--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No matter how hard Evil tries, it can…" description: "\"“No matter how hard Evil tries, it can never quite match up to the power of Good, because Evil is ultimately self-destructive. Evil may set out to corr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/785/john-connolly-1479_corrupt_no-matter-how-hard-evil-tries-it-can-nev_2681530.jpg" --- # No matter how hard Evil tries, it can never quite match up… ![“No matter how hard Evil tries, it can never quite match up to the power of Good, because Evil is ultimately self-destructive. Evil may set out to corrupt others, but in the process corrupts itself.” quote by John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/785/john-connolly-1479_corrupt_no-matter-how-hard-evil-tries-it-can-nev_2681530.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/785/john-connolly-1479_corrupt_no-matter-how-hard-evil-tries-it-can-nev_2681530.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/785/john-connolly-1479_corrupt_no-matter-how-hard-evil-tries-it-can-nev_2681530.jpg) > ““No matter how hard Evil tries, it can never quite match up to the power of Good, because Evil is ultimately self-destructive. Evil may set out to corrupt others, but in the process corrupts itself.”” [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Evil’s self‑destruction prevents it from matching Good’s power; corruption harms the corruptor. **In simple terms:** Evil destroys itself, Good endures. Key Takeaway Choose Good over Evil. Themes ethics philosophy good vs evil Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - fiction - philosophical novel - fantasy Key Concepts self‑destruction moral choice spiritual resilience Questions to Reflect On - What actions embody Good in your life? - How can you resist self‑destructive tendencies? A Different Perspective Evil’s power can be deceptive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Corrupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corrupt/) [Corruption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corruption/) [Destructive Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destructive-evil-272246/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Tries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-tries-2584125/) [Evil Ultimately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-ultimately-647517/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good and evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-and-evil/) [Good evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-evil/) [Good vs evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-vs-evil/) [Hard Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-evil-775632/) [Triumph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/triumph/) ## Related quotes > [If 'everything happens for a reason,' then every act of evil is ultimately God's doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/if-everything-happens-for-a-reason-then-every-act-of-evil-is/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) > [“Those who apparently do evil do it ultimately out of love, even if their actions are misguided for the moment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepherd-hoodwin/those-who-apparently-do-evil-do-it-ultimately-out-of-love-even-if/) [Shepherd Hoodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepherd-hoodwin/) > [Man is the being who is involuntarily and voluntarily busy with himself and his surroundings, between two broadcasting stations of good and evil, until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-atta-ullah-faizani/man-is-the-being-who-is-involuntarily-and-voluntarily-busy-with/) [Muhammad Atta-ullah Faizani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-atta-ullah-faizani/) > [Evil isn’t the real threat to the world. Stupid is just as destructive as Evil, maybe more so, and it’s a hell of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/evil-isn-t-the-real-threat-to-the-world-stupid-is-just-as-destructive/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [The glory of God is as destructive of evil as it is creative of good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-lake/the-glory-of-god-is-as-destructive-of-evil-as-it-is-creative-of-good/) [John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/) > [The Spirit of God is as destructive of evil as it is creative of good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-lake/the-spirit-of-god-is-as-destructive-of-evil-as-it-is-creative-of-good/) [John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/) > [All authority of any kind, especially in the field of thought and understanding, is the most destructive, evil thing. Leaders destroy the followers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/all-authority-of-any-kind-especially-in-the-field-of-thought-and/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [It isn’t hard to find evil in this world. Evil is always more easily imagined than good, somehow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/it-isn-t-hard-to-find-evil-in-this-world-evil-is-always-more-easily/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“It's hard to find evil in this world,' said the Witch. Evil is always more easily imagined than good, somehow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/it-s-hard-to-find-evil-in-this-world-said-the-witch-evil-is-always/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“Hard to see the evil of a system that's treated you well all your life. Harder still to stand up to it, once you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moira-j-moore/hard-to-see-the-evil-of-a-system-that-s-treated-you-well-all-your/) [Moira J. Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moira-j-moore/) > [All good is hard. All evil is easy. Dying, losing, cheating, and mediocrity is easy. Stay away from easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-alexander/all-good-is-hard-all-evil-is-easy-dying-losing-cheating-and/) [Scott Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-alexander/) > [It is very hard for evil to take hold of the unconsenting soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/it-is-very-hard-for-evil-to-take-hold-of-the-unconsenting-soul/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“All good is hard. All evil is easy. Dying, losing, cheating, and mediocrity are easy. Stay away from easy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-alexander/all-good-is-hard-all-evil-is-easy-dying-losing-cheating-and-2/) [Scott Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-alexander/) > [“If there is anything worse than evil, it is nothingness. At least evil has a form, and a voice, and a purpose, however depraved.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/if-there-is-anything-worse-than-evil-it-is-nothingness-at-least-evil/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“Socrates taught that No evil could come To a good man. How does that help me?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-rhys/socrates-taught-that-no-evil-could-come-to-a-good-man-how-does-that/) [Evan Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-rhys/) ## More by John Connolly > [There is sometimes a feeling in crime fiction that good writing gets in the way of story. I have never felt that way. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/there-is-sometimes-a-feeling-in-crime-fiction-that-good-writing-gets/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [He had quite liked the dwarfs. He often had no idea what they were talking about, but for a group of homicidal, class-obsessed small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/he-had-quite-liked-the-dwarfs-he-often-had-no-idea-what-they-were/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [I'm a ghost," said the small figure, then added, a little uncertainly, "Boo?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/i-m-a-ghost-said-the-small-figure-then-added-a-little-uncertainly-boo/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“There is a price to be paid for everything, and it is a good idea to find out that price before you make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/there-is-a-price-to-be-paid-for-everything-and-it-is-a-good-idea-to/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“She was a round, curvy woman who, for Parker, brought to mind a figure assembled from a selection of soft fruits. Aside”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/she-was-a-round-curvy-woman-who-for-parker-brought-to-mind-a-figure/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“Prepare for the worst and you won’t be disappointed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/prepare-for-the-worst-and-you-won-t-be-disappointed/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“When Louis relaxed, it was an indication that a threat was at hand and he was preparing to act, as when an archer releases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/when-louis-relaxed-it-was-an-indication-that-a-threat-was-at-hand-and/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“The presence in the living room called to her, summoning her in a hundred voices and none, a great dissonant harmony alien yet familiar,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/the-presence-in-the-living-room-called-to-her-summoning-her-in-a/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“Warraner would rather have been the king of nothing than the prince of something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/warraner-would-rather-have-been-the-king-of-nothing-than-the-prince/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“had been like wandering into the wrong carnival sideshow, the kind that left one feeling sick and slightly soiled.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/had-been-like-wandering-into-the-wrong-carnival-sideshow-the-kind/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“think you just like tethering goats.” “Well, be sure to tell me when your rope begins”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/think-you-just-like-tethering-goats-well-be-sure-to-tell-me-when-your/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“David could tell, by looking at her face as she read, whether or not the story contained in the book was living inside her,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/david-could-tell-by-looking-at-her-face-as-she-read-whether-or-not/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“Before she came ill, David's mother would often tell him that stories were alive. They weren't alive in the way that people were alive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/before-she-came-ill-david-s-mother-would-often-tell-him-that-stories/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“Stories wanted to be read, David's mother would whisper. They needed it. It was the reason they forced themselves from their world into ours.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/stories-wanted-to-be-read-david-s-mother-would-whisper-they-needed-it/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [She was plump, with dyed red hair and a face so caked with cosmetics that the floor of the Amazon jungle probably saw more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/she-was-plump-with-dyed-red-hair-and-a-face-so-caked-with-cosmetics/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) [Explore all 232 John Connolly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) ## More Corrupt quotes > [“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-emerich-edward-dalberg-acton/power-tends-to-corrupt-and-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely-great/) [John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-emerich-edward-dalberg-acton/) > [The Democrats and the Republicans are equally corrupt where money is concerned. It's only in the amount where the Republicans excel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/the-democrats-and-the-republicans-are-equally-corrupt-where-money-is/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Chicago is unique. It is the only completely corrupt city in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-edward-merriam/chicago-is-unique-it-is-the-only-completely-corrupt-city-in-america/) [Charles Edward Merriam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-edward-merriam/) > [Chicago's been under the grip of the corrupt and broken political machine for as long as everybody's memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/chicago-s-been-under-the-grip-of-the-corrupt-and-broken-political/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [What astonishes many of us is not so much that human nature is fundamentally corrupt; we are astonished rather that it does not behave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-irving-seiden/what-astonishes-many-of-us-is-not-so-much-that-human-nature-is/) [Morton Irving Seiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-irving-seiden/) > [The problem is that when you grow absolutely certain that all authorities are corrupt, then that would include the Palestinian authorities as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-suleiman/the-problem-is-that-when-you-grow-absolutely-certain-that-all/) [Elia Suleiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-suleiman/) > [Corruption hates what is not corrupt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-park/corruption-hates-what-is-not-corrupt/) [Paul Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-park/) > [The Islamist camp is infused with a righteous indignation, as the forces of old, corrupt and rotten Egypt unite to try and drive them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/the-islamist-camp-is-infused-with-a-righteous-indignation-as-the/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [I have so many positive points. I am not corrupt, I am competent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamilisai-soundararajan/i-have-so-many-positive-points-i-am-not-corrupt-i-am-competent/) [Tamilisai Soundararajan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamilisai-soundararajan/) > [“It’s so easy to lose faith and become lost in all of the politics of the world. That’s why we need the arts. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/it-s-so-easy-to-lose-faith-and-become-lost-in-all-of-the-politics-of/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“Interacting with a corrupt government judge is futile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/interacting-with-a-corrupt-government-judge-is-futile/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-ugly-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-corrupt-without/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [If the Russians masterminded fraud for 40 years at the highest state level in sports, operating behind the scenes to corrupt sports, what else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-fogel/if-the-russians-masterminded-fraud-for-40-years-at-the-highest-state/) [Bryan Fogel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-fogel/) > [Burn a Bush cause for peace he no push no button. Killing over oil and grease, no weapons of destruction, How can we follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/burn-a-bush-cause-for-peace-he-no-push-no-button-killing-over-oil-and/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [ I think everybody is covering their \[posteriors\] with the Enron scandal and it was very convenient that Sept. 11 came along to deflect the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bernhard/i-think-everybody-is-covering-their-posteriors-with-the-enron-scandal/) [Sandra Bernhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bernhard/) [Browse all 602 Corrupt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corrupt/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“No matter how hard Evil tries, it can never quite match up to the power of Good, because Evil is ultimately self-destructive. 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