--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What evil does first in the world, maybe…" description: "\"What evil does first in the world, maybe, is distract us from our pursuit of goodness.\" — George Saunders" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/george-saunders-317_distract_what-evil-does-first-in-the-world-maybe_2760056.jpg" --- # What evil does first in the world, maybe, is distract us… ![“What evil does first in the world, maybe, is distract us from our pursuit of goodness.” quote by George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/george-saunders-317_distract_what-evil-does-first-in-the-world-maybe_2760056.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/george-saunders-317_distract_what-evil-does-first-in-the-world-maybe_2760056.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/george-saunders-317_distract_what-evil-does-first-in-the-world-maybe_2760056.jpg) > “What evil does first in the world, maybe, is distract us from our pursuit of goodness.” [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests that early evil distracts humanity from pursuing goodness, implying a moral diversion. **In simple terms:** Evil distracts from goodness. Key Takeaway Stay focused on goodness. Themes evil distraction morality human nature Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - politics - media - personal decisions Key Concepts philosophy ethics Questions to Reflect On - What distractions hinder moral progress? - How can we refocus? A Different Perspective May be too cynical. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Distract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distract/) [Distract Pursuit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distract-pursuit-3163536/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-does/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Maybe Distract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe-distract-3163535/) [Pursuit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Maybe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-maybe-881569/) ## Related quotes > [“Now, he was free to go forth and make a name for himself in the wide, wide world. And maybe, just maybe, he'd come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/now-he-was-free-to-go-forth-and-make-a-name-for-himself-in-the-wide/) [E. 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(Or maybe that is how they live in the world.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/honestly-adults-how-do-they-live-in-the-world-or-maybe-that-is-how/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [Change the world is maybe Obama's job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/change-the-world-is-maybe-obama-s-job/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [When we all start to wake up and realize that our comforts are fleeting, and more money is never going to save this world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-jauregui/when-we-all-start-to-wake-up-and-realize-that-our-comforts-are/) [Lauren Jauregui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-jauregui/) > [Anytime you go digging around on the internet and into your world, maybe you don't want to find out where your name pops up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-buck/anytime-you-go-digging-around-on-the-internet-and-into-your-world/) [Joe Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-buck/) ## More by George Saunders > [Success is like a mountain in front of you that keeps growing. If you're not careful, it will take up your whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/success-is-like-a-mountain-in-front-of-you-that-keeps-growing-if-you/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“Wow wow wow is all I can say! Remember how I always buy lunchtime Scratch-Off ticket? Have I said? Maybe did not say? Well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/wow-wow-wow-is-all-i-can-say-remember-how-i-always-buy-lunchtime/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“None of it was real; nothing was real. Everything was real; inconceivably real, infinitely dear. 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Think about Frank Sinatra, he says: born to sing. Think about Willie Mays: born to play ball.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/a-clinton-staffer-tells-me-his-theory-think-about-frank-sinatra-he/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [We try, we fail, we posture, we aspire, we pontificate - and then we age, shrink, die, and vanish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-try-we-fail-we-posture-we-aspire-we-pontificate-and-then-we-age/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“You were torturing a cat," she says. "With a freaking prod." "A prod I built myself in metal shop," he says. 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