--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The roots of any evil deed can be traced…" description: "\"The roots of any evil deed can be traced to the perpetrator's refusal to experience pain.\" — Keith Ablow" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/728/keith-ablow-13205_deeds_the-roots-of-any-evil-deed-can-be-traced_2768090.jpg" --- # The roots of any evil deed can be traced to the… ![“The roots of any evil deed can be traced to the perpetrator's refusal to experience pain.” quote by Keith Ablow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/728/keith-ablow-13205_deeds_the-roots-of-any-evil-deed-can-be-traced_2768090.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/728/keith-ablow-13205_deeds_the-roots-of-any-evil-deed-can-be-traced_2768090.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/728/keith-ablow-13205_deeds_the-roots-of-any-evil-deed-can-be-traced_2768090.jpg) > “The roots of any evil deed can be traced to the perpetrator's refusal to experience pain.” [Keith Ablow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ablow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Evil acts stem from a refusal to feel pain, indicating a disconnect from empathy and humanity. **In simple terms:** Ignoring pain leads to evil deeds. Key Takeaway Cultivate empathy to prevent harm. Themes psychology ethics empathy Mood somber analytical Type psychological ethical When to use this quote - counseling - education - law enforcement Key Concepts pain avoidance moral disengagement humanity Questions to Reflect On - Why do people avoid painful emotions? - Can empathy be taught effectively? A Different Perspective Empathy alone may not stop all wrongdoing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeds/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Perpetrator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perpetrator/) [Roots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roots/) ## Related quotes > [There is only one blasphemy, and that is the refusal to experience joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudnick/there-is-only-one-blasphemy-and-that-is-the-refusal-to-experience-joy/) [Paul Rudnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudnick/) > [In order to escape accountability for his crimes, the perpetrator does everything in his power to promote forgetting. 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Secrecy and silence are the perpetrator’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-lewis-herman/in-order-to-escape-accountability-for-his-crimes-the-perpetrator-does/) [Judith Lewis Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-lewis-herman/) > [When you're the victim of the behavior, it's black and white; when you're the perpetrator, there are a million shades of gray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/when-you-re-the-victim-of-the-behavior-it-s-black-and-white-when-you/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [“Treating Abuse Today (Tat), 3(4), pp. 26-33 Freyd: I see what you're saying but people in psychology don't have a uniform agreement on this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-l-calof/treating-abuse-today-tat-3-4-pp-26-33-freyd-i-see-what-you-re-saying/) [David L. 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David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-a-david/) > [We cannot lightly allow the perpetrator of a serious crime to go free simply because that person believed his actions were reasonable and necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-wachtler/we-cannot-lightly-allow-the-perpetrator-of-a-serious-crime-to-go-free/) [Sol Wachtler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-wachtler/) > [“They say the best laid plans often go a lie, Because no matter how detailed the preparation, A plan will always have a weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thorne/they-say-the-best-laid-plans-often-go-a-lie-because-no-matter-how/) [Emily Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thorne/) > [“In situations of captivity the perpetrator becomes the most powerful person in the life of the victim, and the psychology of the victim is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-lewis-herman/in-situations-of-captivity-the-perpetrator-becomes-the-most-powerful/) [Judith Lewis Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-lewis-herman/) > [“We figure he must have let him out. The perpetrator, I mean. He's blind and we figure he just wandered off and maybe got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/we-figure-he-must-have-let-him-out-the-perpetrator-i-mean-he-s-blind/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“There is no born evil, only a corruptible canvas darkened by a formidable perpetrator.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yefon-isabelle/there-is-no-born-evil-only-a-corruptible-canvas-darkened-by-a/) [Yefon Isabelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yefon-isabelle/) ## More by Keith Ablow > [“Nothing overdone, nothing racy, which made her all the more alluring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ablow/nothing-overdone-nothing-racy-which-made-her-all-the-more-alluring/) [Keith Ablow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ablow/) > [What was it about not knowing a person that allowed you to wonder whether she might be the answer to all your problems?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ablow/what-was-it-about-not-knowing-a-person-that-allowed-you-to-wonder/) [Keith Ablow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ablow/) > [God is not attracted to mountaintops or church steeples. 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(156)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ablow/maybe-learning-to-be-human-was-about-learning-to-live-in-pain-not/) [Keith Ablow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ablow/) > [For a psychiatrist to be any good, he has to be willing to corner you, close off the easy exits, even when it hurts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ablow/for-a-psychiatrist-to-be-any-good-he-has-to-be-willing-to-corner-you/) [Keith Ablow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ablow/) > [Most children would rather preserve the fantasy of a loving connection with their fathers and mothers, at all costs, even if it costs them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ablow/most-children-would-rather-preserve-the-fantasy-of-a-loving/) [Keith Ablow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ablow/) [Explore all 51 Keith Ablow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ablow/) ## More Deeds quotes > [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/) > [When Allah puts barakah (His blessings) in something, it will come beyond your expectations- never underestimate the power of one good deed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouman-ali-khan/when-allah-puts-barakah-his-blessings-in-something-it-will-come/) [Nouman Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouman-ali-khan/) > [Time often serves to justify a deed which seems at first unjustifiable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-p-ryan/time-often-serves-to-justify-a-deed-which-seems-at-first-unjustifiable/) Donald P. Ryan > [When deeds speak, words are nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/when-deeds-speak-words-are-nothing/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [Somehow, what's in our hearts, good or bad is eventually translated into words and deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/somehow-what-s-in-our-hearts-good-or-bad-is-eventually-translated/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [Honest people don't hide their deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/honest-people-don-t-hide-their-deeds/) [Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [Mechanical instruments, potentially a vehicle of rational human purposes, are scarcely a blessing when they enable the gossip of the village idiot and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/mechanical-instruments-potentially-a-vehicle-of-rational-human/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [Tis e'er the wont of simple folk to prize the deed and o'erlook the motive, and of learned folk to discount the deed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barth/tis-e-er-the-wont-of-simple-folk-to-prize-the-deed-and-o-erlook-the/) [John Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barth/) > [How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds makes ill deeds done!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/how-oft-the-sight-of-means-to-do-ill-deeds-makes-ill-deeds-done/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A nation of character is filled with citizens who gradually build lives based on the living awareness that their deeds are judged by eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-keyes/a-nation-of-character-is-filled-with-citizens-who-gradually-build/) [Alan Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-keyes/) > [Time, which wears down and diminishes all things, augments and increases good deeds, because a good turn liberally offered to a reasonable man grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/time-which-wears-down-and-diminishes-all-things-augments-and/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Alas, you don't need monsters for monstrous deeds to be accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/alas-you-don-t-need-monsters-for-monstrous-deeds-to-be-accomplished/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [I rejoice that the reign of Christ is such, while it thrills the soul with emotions, and opens before the highest intellect the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-simpson/i-rejoice-that-the-reign-of-christ-is-such-while-it-thrills-the-soul/) [Matthew Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-simpson/) > [The final estimate of men shows that history cares not an iota for the rank or title a man has borne, or the office…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-oswald-sanders/the-final-estimate-of-men-shows-that-history-cares-not-an-iota-for/) [J. Oswald Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-oswald-sanders/) > [The World's a Printing-House, our words, our thoughts, Our deeds, are characters of several sizes. Each soul is a Compos'tor, of whose faults The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-world-s-a-printing-house-our-words-our-thoughts-our-deeds-are/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) [Browse all 2,029 Deeds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The roots of any evil deed can be traced to the perpetrator's refusal to experience pain.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Keith Ablow" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ablow/the-roots-of-any-evil-deed-can-be-traced-to-the-perpetrator-s-refusal/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Deeds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ablow/the-roots-of-any-evil-deed-can-be-traced-to-the-perpetrator-s-refusal/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/728/keith-ablow-13205_deeds_the-roots-of-any-evil-deed-can-be-traced_2768090.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/728/keith-ablow-13205_deeds_the-roots-of-any-evil-deed-can-be-traced_2768090.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/728/keith-ablow-13205_deeds_the-roots-of-any-evil-deed-can-be-traced_2768090.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The roots of any evil deed can be traced to the perpetrator's refusal to experience pain.” — Keith Ablow", "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": "Keith Ablow", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ablow/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The roots of any evil deed...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ablow/the-roots-of-any-evil-deed-can-be-traced-to-the-perpetrator-s-refusal/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ablow/the-roots-of-any-evil-deed-can-be-traced-to-the-perpetrator-s-refusal/#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 } } ] } ```