Evil Quote by John Connolly
““If there is anything worse than evil, it is nothingness. At least evil has a form, and a voice, and a purpose, however depraved. Perhaps some good can even come out of evil: a terrible deed of violence against someone weaker may lead others to act in order to ensure that such a deed is not perpetrated again, whereas before they might have been unaware of the reasons why an individual might behave in such a way, or they might simply have chosen to ignore them. And evil, as we saw with the Blacksmith, always contains within itself the possibility of its own redemption. It is not evil that is the enemy of hope: it is nothingness.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Blacksmith, 2015
Evil is seen as a concrete, purposeful force, while nothingness is a void lacking form, voice, or purpose, making it a deeper threat to hope.
In simple terms: Nothingness is scarier than evil because it offers no purpose.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and confront emptiness.
Themes
hope
existentialism
morality
Mood
somber
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- mental health
- grief counseling
- philosophical debate
- creative writing
Key Concepts
nihilism
redemptive potential
human purpose
Questions to Reflect On
- What gives your life meaning when faced with emptiness?
- Can confronting evil reveal hidden purposes?
A Different Perspective
Nothingness can be abstract and hard to address directly.
![“Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to [be] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is in play. Society has no obligation to try to rehabilitate evil.” quote by Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b89/bill-o-reilly-1019_destroyed_evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be_3597.jpg)
