--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some people give themselves over to their…" description: "\"Some people give themselves over to their most evil desires, and those people becomes evil. But in general, it's reductive to think of evil as somethin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/bill-james-9028_acts_some-people-give-themselves-over-to-thei_1260884.jpg" --- # Some people give themselves over to their most evil… ![“Some people give themselves over to their most evil desires, and those people becomes evil. But in general, it's reductive to think of evil as something foreign and separate from the rest of us. Evil is part of everyone. We all have the capacity to commit evil acts.” quote by Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/bill-james-9028_acts_some-people-give-themselves-over-to-thei_1260884.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/bill-james-9028_acts_some-people-give-themselves-over-to-thei_1260884.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/bill-james-9028_acts_some-people-give-themselves-over-to-thei_1260884.jpg) > “Some people give themselves over to their most evil desires, and those people becomes evil. But in general, it's reductive to think of evil as something foreign and separate from the rest of us. Evil is part of everyone. We all have the capacity to commit evil acts.” [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Evil is not an external force but an internal potential within everyone, making moral judgments complex. **In simple terms:** Everyone can be capable of evil. Key Takeaway Recognize and manage dark impulses. Themes morality human nature evil psychology Mood introspective cautious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - personal decisions - leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts capacity for harm selfreflection ethical ambiguity Questions to Reflect On - How do you confront your own darker impulses? - What safeguards can prevent harmful actions? A Different Perspective Denial of personal capacity can hinder accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desires/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [People do evil things because they are evil. Some people are evil in the way that some things are coloured indigo. They commit their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/people-do-evil-things-because-they-are-evil-some-people-are-evil-in/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [You want to eliminate your evil desires in order to reveal your Buddha nature, but where will you throw them away?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/you-want-to-eliminate-your-evil-desires-in-order-to-reveal-your/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [“If a man finds himself haunted by evil desires and unholy images, which will generally be at periodical hours, let him commit to memory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/if-a-man-finds-himself-haunted-by-evil-desires-and-unholy-images/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [God doesn't tempt you. You're tempted by your own evil desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-doesn-t-tempt-you-you-re-tempted-by-your-own-evil-desires/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I’ve got to get you home before I lose all my sanity and give in to the urge to imprison you here as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-morsi/i-ve-got-to-get-you-home-before-i-lose-all-my-sanity-and-give-in-to/) [Pamela Morsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-morsi/) > [Shame is the turnkey that keeps our evil desires in jail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/shame-is-the-turnkey-that-keeps-our-evil-desires-in-jail/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [Many times our mind will suppress the evil desires of the heart, because we have been taught that it is wrong and the outcome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassie-atencio/many-times-our-mind-will-suppress-the-evil-desires-of-the-heart/) Cassie Atencio > [Having fallen from the eternal, the Evil One's desires are endless, insatiable. Having fallen from pure Being, he is driven by the desire to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-de-rougemont/having-fallen-from-the-eternal-the-evil-one-s-desires-are-endless/) [Denis de Rougemont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-de-rougemont/) > [The evil in our desires typically does not lie in what we want, but that we want it too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-evil-in-our-desires-typically-does-not-lie-in-what-we-want-but/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [I've got evil in me as much as anyone, some desires that scare me. Even if I don't give in to them, just having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/i-ve-got-evil-in-me-as-much-as-anyone-some-desires-that-scare-me-even/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [When evil acts in the world it always manages to find instruments who believe that what they do is not evil but honorable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lerner/when-evil-acts-in-the-world-it-always-manages-to-find-instruments-who/) [Max Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lerner/) > [“Defending evil acts is also evil, All who commit this deed should know By defending evil you make yourself part of it You cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruchir-gupta/defending-evil-acts-is-also-evil-all-who-commit-this-deed-should-know/) Ruchir Gupta > [We tolerate, even promote, many things we once regarded as evil, wrong, or immoral. And then we seek "explanations" for an act that seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/we-tolerate-even-promote-many-things-we-once-regarded-as-evil-wrong/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [You do not do anything except wet paper, To account for their evil acts will give you,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/you-do-not-do-anything-except-wet-paper-to-account-for-their-evil/) Mak\_786 > [We live in a world of terrorism where evil acts are being regularly perpetrated in the name of your faith. And because it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robb/we-live-in-a-world-of-terrorism-where-evil-acts-are-being-regularly/) Andrew Robb ## More by Bill James > [“Until about 1970 when parents beat their children to death they very often escaped punishment. They would be prosecuted if it was clear and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/until-about-1970-when-parents-beat-their-children-to-death-they-very/) [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) > [Professionalism in medicine has given us medial miracles for the affluent but hospitals that will charge $35 for aspirin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/professionalism-in-medicine-has-given-us-medial-miracles-for-the/) [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) > [When I was a small kid, I grew up in the newspapers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/when-i-was-a-small-kid-i-grew-up-in-the-newspapers/) [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) > [“I’m sort of a baseball agnostic; I make it a point never to believe anything just because it is widely known to be so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/i-m-sort-of-a-baseball-agnostic-i-make-it-a-point-never-to-believe/) [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) > [I do have a family, and obviously I spend as much time as I can with them. Though even when I'm with my family,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/i-do-have-a-family-and-obviously-i-spend-as-much-time-as-i-can-with/) [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) > [“Words are useful, sir. That's from the communicating point of view. They come into their own then. When you think about it, even Morse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/words-are-useful-sir-that-s-from-the-communicating-point-of-view-they/) [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) > [We need new athletes all the time because we need new games every day - fudging just a little on the definition of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/we-need-new-athletes-all-the-time-because-we-need-new-games-every-day/) [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) > [We don't genuinely need more literary geniuses. One can only read so many books in a lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/we-don-t-genuinely-need-more-literary-geniuses-one-can-only-read-so/) [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) > [Visualizing the movement finally got me over the top after months of practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/visualizing-the-movement-finally-got-me-over-the-top-after-months-of/) [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) > [I try to take large, general questions that are difficult to resolve and break them down into small, very specific questions that have clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/i-try-to-take-large-general-questions-that-are-difficult-to-resolve/) [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) > [There comes a moment during a job interview when you're still talking, but you might as well take off your shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/there-comes-a-moment-during-a-job-interview-when-you-re-still-talking/) [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) > [There are, I believe, many more false confessions to murders than true confessions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/there-are-i-believe-many-more-false-confessions-to-murders-than-true/) [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) > [(Mantle) was clearly a greater player in his peak years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/mantle-was-clearly-a-greater-player-in-his-peak-years/) [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) > [Our society is very, very good at developing certain types of skills and certain types of genius. We are fantastically good at identifying and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/our-society-is-very-very-good-at-developing-certain-types-of-skills/) [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) > [A chart of numbers that would put an actuary to sleep can be made to dance if you put it on one side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/a-chart-of-numbers-that-would-put-an-actuary-to-sleep-can-be-made-to/) [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) [Explore all 76 Bill James quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) ## More Acts quotes > [Each of our acts makes a statement as to our purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/each-of-our-acts-makes-a-statement-as-to-our-purpose/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) Joe Pitts > [God only acts and is, in existing beings or men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/god-only-acts-and-is-in-existing-beings-or-men/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Poetry is a lousy form of activism; it doesn't really change much. And maybe we can point to one or two historical times when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-gottlieb/poetry-is-a-lousy-form-of-activism-it-doesn-t-really-change-much-and/) [Daphne Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-gottlieb/) > [We are surrounded every day by countless acts of immeasurable kindness and goodwill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bel-edwards/we-are-surrounded-every-day-by-countless-acts-of-immeasurable/) [John Bel Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bel-edwards/) > [Foreign journalists have to have an approved interpreter assigned them, which they have to pay for, who also acts as guide. As an Iranian,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/foreign-journalists-have-to-have-an-approved-interpreter-assigned/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [I believe that homosexual acts between individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts. I do not believe that the Armed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-pace/i-believe-that-homosexual-acts-between-individuals-are-immoral-and/) [Peter Pace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-pace/) > [“The book of Luke is the account of the Spirit-empowered ministry of Jesus on the earth, and Acts is the account of the Spirit-empowered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/the-book-of-luke-is-the-account-of-the-spirit-empowered-ministry-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [I don't meditate before I play or compose, but I see playing and composing as meditative acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-swallow/i-don-t-meditate-before-i-play-or-compose-but-i-see-playing-and/) Steve Swallow > [“In Acts, every believer was living in a direct relationship with Him (Christ) and each one functioned normally as a member of His body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hon/in-acts-every-believer-was-living-in-a-direct-relationship-with-him/) [Henry Hon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hon/) > [Ladies seem very intrigued by a guy who is ultra confident and acts like he doesn't need you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorma-taccone/ladies-seem-very-intrigued-by-a-guy-who-is-ultra-confident-and-acts/) [Jorma Taccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorma-taccone/) > [In the name of noble purposes men have committed unspeakable acts of cruelty against one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/in-the-name-of-noble-purposes-men-have-committed-unspeakable-acts-of/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [How do you make the timelessness of inert, silent objects count for something? How to use the, in a way, dumbness of sculpture in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-gormley/how-do-you-make-the-timelessness-of-inert-silent-objects-count-for/) [Antony Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-gormley/) > [Only free people have an incentive to be virtuous. Only people who bear the consequences of their own acts will care about those consequences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/only-free-people-have-an-incentive-to-be-virtuous-only-people-who/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [The legitimacy of coercive acts in a democracy arises from the process by which they are justified and by the degree to which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/the-legitimacy-of-coercive-acts-in-a-democracy-arises-from-the/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) Browse all 251 Acts quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Some people give themselves over to their most evil desires, and those people becomes evil. But in general, it's reductive to think of evil as something foreign and separate from the rest of us. Evil is part of everyone. We all have the capacity to commit evil acts.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill James" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/some-people-give-themselves-over-to-their-most-evil-desires-and-those/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/some-people-give-themselves-over-to-their-most-evil-desires-and-those/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/bill-james-9028_acts_some-people-give-themselves-over-to-thei_1260884.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/bill-james-9028_acts_some-people-give-themselves-over-to-thei_1260884.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/bill-james-9028_acts_some-people-give-themselves-over-to-thei_1260884.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Some people give themselves over to their most evil desires, and those people becomes evil. But in general…” — Bill James", "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": "Bill James", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Some people give themselves over to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/some-people-give-themselves-over-to-their-most-evil-desires-and-those/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/some-people-give-themselves-over-to-their-most-evil-desires-and-those/#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 } } ] } ```