Badness Quote by Anthony Burgess
““Badness is of the self, the one, the you or me on our oddy knockies, and that self is made by old Bog or God and is his great pride and radosty. But the not-self cannot have the bad, meaning they of the government and the judges and the schools cannot allow the bad because they cannot allow the self.””
About This Quote
Source Book: A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, 1962
The quote suggests that moral evil originates from individual self‑interest, while institutions claim to be neutral but actually enforce the same self‑centered values.
In simple terms: Evil comes from personal ego; institutions claim objectivity but reflect the same bias.
Key Takeaway
Recognize personal bias and question institutional claims of neutrality.
Themes
morality
power
individualism
institutional critique
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
political
ethical
When to use this quote
- personal decision making
- legal judgments
- educational policy
- political rhetoric
Key Concepts
egoism
ethical relativism
social control
Questions to Reflect On
- How does personal ego shape your judgments?
- Can institutions truly be free of self‑interest?
A Different Perspective
Institutions may genuinely aim for fairness, making the critique overly cynical.
