--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It has always been easier to believe…" description: "\"“It has always been easier to believe himself capable of evil than to accept evil in others.”\" — Judith Guest" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/judith-guest-13027_evil_it-has-always-been-easier-to-believe-him_627826.png" --- # It has always been easier to believe himself capable of… ![“It has always been easier to believe himself capable of evil than to accept evil in others.” quote by Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/judith-guest-13027_evil_it-has-always-been-easier-to-believe-him_627826.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/judith-guest-13027_evil_it-has-always-been-easier-to-believe-him_627826.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/judith-guest-13027_evil_it-has-always-been-easier-to-believe-him_627826.png) > ““It has always been easier to believe himself capable of evil than to accept evil in others.”” [Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People find it easier to label others as evil than to see the capacity for wrongdoing within themselves, revealing a bias toward externalizing blame. **In simple terms:** We blame others for evil instead of seeing it in ourselves. Key Takeaway Reflect on personal responsibility for harmful thoughts. Themes psychology morality self-awareness Mood introspective thoughtful Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - personal relationships - conflict resolution - leadership - justice - counseling Key Concepts projection cognitive bias ethical introspection Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize your own capacity for harm? - What steps can you take to own your actions? A Different Perspective It may overlook systemic factors that influence behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) ## Related quotes > [“Impotence in prayer leads us, however unwillingly, to strike a truce with evil. When you accept what is, you abandon a Christian view of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-macarthur/impotence-in-prayer-leads-us-however-unwillingly-to-strike-a-truce/) [John F. MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-macarthur/) > [“Life, at all times full of pain, is more painful in our time than in the two centuries that preceded it. The attempt to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/life-at-all-times-full-of-pain-is-more-painful-in-our-time-than-in/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [You either fight active evil or you accept it. Doing nothing is acceptance. There is no in-between.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/you-either-fight-active-evil-or-you-accept-it-doing-nothing-is/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [“Humans were always more capable of evil than you could imagine. And they were also capable of more wonderment than you could ever fathom.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-o-neill/humans-were-always-more-capable-of-evil-than-you-could-imagine-and/) [Heather O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-o-neill/) > [In my head, men and women are equally capable of evil. So are all communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richa-chadha/in-my-head-men-and-women-are-equally-capable-of-evil-so-are-all/) [Richa Chadha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richa-chadha/) > [“As far as evil goes”—she shrugged one shoulder—“I’ve spent a dozen years studying the subject and there’s one thing I know for sure.” Her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-webb/as-far-as-evil-goes-she-shrugged-one-shoulder-i-ve-spent-a-dozen/) [Debra Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-webb/) > [I know there’s evil in the world, and there always has been. But you don’t need to believe in Satan or demons to explain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/i-know-there-s-evil-in-the-world-and-there-always-has-been-but-you/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [You want to kill me, don't you? And here I thought you and your friends were so righteous. You are just as capable of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-want-to-kill-me-don-t-you-and-here-i-thought-you-and-your-friends/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The only way to accept evil in the world, is first to accept evil in yourself”.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandar-tomov/the-only-way-to-accept-evil-in-the-world-is-first-to-accept-evil-in/) [Alexandar Tomov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandar-tomov/) > [Down there - he said - are people who will follow any dragon, worship any god, ignore any inequity. All out of a kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/down-there-he-said-are-people-who-will-follow-any-dragon-worship-any/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Work and struggle and never accept an evil that you can change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/work-and-struggle-and-never-accept-an-evil-that-you-can-change/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [Never accept evil as something you must walk with, something you deserve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/never-accept-evil-as-something-you-must-walk-with-something-you/) [Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/) > [“Walk openly, Marian used to say. Love even the threat and the pain, feel yourself fully alive, cast a bold shadow, accept, accept. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/walk-openly-marian-used-to-say-love-even-the-threat-and-the-pain-feel/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [People cannot accept their own evil if they do not at the same time feel loved, respected and trusted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/people-cannot-accept-their-own-evil-if-they-do-not-at-the-same-time/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [“I do not accept evil. Man is perfect. The soul does not fall. Progress exists. . . . Up till now, misfortune has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/comte-de-lautr-amont/i-do-not-accept-evil-man-is-perfect-the-soul-does-not-fall-progress/) [Comte de Lautréamont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/comte-de-lautr-amont/) ## More by Judith Guest > [For me being depressed means you can spend all day in bed, and still not get a good night's rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/for-me-being-depressed-means-you-can-spend-all-day-in-bed-and-still/) [Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) > [I am also working on a couple of short stories for anthologies. This is new to me and Im enjoying it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/i-am-also-working-on-a-couple-of-short-stories-for-anthologies-this/) [Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) > [With my friends, I don't feel pressure to be someone other than who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/with-my-friends-i-don-t-feel-pressure-to-be-someone-other-than-who-i/) [Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) > [“I keep telling you that feeling is not selective. You can't feel pain, you aren't gonna feel anything else either.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/i-keep-telling-you-that-feeling-is-not-selective-you-can-t-feel-pain/) [Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) > [Jesus but people got weird when they lived alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/jesus-but-people-got-weird-when-they-lived-alone/) [Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) > [And if you ever do a survey, you'll find that people prefer illusion to reality, ten to one. Twenty, even.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/and-if-you-ever-do-a-survey-you-ll-find-that-people-prefer-illusion/) [Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) > [Make notes—I’ve lost more material than I’ve ever written. Contrary to popular opinion, it’s not still up there in one’s brain. It’s in outer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/make-notes-i-ve-lost-more-material-than-i-ve-ever-written-contrary-to/) [Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) > [Two separate, distinct personalities, not separate at all, but inextricably bound, soul and body and mind, to each other, how did we get so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/two-separate-distinct-personalities-not-separate-at-all-but/) [Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) > [I can write for a long time on one novel and not get tired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/i-can-write-for-a-long-time-on-one-novel-and-not-get-tired/) [Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) > [Haven't lost your sense of humor after all but your sense of identity is what seems to have been misplaced. No. Wrong. You don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/haven-t-lost-your-sense-of-humor-after-all-but-your-sense-of-identity/) [Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) > [“Everything seems excessive, now, and too intense, too important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/everything-seems-excessive-now-and-too-intense-too-important/) [Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) > [You have to live your life according to what comforts you, not what the rest of your family thinks you ought to be doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/you-have-to-live-your-life-according-to-what-comforts-you-not-what/) [Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) > [I'm glad I'm successful at it, because it's allowed me to live very well financially, and give my kids a lot of things. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/i-m-glad-i-m-successful-at-it-because-it-s-allowed-me-to-live-very/) [Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) > [... the monotonous beauty of wealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/the-monotonous-beauty-of-wealth/) [Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) > [Feeling is not selective, I keep telling you that. You can’t feel pain, you aren’t gonna feel anything else, either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/feeling-is-not-selective-i-keep-telling-you-that-you-can-t-feel-pain/) [Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) [Explore all 52 Judith Guest quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) ## 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 > [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": "“It has always been easier to believe himself capable of evil than to accept evil in others.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Judith Guest" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/it-has-always-been-easier-to-believe-himself-capable-of-evil-than-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/it-has-always-been-easier-to-believe-himself-capable-of-evil-than-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/judith-guest-13027_evil_it-has-always-been-easier-to-believe-him_627826.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/judith-guest-13027_evil_it-has-always-been-easier-to-believe-him_627826.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/judith-guest-13027_evil_it-has-always-been-easier-to-believe-him_627826.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It has always been easier to believe himself capable of evil than to accept evil in others.” — Judith Guest", "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": "Judith Guest", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It has always been easier to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/it-has-always-been-easier-to-believe-himself-capable-of-evil-than-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/it-has-always-been-easier-to-believe-himself-capable-of-evil-than-to/#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 } } ] } ```