuman-evil-or-irrational-which-does-not-give-some/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Personally, I don't see old economics and behavioural economics as opposed. 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G. A. Pocock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-a-pocock/) > [Acquaintances represent a source of social power, and the more acquaintances you have the more powerful you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/acquaintances-represent-a-source-of-social-power-and-the-more/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [ Insanity and psychosis can no longer be respected as meaningful \[terms\] - but are used by limited individuals in positions of social power to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-krim/insanity-and-psychosis-can-no-longer-be-respected-as-meaningful-terms/) [Seymour Krim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-krim/) > [The government was set to protect man from criminals-and the constitution was written to protect man from the government. The Bill of Rights was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-government-was-set-to-protect-man-from-criminals-and-the/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [God loves and defends those with the least economic and social power, and so should we.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-loves-and-defends-those-with-the-least-economic-and-social-power/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [The flowering of civilization is the finished man, the man of sense, of grace, of accomplishment, of social power--the gentleman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-flowering-of-civilization-is-the-finished-man-the-man-of-sense-of/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“Acquaintances, in sort, represent a source of social power, and the more acquaintances you have the more powerful you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/acquaintances-in-sort-represent-a-source-of-social-power-and-the-more/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) ## More by Andrew Bernstein > [“The bad news is that, measured in terms of geologic time, if the Earth’s history is an accurate guide, glaciers will soon return to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bernstein/the-bad-news-is-that-measured-in-terms-of-geologic-time-if-the-earth/) [Andrew Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bernstein/) > [Many argue that Christianity is "different" from other religions - that it is primarily about love of one's fellow man. The Crusades, The Inquisition,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bernstein/many-argue-that-christianity-is-different-from-other-religions-that/) [Andrew Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bernstein/) > [First, he must hold rational values, and to do this he must be a thinker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bernstein/first-he-must-hold-rational-values-and-to-do-this-he-must-be-a-thinker/) [Andrew Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bernstein/) > [A hero holds purposes appropriate to man and is, therefore, a thinker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bernstein/a-hero-holds-purposes-appropriate-to-man-and-is-therefore-a-thinker/) [Andrew Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bernstein/) > [A hero has faced it all: he need not be undefeated, but he must be undaunted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bernstein/a-hero-has-faced-it-all-he-need-not-be-undefeated-but-he-must-be/) [Andrew Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bernstein/) > [Even in this secular country, the threat posed by religious fundamentalists is never very far away. Every major religious text exhorts the same principles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bernstein/even-in-this-secular-country-the-threat-posed-by-religious/) [Andrew Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bernstein/) > [“In the history of philosophy, the term “rationalism” has two distinct meanings. In one sense, it signifies an unbreached commitment to reasoned thought in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bernstein/in-the-history-of-philosophy-the-term-rationalism-has-two-distinct/) [Andrew Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bernstein/) > [Throughout history, independent minds have carried mankind forward. Whether they identified how to make fire or manufacture tools, develop rational philosophy or create man-glorifying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bernstein/throughout-history-independent-minds-have-carried-mankind-forward/) [Andrew Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bernstein/) > [“Each one of us has the power — and must develop the will — to be the hero of his own life. We believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bernstein/each-one-of-us-has-the-power-and-must-develop-the-will-to-be-the-hero/) [Andrew Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bernstein/) > [Nothing is given to man on earth - struggle is built into the nature of life, and conflict is possible - the hero is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bernstein/nothing-is-given-to-man-on-earth-struggle-is-built-into-the-nature-of/) [Andrew Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bernstein/) > [... statism systematically violates the rights of individuals and is, therefore, immoral. Because it suppresses the mind and violates men's rights, it thereby causes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bernstein/statism-systematically-violates-the-rights-of-individuals-and-is/) [Andrew Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bernstein/) > [The hero is valorous because he stands up to every threat directed against his values. Heroism requires value conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bernstein/the-hero-is-valorous-because-he-stands-up-to-every-threat-directed/) [Andrew Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bernstein/) > [“Theologians, and religionists in general, start with a fantasy premise and then proceed to apply rigorous formal logic to tease out its implications. 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I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/) [Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [A dialogue is very important. 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