Badness Quote by Anthony Burgess
““But, brothers, this biting of their toe-nails over what is the cause of badness is what turns me into a fine laughing malchick. They don't go into what is the cause of goodness, so why the other shop? If lewdies are good that's because they like it, and I wouldn't ever interfere with their pleasures, and so of the other shop. And I was patronizing the other shop. More, badness is of the self, the one, the you or me or 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 tbey of the government and the judges and the schools cannot allow the bad because they cannot allow the self. And is not our modern history, my brothers, the story of brave malenky selves fighting these big machines? I am serious with you brothers, over this. But what I do I do because I like to do.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: A Clockwork Orange, 1962
Human morality is split between self‑driven impulses and external authority; personal pleasure versus societal rules.
In simple terms: Good and bad stem from self and society.
Key Takeaway
Question authority, seek personal truth.
Themes
morality
authority
individualism
Mood
conflicted
philosophical
Type
literary
provocative
When to use this quote
- personal decisions
- social policy
- legal systems
Key Concepts
ethical dualism
free will
Questions to Reflect On
- What defines true goodness?
- How do personal desires clash with law?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on self can ignore collective responsibility.
