--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is evil?' you ask. To which I reply…" description: "\"“What is evil?' you ask. To which I reply, 'Who are you, Friedrich Nietzsche?' To which you respond, 'Duh, wha? Me no understand.' Then I put you back ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/josh-lieb-19178_evil_what-is-evil-you-ask-to-which-i-reply-wh_723676.jpg" --- # What is evil?' you ask. To which I reply, 'Who are you… ![“What is evil?' you ask. To which I reply, 'Who are you, Friedrich Nietzsche?' To which you respond, 'Duh, wha? Me no understand.' Then I put you back in your cage.” quote by Josh Lieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/josh-lieb-19178_evil_what-is-evil-you-ask-to-which-i-reply-wh_723676.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/josh-lieb-19178_evil_what-is-evil-you-ask-to-which-i-reply-wh_723676.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/josh-lieb-19178_evil_what-is-evil-you-ask-to-which-i-reply-wh_723676.jpg) > ““What is evil?' you ask. To which I reply, 'Who are you, Friedrich Nietzsche?' To which you respond, 'Duh, wha? Me no understand.' Then I put you back in your cage.”” [Josh Lieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lieb/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A comedic dialogue mocks philosophical inquiry, suggesting that questioning evil leads to absurd, self‑referential replies. **In simple terms:** Humorous take on philosophical questioning. Key Takeaway Don’t overcomplicate simple doubts. Themes humor philosophy absurdity Mood playful ironic Type satire dialogue When to use this quote - debates - education - online forums Key Concepts existentialism dialogue Questions to Reflect On - What does this reveal about our approach to evil? - How can humor aid understanding? A Different Perspective Humor may downplay serious issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-ask-2528018/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friedrich-nietzsche/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nietzsche/) [Nietzsche Respond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nietzsche-respond-5682967/) ## Related quotes > [“The phrase “slow reading” goes back at least as far as the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who in 1887 described himself as a “teacher of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-phrase-slow-reading-goes-back-at-least-as-far-as-the-philosopher/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Zanimljivo je i to da sano dvije stvari u današnjem svijetu izazivaju histerične reakcije: jedna je Bog, druga Država. 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Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [“I stumbled upon Friedrich Nietzsche when I was 17, following the usual trail of existential candies—Camus, Sartre, Beckett—that unsuspecting teenagers find in the woods.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kamiya/i-stumbled-upon-friedrich-nietzsche-when-i-was-17-following-the-usual/) [Gary Kamiya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kamiya/) > [“The need to live by secure, sharply etched classifications is buried deep in the human mind and one of its earliest demands; simplicity allays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gay/the-need-to-live-by-secure-sharply-etched-classifications-is-buried/) [Peter Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gay/) > [Friedrich Nietzsche predicted that secular people, losing touch with transcendence, would eventually lose a reference point from which to look down and judge themselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/friedrich-nietzsche-predicted-that-secular-people-losing-touch-with/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [“Undeserved praise causes more pangs of conscience later than undeserved blame, but probably only for this reason, that our power of judgment are more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-bronson-alcott/undeserved-praise-causes-more-pangs-of-conscience-later-than-2/) [Amos Bronson Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-bronson-alcott/) > [“You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kavadlo/you-have-your-way-i-have-my-way-as-for-the-right-way-the-correct-way/) [Al Kavadlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kavadlo/) > [“To my surprise, I find the most relevant commentary on a marriage that continues into the sunset years comes from the radical German philosopher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-klein/to-my-surprise-i-find-the-most-relevant-commentary-on-a-marriage-that/) [Daniel Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-klein/) > [“Friedrich Nietzsche called the aristocratic predators who write society’s laws “the splendid blond beast” precisely because they so often behave as though they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-simpson/friedrich-nietzsche-called-the-aristocratic-predators-who-write/) [Christopher Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-simpson/) > [ \[Friedrich\] Nietzsche said something marvellous, he said "Madness is not a consequence of uncertainty but of certainty", and this is fanaticism. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/friedrich-nietzsche-said-something-marvellous-he-said-madness-is-not/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Both of us, me and Friedrich Nietzsche being writers, if we weren't capable of some strategic self-deception, we would have moved on to more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clancy-martin/both-of-us-me-and-friedrich-nietzsche-being-writers-if-we-weren-t/) [Clancy Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clancy-martin/) ## More by Josh Lieb > [I keep my TV writing and my book writing almost wholly separate. The audiences feel so different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lieb/i-keep-my-tv-writing-and-my-book-writing-almost-wholly-separate-the/) [Josh Lieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lieb/) > [The more you write, the faster you'll write, and the less you'll mind throwing stuff out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lieb/the-more-you-write-the-faster-you-ll-write-and-the-less-you-ll-mind/) [Josh Lieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lieb/) > [“Boys are idiots. Girls are idiots, too, of course, but boys are a special kind of idiot. A girl, for instance, will vote for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lieb/boys-are-idiots-girls-are-idiots-too-of-course-but-boys-are-a-special/) [Josh Lieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lieb/) > [It doesn't pay to be good at something unless you are the absolute best at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lieb/it-doesn-t-pay-to-be-good-at-something-unless-you-are-the-absolute/) [Josh Lieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lieb/) > [Fahrenheit 451 is one of those books that is about how amazing books are and how amazing the people who write books are. Writers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lieb/fahrenheit-451-is-one-of-those-books-that-is-about-how-amazing-books/) [Josh Lieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lieb/) > [Gratitude can sometimes be as annoying as whininess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lieb/gratitude-can-sometimes-be-as-annoying-as-whininess/) [Josh Lieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lieb/) > [“Sunrises and sunsets are real jerks about putting things in perspective.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lieb/sunrises-and-sunsets-are-real-jerks-about-putting-things-in/) [Josh Lieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lieb/) > [“Moorehead is one of those sad people who go into teaching so they can be worshipped by the only people sadder than they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lieb/moorehead-is-one-of-those-sad-people-who-go-into-teaching-so-they-can/) [Josh Lieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lieb/) > [“According to the fortune-cookie logic most people live by, the best things in life are free. That's crap. I have a gold-plated robot that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lieb/according-to-the-fortune-cookie-logic-most-people-live-by-the-best/) [Josh Lieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lieb/) > [I read an awful lot in college - a lot of Dickens, a lot of 19th century American stuff, a lot of old mysteries.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lieb/i-read-an-awful-lot-in-college-a-lot-of-dickens-a-lot-of-19th-century/) [Josh Lieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lieb/) > [Important days don't look like anything special when they start. Invariably, the sun rises and people wake up. Coffee is swilled and eggs are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lieb/important-days-don-t-look-like-anything-special-when-they-start/) [Josh Lieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lieb/) > [If you want to do this - either write for TV, or write books - the first thing you have to do is write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lieb/if-you-want-to-do-this-either-write-for-tv-or-write-books-the-first/) [Josh Lieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lieb/) > [You have to know writing styles well before you can copy them - and then incorporate parts of them into your own style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lieb/you-have-to-know-writing-styles-well-before-you-can-copy-them-and/) [Josh Lieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lieb/) > [I have to start writing down things that happen, or I'll forget my life entirely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lieb/i-have-to-start-writing-down-things-that-happen-or-i-ll-forget-my/) [Josh Lieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lieb/) > [“and sunsets are real jerks about putting things in perspective.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lieb/and-sunsets-are-real-jerks-about-putting-things-in-perspective/) [Josh Lieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lieb/) [Explore all 33 Josh Lieb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lieb/) ## 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": "“What is evil?' you ask. To which I reply, 'Who are you, Friedrich Nietzsche?' To which you respond, 'Duh, wha? Me no understand.' 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