---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What great malice there could be in…"
description: "\"“What great malice there could be in allowing something to live.”\" — Markus Zusak"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c6/markus-zusak-165_allowing_what-great-malice-there-could-be-in-allo_2016004.png"
---

#  What great malice there could be in allowing something to…

![“What great malice there could be in allowing something to live.” quote by Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c6/markus-zusak-165_allowing_what-great-malice-there-could-be-in-allo_2016004.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c6/markus-zusak-165_allowing_what-great-malice-there-could-be-in-allo_2016004.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c6/markus-zusak-165_allowing_what-great-malice-there-could-be-in-allo_2016004.png)

> ““What great malice there could be in allowing something to live.””

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Malice can arise from allowing harmful things to persist.

**In simple terms:** Allowing harm breeds spite.

Key Takeaway

Do not let harmful things survive.

Themes

ethics malice responsibility

Mood

cautionary thought‑provoking

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- politics
- relationships
- environmental issues
- media consumption

Key Concepts

moral philosophy psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- What do you tolerate that could be harmful?
- How can you act against subtle threats?

A Different Perspective

Complex motives may underlie perceived malice.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Malice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/malice/)

## Related quotes

> [One doesn’t have to operate with great malice to do great harm. The absence of empathy and understanding are sufficient. In fact, a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-blow/one-doesn-t-have-to-operate-with-great-malice-to-do-great-harm-the-2/)

[Charles M. Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-blow/)

> [“One doesn’t have to operate with great malice to do great harm. The absence of empathy and understanding are sufficient.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-blow/one-doesn-t-have-to-operate-with-great-malice-to-do-great-harm-the/)

[Charles M. Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-blow/)

> [Trauma is survivable, but often not much more. It kills you while allowing you to still live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/trauma-is-survivable-but-often-not-much-more-it-kills-you-while/)

[James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/)

> [“Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity, but don't rule out malice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/never-attribute-to-malice-that-which-can-be-adequately-explained-by/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [Stupidity without malice isn't horrible; some people can't help it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/stupidity-without-malice-isn-t-horrible-some-people-can-t-help-it/)

[Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/)

> [ \[Dada is\] perfectly kindhearted malice, alongside exact photography the only legitimate pictorial form of communication and balance in shared experience. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-hausmann/dada-is-perfectly-kindhearted-malice-alongside-exact-photography-the/)

Raoul Hausmann

> [A noble heart cannot suspect in others the pettiness and malice that it has never felt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-racine/a-noble-heart-cannot-suspect-in-others-the-pettiness-and-malice-that/)

[Jean Racine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-racine/)

> [You long for one true friend? You have one. And because you do, you have a choice. You can... ponder the malice of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/you-long-for-one-true-friend-you-have-one-and-because-you-do-you-have/)

[Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/)

> [Malice sucks up the greatest part of its own venom, and poisons itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/malice-sucks-up-the-greatest-part-of-its-own-venom-and-poisons-itself/)

[Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/)

> [When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to assume that their president, hostile to the principles that formed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shapiro/when-in-the-course-of-human-events-it-becomes-necessary-for-one/)

[David Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shapiro/)

> [“Monsters don’t exist. It’s men you should be afraid of, not monsters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccol-ammaniti/monsters-don-t-exist-it-s-men-you-should-be-afraid-of-not-monsters/)

[Niccolò Ammaniti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccol-ammaniti/)

> [The tongue of slander is too prompt with wanton malice to wound the stranger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/the-tongue-of-slander-is-too-prompt-with-wanton-malice-to-wound-the/)

[Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/)

> [Life is a magic vase filled to the brim, so made that you cannot dip from it nor draw from it; but it overflows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/life-is-a-magic-vase-filled-to-the-brim-so-made-that-you-cannot-dip/)

[John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/)

> [I realize more and more how instinctively pessimistic I am of all human kindness -- since I am always so bowled over by it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-powell/i-realize-more-and-more-how-instinctively-pessimistic-i-am-of-all/)

[Dawn Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-powell/)

> [“Koch believed that what the famed economist Joseph Schumpeter called "creative destruction" was so critical to the health of the capitalist system that empathy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/koch-believed-that-what-the-famed-economist-joseph-schumpeter-called/)

[Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/)

## More by Markus Zusak

> [Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/liesel-observed-the-strangeness-of-her-foster-father-s-eyes-they-were/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [I think that as a writer your responsibility is to search for and stir up the things that are in this world. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-think-that-as-a-writer-your-responsibility-is-to-search-for-and/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [“For two days I went about my business. I travelled the globe as always, handing souls to the conveyor belt of eternity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/for-two-days-i-went-about-my-business-i-travelled-the-globe-as-always/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [It is early, early morning. It's that time when it's still dark but you know the day is coming. Blue is bleeding through black.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/it-is-early-early-morning-it-s-that-time-when-it-s-still-dark-but-you/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [“I'm twenty years old and look at me-- there isn't a thing I want to do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-m-twenty-years-old-and-look-at-me-there-isn-t-a-thing-i-want-to-do/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [You should give it to Max, Liesel. See if you can leave it on the bedside table, like all the other things." Liesel watched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/you-should-give-it-to-max-liesel-see-if-you-can-leave-it-on-the/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [“When a woman with an iron fist tells you to get out there and clean spit off the door, you do it. Especially when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/when-a-woman-with-an-iron-fist-tells-you-to-get-out-there-and-clean/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [Is there cowardice with the acknowledgement of fear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/is-there-cowardice-with-the-acknowledgement-of-fear/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [In years to come, he would be a giver of bread, not a stealer - proof again of the contradictory human being. So much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/in-years-to-come-he-would-be-a-giver-of-bread-not-a-stealer-proof/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [“«¿Por qué no puede oírlo el resto del mundo? —me pregunto. En pocos segundos me lo pregunto muchas veces—. Porque no le importa —me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/por-qu-no-puede-o-rlo-el-resto-del-mundo-me-pregunto-en-pocos/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [Could she smell my breath? Could she hear my cursed circular heart beat revolving like the crime it is in my deathly chest?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/could-she-smell-my-breath-could-she-hear-my-cursed-circular-heart/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [I see how complicated it is to make a film and how many people are involved and I love the fact that I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-see-how-complicated-it-is-to-make-a-film-and-how-many-people-are/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [One wild card was yet to be played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/one-wild-card-was-yet-to-be-played/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [“Može li netko ukrasti sreću? Ili je i to još jedan unutarnji, paklenski ljudski trik?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/mo-e-li-netko-ukrasti-sre-u-ili-je-i-to-jo-jedan-unutarnji-paklenski/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [I look at my first books and am glad they weren't published… You start writing by imitating your heroes, then you keep the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-look-at-my-first-books-and-am-glad-they-weren-t-published-you-start/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

[Explore all 953 Markus Zusak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

## More Allowing quotes

> [New generations of humans inherit the acquired discoveries of generations past, allowing cosmic insight to accumulate without limit. Each discovery of science therefore adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/new-generations-of-humans-inherit-the-acquired-discoveries-of/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [Is the minor convenience of allowing the present generation the luxury of doubling its energy consumption every 10 years worth the major hazard of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-r-brower/is-the-minor-convenience-of-allowing-the-present-generation-the/)

[David R. Brower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-r-brower/)

> [When you are not honoring the present moment by allowing it to be, you are creating drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/when-you-are-not-honoring-the-present-moment-by-allowing-it-to-be-you/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [“Once again I was shamelessly allowing myself to be defined by another person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginny-babcock-kinflicks/once-again-i-was-shamelessly-allowing-myself-to-be-defined-by-another/)

Ginny Babcock Kinflicks

> [Even when I was saying I was Agnostic and trying to figure out my thoughts, I felt God was allowing me to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfre-woodard/even-when-i-was-saying-i-was-agnostic-and-trying-to-figure-out-my/)

[Alfre Woodard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfre-woodard/)

> [By allowing multiple partners to contribute, an open platform can nurture an entire ecosystem of developers and apps. Good products integrate and become great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/by-allowing-multiple-partners-to-contribute-an-open-platform-can/)

[Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

> [When you ask for patience, what you get is a line at the bank. In other words, life gives you the people, places, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-mcmillan/when-you-ask-for-patience-what-you-get-is-a-line-at-the-bank-in-other/)

[Tracy McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-mcmillan/)

> [Sometimes, I get afraid it has defined me, that sense of grief, loss and illness. But actually, it is about allowing myself to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-i-get-afraid-it-has-defined-me-that-sense-of-grief-loss-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Meditation is actually a very simple exercise in resting in the natural state of your present mind, and allowing yourself to be simply and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yongey-mingyur-rinpoche/meditation-is-actually-a-very-simple-exercise-in-resting-in-the/)

[Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yongey-mingyur-rinpoche/)

> [When you're still, and some actors are really brilliant at that, you bring a kind of energy to you as opposed to sending the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-byrne/when-you-re-still-and-some-actors-are-really-brilliant-at-that-you/)

[Gabriel Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-byrne/)

> [The only reason I would write a break-up song is because my own problem of allowing myself to relate to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/the-only-reason-i-would-write-a-break-up-song-is-because-my-own/)

[Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/)

> [I just think fashion is about enjoying yourself and being comfortable in your skin and allowing you to be you - all the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-scott/i-just-think-fashion-is-about-enjoying-yourself-and-being-comfortable/)

[Jill Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-scott/)

> [I don't think there's any harm at all in allowing a kid to fantasize. In fact, I think to stop people from fantasizing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-there-s-any-harm-at-all-in-allowing-a-kid-to-fantasize/)

[J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/)

> [All I wanted to do was put together one of the best home maths systems in the world, and that's what we've done. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-vorderman/all-i-wanted-to-do-was-put-together-one-of-the-best-home-maths/)

[Carol Vorderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-vorderman/)

> [I want to deal with the homeless situation here in Washington, D.C. I think it is a travesty that we've got men - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-deal-with-the-homeless-situation-here-in-washington-d-c-i/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

Browse all 916 Allowing quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“What great malice there could be in allowing something to live.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Markus Zusak"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/what-great-malice-there-could-be-in-allowing-something-to-live/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Allowing"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/what-great-malice-there-could-be-in-allowing-something-to-live/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c6/markus-zusak-165_allowing_what-great-malice-there-could-be-in-allo_2016004.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c6/markus-zusak-165_allowing_what-great-malice-there-could-be-in-allo_2016004.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c6/markus-zusak-165_allowing_what-great-malice-there-could-be-in-allo_2016004.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What great malice there could be in allowing something to live.” — Markus Zusak",
                "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": "Markus Zusak",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“What great malice there could be...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/what-great-malice-there-could-be-in-allowing-something-to-live/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/what-great-malice-there-could-be-in-allowing-something-to-live/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```