--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I do think there is evil. But it is very…" description: "\"“I do think there is evil. But it is very rare. It is as rare as true goodness. And just as true goodness produces rare saints, true evil produces rare..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/794/david-almond-9241_quote_i-do-think-there-is-evil-but-it-is-very_59646.jpg" --- # I do think there is evil. But it is very rare. It is as… ![“I do think there is evil. But it is very rare. It is as rare as true goodness. And just as true goodness produces rare saints, true evil produces rare monsters. The rest of us are semi-good, semi-bad, and we live our lives in a kind of half-happy, half-sad daze. We might hope that one sunny…” quote by David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/794/david-almond-9241_quote_i-do-think-there-is-evil-but-it-is-very_59646.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/794/david-almond-9241_quote_i-do-think-there-is-evil-but-it-is-very_59646.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/794/david-almond-9241_quote_i-do-think-there-is-evil-but-it-is-very_59646.jpg) > ““I do think there is evil. But it is very rare. It is as rare as true goodness. And just as true goodness produces rare saints, true evil produces rare monsters. The rest of us are semi-good, semi-bad, and we live our lives in a kind of half-happy, half-sad daze. We might hope that one sunny morning we find ourselves in the presence of a saint. And we must pray that we do not encounter the monster.”” [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human nature is mostly a blend of good and bad, with true virtue and true vice being exceptionally rare, creating a world of moral ambiguity. **In simple terms:** Moral ambiguity dominates daily life. Key Takeaway Most people are neither wholly good nor wholly evil. Themes Morality Human nature Duality Virtue Vice Ambiguity Mood Reflective Somber Hopeful Type Philosophical Observational Moral When to use this quote - Everyday decision making - Personal relationships - Societal judgments - Self-assessment - Spiritual contemplation Key Concepts Moral spectrum Ethical relativism Existential reflection Practical Applications - Ethics education - Counseling and therapy Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing moral ambiguity affect our judgments of others? - What practices help cultivate the rare goodness we seek? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Produces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-produces-817872/) [Evil Rare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-rare-817873/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Think Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-evil-289112/) [True evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-evil/) ## Related quotes > [True and baseless evil is as rare as the purest good--and we all know how rare that is...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/true-and-baseless-evil-is-as-rare-as-the-purest-good-and-we-all-know/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [“I don't think of myself as evil, but no can say they've led a perfect life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-mallory/i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-evil-but-no-can-say-they-ve-led-a-perfect/) [H.P. Mallory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-mallory/) > [Make (the reader) think the evil, make him think it for himself, and you are released from weak specifications. My values are positively all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/make-the-reader-think-the-evil-make-him-think-it-for-himself-and-you/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“I have experienced real horror. I have known true evil. Its name is human nature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-newman/i-have-experienced-real-horror-i-have-known-true-evil-its-name-is/) [James Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-newman/) > [Every time I hear someone making ignorant comments about the supposed 'evils' of homosexuality, I think about the true evil of the high suicide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-estrich/every-time-i-hear-someone-making-ignorant-comments-about-the-supposed/) [Susan Estrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-estrich/) > [“It was at that moment precisely that I knew I was staring into the cold eyes of true evil. Evil hiding under the guise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/it-was-at-that-moment-precisely-that-i-knew-i-was-staring-into-the/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [“None of us suffers as much as we should, or loves as much as we say. Love is the first lie; wisdom the last.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djuna-barnes/none-of-us-suffers-as-much-as-we-should-or-loves-as-much-as-we-say/) [Djuna Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djuna-barnes/) > [Be good, be young, be true! Evil is nothing but vanity, let us have the pride of good, and above all let us never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas-fils/be-good-be-young-be-true-evil-is-nothing-but-vanity-let-us-have-the/) [Alexandre Dumas-fils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas-fils/) > [The world understands that our country could solve all conflicts with military solutions, but we won't because we have leaders and we have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/the-world-understands-that-our-country-could-solve-all-conflicts-with/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [True evil in born and raised in a heart that hate embodies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cullen-burbage/true-evil-in-born-and-raised-in-a-heart-that-hate-embodies/) [Cullen Burbage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cullen-burbage/) > [It's obsequious little nicety-nice girls like me who allow assholes to run the world: Miss Harlot O'Harlots, billionaire phony tree huggers, hypocrite drug-snorting, weed-puffing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/it-s-obsequious-little-nicety-nice-girls-like-me-who-allow-assholes/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [You should work extra hard to be your best selves. True evil has a hard time operating in the face of strenuous manifestations of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-ferris/you-should-work-extra-hard-to-be-your-best-selves-true-evil-has-a/) [Jean Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-ferris/) > [“Old age is far more than white hair, wrinkles, the feeling that it is too late and the game is finished, that the stage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-maurois/old-age-is-far-more-than-white-hair-wrinkles-the-feeling-that-it-is/) [Andre Maurois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-maurois/) > [“True evil is always petty and often incompetent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-chilton/true-evil-is-always-petty-and-often-incompetent/) [Claire Chilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-chilton/) > [“To know of the existence of evil, true evil that corrupted the world, had forever altered her heart and mind. If she had chosen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-cremer/to-know-of-the-existence-of-evil-true-evil-that-corrupted-the-world/) [Andrea Cremer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-cremer/) ## More by David Almond > [“Well, well,” she murmurs as I back away. She makes a rectangle with her index fingers and thumbs and looks at my skin through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/well-well-she-murmurs-as-i-back-away-she-makes-a-rectangle-with-her/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [“Sometimes we think we should be able to know everything. But we can’t. We have to allow ourselves to see what there is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/sometimes-we-think-we-should-be-able-to-know-everything-but-we-can-t/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [“A school for the writing of nonsense and the pursuit of extraordinary activities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/a-school-for-the-writing-of-nonsense-and-the-pursuit-of-extraordinary/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [“She points at my chest. “And much more interestingly, what’s that?” “Blood,” I say. She gets her camera out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/she-points-at-my-chest-and-much-more-interestingly-what-s-that-blood/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [And what is wrong with playing with words? Words love to be played with, just like children or kittens do!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/and-what-is-wrong-with-playing-with-words-words-love-to-be-played/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [The best tip for writing is just to write; to sit down and write, to begin doing it and not to be scared by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/the-best-tip-for-writing-is-just-to-write-to-sit-down-and-write-to/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [They say that shoulder blades are where your wings were, when you were an angel," she said. "They say they're where your wings will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/they-say-that-shoulder-blades-are-where-your-wings-were-when-you-were/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [“I love afternoons like that, like when we talk about things like metempsychosis, when we learn so much, and explore so much, and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/i-love-afternoons-like-that-like-when-we-talk-about-things-like/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [I don't want to be little again. But at the same time I do. I want to be me like I was then, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/i-don-t-want-to-be-little-again-but-at-the-same-time-i-do-i-want-to/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [“more 27 and 53,'i said. 'Food of the gods,' he said”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/more-27-and-53-i-said-food-of-the-gods-he-said/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [“I have hair that drifts like seaweed when I swim. I have eyes that shine like rock pools. My ears are like scallop shells.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/i-have-hair-that-drifts-like-seaweed-when-i-swim-i-have-eyes-that/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [Anything seems possible at night when the rest of the world has gone to sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/anything-seems-possible-at-night-when-the-rest-of-the-world-has-gone/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [“We thought a little longer, and in the end we simply called her Joy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/we-thought-a-little-longer-and-in-the-end-we-simply-called-her-joy/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [“I said, 'Do you know what shoulder blades are for?' She giggled. 'Do you not even know that?' she said. 'Do you?' 'It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/i-said-do-you-know-what-shoulder-blades-are-for-she-giggled-do-you/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [The sounds and rhythms of words are really important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/the-sounds-and-rhythms-of-words-are-really-important-to-me/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) [Explore all 74 David Almond quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) ## 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": "“I do think there is evil. But it is very rare. It is as rare as true goodness. And just as true goodness produces rare saints, true evil produces rare monsters. The rest of us are semi-good, semi-bad, and we live our lives in a kind of half-happy, half-sad daze. We might hope that one sunny morning we find ourselves in the presence of a saint. And we must pray that we do not encounter the monster.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Almond" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/i-do-think-there-is-evil-but-it-is-very-rare-it-is-as-rare-as-true/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/i-do-think-there-is-evil-but-it-is-very-rare-it-is-as-rare-as-true/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/794/david-almond-9241_quote_i-do-think-there-is-evil-but-it-is-very_59646.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/794/david-almond-9241_quote_i-do-think-there-is-evil-but-it-is-very_59646.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/794/david-almond-9241_quote_i-do-think-there-is-evil-but-it-is-very_59646.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I do think there is evil. But it is very rare. It is as rare as true goodness. And just as true goodness…” — David Almond", "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": "David Almond", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I do think there is evil....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/i-do-think-there-is-evil-but-it-is-very-rare-it-is-as-rare-as-true/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/i-do-think-there-is-evil-but-it-is-very-rare-it-is-as-rare-as-true/#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 } } ] } ```