---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The wicked know that if the ill they do…"
description: "\"“The wicked know that if the ill they do be of sufficient horror that men will not speak against it. That men have just enough stomach for small evils ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eac/cormac-mccarthy-181_evils_the-wicked-know-that-if-the-ill-they-do_93993.jpg"
---

#  The wicked know that if the ill they do be of sufficient…

![“The wicked know that if the ill they do be of sufficient horror that men will not speak against it. That men have just enough stomach for small evils and only these will they oppose.” quote by Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eac/cormac-mccarthy-181_evils_the-wicked-know-that-if-the-ill-they-do_93993.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eac/cormac-mccarthy-181_evils_the-wicked-know-that-if-the-ill-they-do_93993.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eac/cormac-mccarthy-181_evils_the-wicked-know-that-if-the-ill-they-do_93993.jpg)

> ““The wicked know that if the ill they do be of sufficient horror that men will not speak against it. That men have just enough stomach for small evils and only these will they oppose.””

[Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/)

## About This Quote

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

People tolerate minor evils because they are less shocking, while horrific acts become socially silenced, revealing a collective moral threshold.

**In simple terms:** We ignore small evils, silence big ones.

Key Takeaway

Societal tolerance skews toward minor wrongs.

Themes

morality social psychology evil courage

Mood

analytical somber

Type

philosophical observational

When to use this quote

- whistleblowing dilemmas
- public reaction to scandals
- media coverage choices

Key Concepts

cognitive dissonance moral fatigue

Practical Applications

- encourage reporting of all harms
- educate on moral consistency

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do we rationalize small harms?
- What makes us speak against great evils?

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[Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/)

> [Of your philosophy you makeno use If you give place to accidental evils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/of-your-philosophy-you-makeno-use-if-you-give-place-to-accidental/)

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Browse all 300 Evils quotes

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