Evil Quote by Lawrence Durrell
““The most tender, the most tragic of illusions is perhaps to believe that our actions can add or subtract from the total quantity of good and evil in the world.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Alexandria Quartet, 1957
The quote suggests that believing our deeds affect the balance of good and evil is a tender, tragic illusion.
In simple terms: We think our actions change the world's good‑evil balance.
Key Takeaway
Recognize limits of personal moral impact.
Themes
morality
illusion
humanism
philosophy
existentialism
Mood
melancholic
thoughtful
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal decision making
- activism
- spiritual practice
- ethical debates
- historical analysis
Key Concepts
ethical relativism
cosmic perspective
tragic awareness
Questions to Reflect On
- Do we have moral agency?
- How does this view affect ethical choices?
A Different Perspective
May underestimate collective responsibility.
![“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)
