--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never open the door to a lesser evil, for…" description: "\"Never open the door to a lesser evil, for other and greater ones invariably slink in after it.\" — Baltasar Gracian" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/baltasar-gracian-1090_evil_never-open-the-door-to-a-lesser-evil-for_423828.jpg" --- # Never open the door to a lesser evil, for other and… ![“Never open the door to a lesser evil, for other and greater ones invariably slink in after it.” quote by Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/baltasar-gracian-1090_evil_never-open-the-door-to-a-lesser-evil-for_423828.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/baltasar-gracian-1090_evil_never-open-the-door-to-a-lesser-evil-for_423828.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/baltasar-gracian-1090_evil_never-open-the-door-to-a-lesser-evil-for_423828.jpg) > “Never open the door to a lesser evil, for other and greater ones invariably slink in after it.” [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Avoiding minor evils invites greater ones; confronting small problems prevents larger threats. **In simple terms:** Don’t let small bad things slip, or worse will follow. Key Takeaway Address issues early. Themes prudence risk management ethics Mood cautious analytical Type ethical practical When to use this quote - personal relationships - business negotiations - political policy - environmental regulation Key Concepts strategic foresight moral philosophy decision making Questions to Reflect On - When is it wiser to tolerate a small flaw? - What criteria decide when to act? A Different Perspective Sometimes confronting minor evils can cause unnecessary conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Door Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/door-lesser-1865871/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Greater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-greater-1218380/) [Evils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evils/) [Invariably Slink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invariably-slink-1865870/) [Lesser evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lesser-evil/) [Ones Invariably](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ones-invariably-1865872/) ## Related quotes > [Never open the door to the lesser evil, for other and greater ones invariably slink in after it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/never-open-the-door-to-the-lesser-evil-for-other-and-greater-ones/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [You cannot cure a lesser evil by a greater evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/you-cannot-cure-a-lesser-evil-by-a-greater-evil/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Only Evil and Greater Evil exist and beyond them, in the shadows, lurks True Evil. True Evil, Geralt, is something you can barely imagine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrzej-sapkowski/only-evil-and-greater-evil-exist-and-beyond-them-in-the-shadows-lurks/) [Andrzej Sapkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrzej-sapkowski/) > [Politically, the weakness of the argument has always been that those who choose the lesser evil forget very quickly that they chose evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/politically-the-weakness-of-the-argument-has-always-been-that-those/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [If you choose the lesser of two evils, you are still choosing evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/if-you-choose-the-lesser-of-two-evils-you-are-still-choosing-evil/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [The lesser of two evils is still evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon/the-lesser-of-two-evils-is-still-evil/) [Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon/) > [If you always vote for the lesser of two evils, you will always have evil, and you will always have less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/if-you-always-vote-for-the-lesser-of-two-evils-you-will-always-have/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [The lesser evil is also evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-mitchison/the-lesser-evil-is-also-evil/) [Naomi Mitchison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-mitchison/) > [Although war is evil, it is occasionally the lesser of two evils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mcgeorge-bundy/although-war-is-evil-it-is-occasionally-the-lesser-of-two-evils/) [McGeorge Bundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mcgeorge-bundy/) > [“The answer to the problem of evil does not lie in trying to establish its point of origin, for that is simply not revealed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-r-trueman-2/the-answer-to-the-problem-of-evil-does-not-lie-in-trying-to-establish/) [Carl R. Trueman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-r-trueman-2/) > [“Oh, oh, no greater evil is there in this world, than the evil that lies in the hearts of those who repay good with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/oh-oh-no-greater-evil-is-there-in-this-world-than-the-evil-that-lies/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [There are many powers in the world, for good or for evil. Some are greater than I am. Against some I have not yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/there-are-many-powers-in-the-world-for-good-or-for-evil-some-are/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [We can overcome evil with greater good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bush/we-can-overcome-evil-with-greater-good/) [Laura Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bush/) > [“To defeat evil, I must become a greater evil”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lelouch-vi-britannia/to-defeat-evil-i-must-become-a-greater-evil/) [Lelouch Vi Britannia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lelouch-vi-britannia/) > [It is ignorance or at least lack of consideration of heavenly things that make the temporal things of this world, whether good or evil,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-patton/it-is-ignorance-or-at-least-lack-of-consideration-of-heavenly-things/) [Tom Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-patton/) ## More by Baltasar Gracian > [To be at ease is better than to be at business. Nothing really belongs to us but time, which even he has who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/to-be-at-ease-is-better-than-to-be-at-business-nothing-really-belongs/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [It requires as much to tell the truth as to conceal it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/it-requires-as-much-to-tell-the-truth-as-to-conceal-it/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [There are friendships merely for pleasure, some for the exchange of ideas. Rarest are those friends of one's inmost self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/there-are-friendships-merely-for-pleasure-some-for-the-exchange-of/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [What is not seen is as if it was not. Even the Right does not receive proper consideration if it does not seem right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/what-is-not-seen-is-as-if-it-was-not-even-the-right-does-not-receive/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [What the multitude says, is so, or soon will be so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/what-the-multitude-says-is-so-or-soon-will-be-so/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [A synonym is a word you use when you can't spell the other one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/a-synonym-is-a-word-you-use-when-you-can-t-spell-the-other-one/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [It is good to vary in order that you may frustrate the curious, especially those who envy you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/it-is-good-to-vary-in-order-that-you-may-frustrate-the-curious/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [Hope has a good memory, gratitude a bad one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/hope-has-a-good-memory-gratitude-a-bad-one/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [Knowing how to keep a friend is more important than gaining a new one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/knowing-how-to-keep-a-friend-is-more-important-than-gaining-a-new-one/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [Leave your luck while still winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/leave-your-luck-while-still-winning/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [Superiority is always detested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/superiority-is-always-detested/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [“We have eyelids but not earlids, for the ears are the portals of learning, and Nature wanted to keep them wide open.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/we-have-eyelids-but-not-earlids-for-the-ears-are-the-portals-of/) [Baltasar Gracián](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [The wise persono would rather see others needing him than thanking him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/the-wise-persono-would-rather-see-others-needing-him-than-thanking-him/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [No one demands more caution than a spy, and when someone has the skeleton key to minds, counter him by leaving the key of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/no-one-demands-more-caution-than-a-spy-and-when-someone-has-the/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [Keep the extent of your abilities unknown.The wise man does not allow his knowledge and abilities to be sounded to the bottom, if he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/keep-the-extent-of-your-abilities-unknown-the-wise-man-does-not-allow/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) [Explore all 288 Baltasar Gracian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) ## More Evil quotes > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-done-out-of-love-always-takes-place-beyond-good-and-evil/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to \[be\] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be-evil-has-to-be-confronted-and/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) [James Nayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nayler/) > [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“Water is so friendly when you have it on your palms, but so evil when they have you on theirs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/water-is-so-friendly-when-you-have-it-on-your-palms-but-so-evil-when/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [THE ART OF PEACE is not easy. It is a fight to the finish, the slaying of evil desires and all falsehood within. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-art-of-peace-is-not-easy-it-is-a-fight-to-the-finish-the-slaying/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) [Browse all 11,163 Evil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Never open the door to a lesser evil, for other and greater ones invariably slink in after it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Baltasar Gracian" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/never-open-the-door-to-a-lesser-evil-for-other-and-greater-ones/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/never-open-the-door-to-a-lesser-evil-for-other-and-greater-ones/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/baltasar-gracian-1090_evil_never-open-the-door-to-a-lesser-evil-for_423828.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/baltasar-gracian-1090_evil_never-open-the-door-to-a-lesser-evil-for_423828.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/baltasar-gracian-1090_evil_never-open-the-door-to-a-lesser-evil-for_423828.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Never open the door to a lesser evil, for other and greater ones invariably slink in after it.” — Baltasar Gracian", "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": "Baltasar Gracian", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Never open the door to a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/never-open-the-door-to-a-lesser-evil-for-other-and-greater-ones/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/never-open-the-door-to-a-lesser-evil-for-other-and-greater-ones/#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 } } ] } ```