---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're talking about villainy, then…"
description: "\"When you're talking about villainy, then you're automatically circling around to talk about justice.\" — Christopher Priest"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48c/christopher-priest-10472_about_when-you-re-talking-about-villainy-then_3106688.jpg"
---

#  When you're talking about villainy, then you're…

![“When you're talking about villainy, then you're automatically circling around to talk about justice.” quote by Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48c/christopher-priest-10472_about_when-you-re-talking-about-villainy-then_3106688.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48c/christopher-priest-10472_about_when-you-re-talking-about-villainy-then_3106688.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48c/christopher-priest-10472_about_when-you-re-talking-about-villainy-then_3106688.jpg)

> “When you're talking about villainy, then you're automatically circling around to talk about justice.”

[Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Discussing evil inevitably brings up the concept of justice as its counterpart.

**In simple terms:** Evil and justice are linked topics.

Key Takeaway

Explore both sides of moral conflict.

Themes

morality justice evil

Mood

thoughtful inquisitive

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

- legal debates
- storytelling
- personal ethics

Key Concepts

ethical dualism philosophical inquiry

Questions to Reflect On

- What defines justice in your view?
- How do you confront evil without losing moral footing?

A Different Perspective

Justice may be subjective, not absolute.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Around](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around/) [Circling Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circling-talk-5408072/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk/) [Talk Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk-justice-834104/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Talking Villainy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking-villainy-5408070/) [Villainy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/villainy/) [Villainy Automatically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/villainy-automatically-5408071/)

## Related quotes

> [“when we talk about justice, we have to, in my view, understand that there is no justice when so few have so much and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/when-we-talk-about-justice-we-have-to-in-my-view-understand-that/)

[Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/)

> [When we talk about justice in America we're really talking about justice brought about by the people, not by judges who are tools of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kunstler/when-we-talk-about-justice-in-america-we-re-really-talking-about/)

[William Kunstler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kunstler/)

> [We love to talk about justice. It's the doing of justice that's hard...I believe it is work we are called to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-robinson/we-love-to-talk-about-justice-it-s-the-doing-of-justice-that-s-hard-i/)

[Gene Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-robinson/)

> [“...didn't see what good all the talk about justice was if nobody tried to help when things got risky.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teri-hall/didn-t-see-what-good-all-the-talk-about-justice-was-if-nobody-tried/)

[Teri Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teri-hall/)

> [Sin aims always at the utmost; every time it rises up to tempt or entice, if it has its own way it will go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/sin-aims-always-at-the-utmost-every-time-it-rises-up-to-tempt-or/)

[John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/)

> [Were the life of man prolonged, he would become such a proficient in villainy, that it would become necessary again to drown or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/were-the-life-of-man-prolonged-he-would-become-such-a-proficient-in/)

[Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/)

> [people who pay greater respect to a wealthy villain than to an honest, upright man in poverty, almost deserve to be enslaved; they plainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hancock/people-who-pay-greater-respect-to-a-wealthy-villain-than-to-an-honest/)

[John Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hancock/)

> [The tolerance of wrong dulls our sense of its injustice. Men may become accustomed to theft, murder, even to slavery - that sum of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-george/the-tolerance-of-wrong-dulls-our-sense-of-its-injustice-men-may/)

[Henry George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-george/)

> [Heaven knows insanity was disreputable enough, long ago; but now that the lawyers have got to cutting every gallows rope and picking every prison…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/heaven-knows-insanity-was-disreputable-enough-long-ago-but-now-that/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [I think it's too easy often to find a villain out of the headlines and to then repeat that villainy again and again and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zwick/i-think-it-s-too-easy-often-to-find-a-villain-out-of-the-headlines/)

[Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/)

> [I have a chest full of all the insults, villainies, and infamies a man is capable of withstanding. . . . If you become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/i-have-a-chest-full-of-all-the-insults-villainies-and-infamies-a-man/)

[Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/)

> [Barring that natural expression of villainy which we all have, the man looked honest enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/barring-that-natural-expression-of-villainy-which-we-all-have-the-man/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [Although we had a lot of villainy here in America, Adolf Hitler was certainly the most visible illustration of what would happen if fascism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/although-we-had-a-lot-of-villainy-here-in-america-adolf-hitler-was/)

[Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/)

> [“Just because a person is attractive/beautiful, this does not mean it is okay to villainize them. We always say that we cannot judge a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/just-because-a-person-is-attractive-beautiful-this-does-not-mean-it/)

[C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/)

> [Villainy that is vigilant will be an overmatch for virtue, if she slumber at her post.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/villainy-that-is-vigilant-will-be-an-overmatch-for-virtue-if-she/)

[Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/)

## More by Christopher Priest

> [When I was writing 'Black Panther,' on one level, I was angry because DC would never let me write 'Batman,' so I was doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/when-i-was-writing-black-panther-on-one-level-i-was-angry-because-dc/)

[Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/)

> [What makes a good villain is someone who doesn't just challenge the hero but comes organically out of that character's history and circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/what-makes-a-good-villain-is-someone-who-doesn-t-just-challenge-the/)

[Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/)

> [“An illusion has three stages. "First there is the setup, in which the nature of what might be attempted at is hinted at, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/an-illusion-has-three-stages-first-there-is-the-setup-in-which-the/)

[Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/)

> [Deathstroke is the dark-mirror version of Batman, basically. He is every bit as resourceful, every bit as ruthless, every bit as powerful as Batman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/deathstroke-is-the-dark-mirror-version-of-batman-basically-he-is/)

[Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/)

> [“Magicians protect their secrets not because the secrets are large and important, but because they are so small and trivial. The wonderful effects created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/magicians-protect-their-secrets-not-because-the-secrets-are-large-and/)

[Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/)

> [I think everybody wants to feel validated in some way, and when you're looking for leisure activities or if you're looking for escapism or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/i-think-everybody-wants-to-feel-validated-in-some-way-and-when-you-re/)

[Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/)

> [Writing 'Deathstroke' presents a number of challenges to me. As a Christian, as a minister, it's difficult for me to write a comic book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/writing-deathstroke-presents-a-number-of-challenges-to-me-as-a/)

[Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/)

> ['Deathstroke' became an interesting challenge - not just because of his ethnicity, but because he's a villain. I've never written a villain as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/deathstroke-became-an-interesting-challenge-not-just-because-of-his/)

[Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/)

> [If you could access 90 percent of your brain, you'd be Charles Xavier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/if-you-could-access-90-percent-of-your-brain-you-d-be-charles-xavier/)

[Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/)

> [I'm a little insane, and I'm going to be a little different. But hopefully, somewhere in there, in that creative arena, something will emerge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/i-m-a-little-insane-and-i-m-going-to-be-a-little-different-but/)

[Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/)

> [“Cutter: Every great magic trick consists of three parts or acts. The first part is called "The Pledge". The magician shows you something ordinary:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/cutter-every-great-magic-trick-consists-of-three-parts-or-acts-the/)

[Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/)

> [I think, personally, nothing comes from violence other than more violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/i-think-personally-nothing-comes-from-violence-other-than-more/)

[Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/)

> [The 'Black Panther' series was never really about the Black Panther at all. The State Department guy, Everett K. Ross, was the series protagonist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/the-black-panther-series-was-never-really-about-the-black-panther-at/)

[Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/)

> [Escapism has its place. I used to write 'Conan the Barbarian' for Marvel, which takes place in an environment completely removed from the real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/escapism-has-its-place-i-used-to-write-conan-the-barbarian-for-marvel/)

[Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/)

> [My first draft of Marvel Knights 'Black Panther' was not funny at all. They smartly rejected the entire script and counseled me to inject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/my-first-draft-of-marvel-knights-black-panther-was-not-funny-at-all/)

[Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/)

[Explore all 64 Christopher Priest quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/)

## More About quotes

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/)

[Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/)

> [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/)

[Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/)

> [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/)

[Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/)

> [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/)

[Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/)

> [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/)

[Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/)

> [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/)

[Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/)

> [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/)

[Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/)

> [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/)

[Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/)

> [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/)

[Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/)

> [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/)

[Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/)

> [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/)

[John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/)

> [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/)

[Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/)

[Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When you're talking about villainy, then you're automatically circling around to talk about justice.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Christopher Priest"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/when-you-re-talking-about-villainy-then-you-re-automatically-circling/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "About"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/when-you-re-talking-about-villainy-then-you-re-automatically-circling/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48c/christopher-priest-10472_about_when-you-re-talking-about-villainy-then_3106688.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48c/christopher-priest-10472_about_when-you-re-talking-about-villainy-then_3106688.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48c/christopher-priest-10472_about_when-you-re-talking-about-villainy-then_3106688.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When you're talking about villainy, then you're automatically circling around to talk about justice.” — Christopher Priest",
                "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": "Christopher Priest",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When you're talking about villainy, then...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/when-you-re-talking-about-villainy-then-you-re-automatically-circling/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/when-you-re-talking-about-villainy-then-you-re-automatically-circling/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
