---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Elric knew that everything that existed…"
description: "\"Elric knew that everything that existed had its opposite. In danger he might find peace. And yet, of course, in peace there was danger. Being an imperf..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/michael-moorcock-8974_a-perfect-world_elric-knew-that-everything-that-existed_3202105.jpg"
---

#  Elric knew that everything that existed had its opposite…

![“Elric knew that everything that existed had its opposite. In danger he might find peace. And yet, of course, in peace there was danger. Being an imperfect creature in an imperfect world he would always know paradox. And that was why in paradox there was always a kind of truth. That was why…” quote by Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/michael-moorcock-8974_a-perfect-world_elric-knew-that-everything-that-existed_3202105.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/michael-moorcock-8974_a-perfect-world_elric-knew-that-everything-that-existed_3202105.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/michael-moorcock-8974_a-perfect-world_elric-knew-that-everything-that-existed_3202105.jpg)

> “Elric knew that everything that existed had its opposite. In danger he might find peace. And yet, of course, in peace there was danger. Being an imperfect creature in an imperfect world he would always know paradox. And that was why in paradox there was always a kind of truth. That was why philosophers and soothsayers flourished. In a perfect world there would be no place for them. In an imperfect world the mysteries were always without solution and that was why there was always a great choice of solutions.”

[Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/)

## About This Quote

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

The quote explores how opposites and paradoxes reveal deeper truths, suggesting that imperfection fuels philosophical inquiry.

**In simple terms:** Opposites expose truth; imperfection drives thought.

Key Takeaway

Embrace paradox to find insight.

Themes

philosophy paradox imperfection truth choice

Mood

contemplative curious thoughtful

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- Literary analysis
- personal reflection
- creative writing
- debate
- teaching

Key Concepts

Dialectics existentialism duality

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you reconcile opposing ideas in decisions making?
- What role does imperfection play in your growth?

A Different Perspective

Paradoxes can be confusing and may lead to indecision if overanalyzed.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[A perfect world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/a-perfect-world/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Creatures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creatures/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Elric Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elric-knew-263226/) [Finding peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding-peace/) [Imperfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperfect/) [Imperfect world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperfect-world/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Know Paradox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-paradox-395763/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystery/) [Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposites/) [Paradox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradox/) [Paradox Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradox-kind-5948235/) [Paradox Paradox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradox-paradox-1985116/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect/) [Perfect world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-world/) [Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher/) [Solutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solutions/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/)

## Related quotes

> [“For this was the other thing that Elric knew: that to compromise with Tyranny is always to be destroyed by it. The sanest and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/for-this-was-the-other-thing-that-elric-knew-that-to-compromise-with/)

[Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/)

> [When you're in a room with twenty people who've all got the True Theory of the universe, it's difficult to know what to do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-wertheim/when-you-re-in-a-room-with-twenty-people-who-ve-all-got-the-true/)

[Margaret Wertheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-wertheim/)

> [It's a journalist's job to be a witness to history. We're not there to worry about ourselves. We're there to try and get as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/it-s-a-journalist-s-job-to-be-a-witness-to-history-we-re-not-there-to/)

[Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/)

> [Perfect solutions of our difficulties are not to be looked for in an imperfect world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/perfect-solutions-of-our-difficulties-are-not-to-be-looked-for-in-an/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [Maturity is the ability to joyfully live in an imperfect world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/maturity-is-the-ability-to-joyfully-live-in-an-imperfect-world/)

[Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/)

> [The pacifist streak in German politics is a problem. But Greens and Social Democrats have to ask themselves: In an imperfect world, what do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-glees/the-pacifist-streak-in-german-politics-is-a-problem-but-greens-and/)

[Anthony Glees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-glees/)

> [I've often wondered about the shyness of some of us in the West about standing for these ideals that have done so much to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-often-wondered-about-the-shyness-of-some-of-us-in-the-west-about/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Too much trust is folly, in an imperfect world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellis-peters/too-much-trust-is-folly-in-an-imperfect-world/)

[Ellis Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellis-peters/)

> [In an imperfect world perfection is not instantly available. Railroad safety, for instance, cannot be secured by mechanical devices alone. It is primarily a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-lee/in-an-imperfect-world-perfection-is-not-instantly-available-railroad/)

[Ivy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-lee/)

> [Often I have heard the taunt that suffragists are women who have failed to find any normal outlet for their emotions, and are therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmeline-pankhurst/often-i-have-heard-the-taunt-that-suffragists-are-women-who-have/)

[Emmeline Pankhurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmeline-pankhurst/)

> [We are imperfect beings in a very imperfect world, and the one thing we can count on is that things will go wrong, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-parsons/we-are-imperfect-beings-in-a-very-imperfect-world-and-the-one-thing/)

[Bob Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-parsons/)

> [Perfectionism is a dangerous state of mind in an imperfect world. The best way is to forget doubts and set about the task in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hillyer/perfectionism-is-a-dangerous-state-of-mind-in-an-imperfect-world-the/)

[Robert Hillyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hillyer/)

> [Artists live in an imperfect world where affairs of the heart must sometimes be compromised with business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-genn/artists-live-in-an-imperfect-world-where-affairs-of-the-heart-must/)

[Sara Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-genn/)

> [In a musically imperfect world, there is still perfection in the voice of Barbara Cook. For anyone eulogizing the historic scores of a long-lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-reed/in-a-musically-imperfect-world-there-is-still-perfection-in-the-voice/)

[Rex Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-reed/)

> [Perfectionism is a dangerous state of mind in an imperfect world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hillyer/perfectionism-is-a-dangerous-state-of-mind-in-an-imperfect-world/)

[Robert Hillyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hillyer/)

## More by Michael Moorcock

> [Introduce your main characters and themes in the first third of your novel. If you are writing a plot-driven genre novel make sure all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/introduce-your-main-characters-and-themes-in-the-first-third-of-your/)

[Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/)

> [ It remains a mystery to me why some of that \[pulp\] fiction should be judged inferior to the rafts and rafts of bad social… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/it-remains-a-mystery-to-me-why-some-of-that-pulp-fiction-should-be/)

[Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/)

> [“We would all be better off dead, useless eaters of the lotus that we are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/we-would-all-be-better-off-dead-useless-eaters-of-the-lotus-that-we/)

[Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/)

> [“This gentleman is known the width and breadth of the comics world as "that bastard Klaw.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/this-gentleman-is-known-the-width-and-breadth-of-the-comics-world-as/)

[Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/)

> [“The sentiment may perceive and love the universe, but the universe cannot perceive and love the sentiment. The universe sees no distinction between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/the-sentiment-may-perceive-and-love-the-universe-but-the-universe/)

[Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/)

> [Destiny's Champion, Fate's fool. Eternity's Soldier, Time's Tool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/destiny-s-champion-fate-s-fool-eternity-s-soldier-time-s-tool/)

[Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/)

> [I'd started doing fanzines from the age of nine. I'd been doing as many copies as you can get carbon paper into an upright…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/i-d-started-doing-fanzines-from-the-age-of-nine-i-d-been-doing-as/)

[Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/)

> [“Time is a dream - or a nightmare - from which there is never any waking. We who travel in Time are dreamers who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/time-is-a-dream-or-a-nightmare-from-which-there-is-never-any-waking/)

[Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/)

> [“IT IS THE colour of a bleached skull, his flesh; and the long hair which flows below his shoulders is milk-white. From the tapering,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/it-is-the-colour-of-a-bleached-skull-his-flesh-and-the-long-hair/)

[Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/)

> [The past is a script we are constantly rewriting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/the-past-is-a-script-we-are-constantly-rewriting/)

[Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/)

> [And you, Prince Elric? She attracted the albino's wandering attention. Do you know his story? Elric shook his head. I only know, he said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/and-you-prince-elric-she-attracted-the-albino-s-wandering-attention/)

[Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/)

> [Some of my earliest work was in comics. I tend to think in pictures and always like to write scenes possessing the dynamic you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/some-of-my-earliest-work-was-in-comics-i-tend-to-think-in-pictures/)

[Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/)

> [The problems for which I could find no solution in fact had no solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/the-problems-for-which-i-could-find-no-solution-in-fact-had-no/)

[Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/)

> [“She had always been beautiful in his eyes, and admirable, too. He had worshipped her, in some ways, for her courage in adversity, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/she-had-always-been-beautiful-in-his-eyes-and-admirable-too-he-had/)

[Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/)

> [Because I had sought to challenge Destiny, Destiny had taken vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/because-i-had-sought-to-challenge-destiny-destiny-had-taken-vengeance/)

[Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/)

[Explore all 76 Michael Moorcock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/)

## More A perfect world quotes

> [Even in a perfect world where everyone was equal. I'd still own the film rights and be working on the sequel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/even-in-a-perfect-world-where-everyone-was-equal-i-d-still-own-the/)

[Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/)

> [So that's one of the reasons why we took time between the last one and this one, was to make sure that we could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-burk/so-that-s-one-of-the-reasons-why-we-took-time-between-the-last-one/)

[Bryan Burk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-burk/)

> [I think every musician is different, every artist is different, and in a perfect world people would be able to pursue their own path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/i-think-every-musician-is-different-every-artist-is-different-and-in/)

[Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/)

> [In a perfect world we don't want to be overly dependent on any single asset or be so dependent on the cycle or where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-packer/in-a-perfect-world-we-don-t-want-to-be-overly-dependent-on-any-single/)

[James Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-packer/)

> [The world can be better if there's love, tolerance and humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irena-sendler/the-world-can-be-better-if-there-s-love-tolerance-and-humility/)

[Irena Sendler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irena-sendler/)

> [In a perfect world, my tennis game gets better. I have kids and a beautiful wife and live on some hill somewhere that's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-perry/in-a-perfect-world-my-tennis-game-gets-better-i-have-kids-and-a/)

[Matthew Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-perry/)

> [Anything and everything at any given time is sort of the point I think. We're dealing in real situations and that's why we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-dushku/anything-and-everything-at-any-given-time-is-sort-of-the-point-i/)

[Eliza Dushku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-dushku/)

> [I'm friends with everybody, I love everybody. I trust everybody because they don't give me reasons not to you know what I'm saying? So,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christofer-drew/i-m-friends-with-everybody-i-love-everybody-i-trust-everybody-because/)

[Christofer Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christofer-drew/)

> [In a perfect world, I could be doing some bigger films and balance that with some independent films because they seem to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherilyn-fenn/in-a-perfect-world-i-could-be-doing-some-bigger-films-and-balance/)

[Sherilyn Fenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherilyn-fenn/)

> [Nothing has to be changed, because all is beautiful - that is enlightenment. All is as it should be, everything is perfect. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/nothing-has-to-be-changed-because-all-is-beautiful-that-is/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [Inside the snow globe on my father's desk, there was a penguin wearing a red-and-white-striped scarf. When I was little my father would pull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/inside-the-snow-globe-on-my-father-s-desk-there-was-a-penguin-wearing/)

[Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/)

> [Our lives are marked and shaped by our regrets. Things we all want to take back and can’t. In a perfect world, we would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/our-lives-are-marked-and-shaped-by-our-regrets-things-we-all-want-to/)

[Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/)

> [“Zackary Connor's office building was made of glass, endless windows giving the impression of being outside. It was exactly how I liked nature--air conditioned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-hanson/zackary-connor-s-office-building-was-made-of-glass-endless-windows/)

[Caroline Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-hanson/)

> [In a perfect world, everybody would be gay. I mean if everybody looked like Zach Braff, you just wouldn't be able to resist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/in-a-perfect-world-everybody-would-be-gay-i-mean-if-everybody-looked/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [ In a perfect world, I don't think it \[one's sexual orientation\] is anyone else's business, but I do think there is value in standing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anderson-cooper/in-a-perfect-world-i-don-t-think-it-one-s-sexual-orientation-is/)

[Anderson Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anderson-cooper/)

[Browse all 122 A perfect world quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/a-perfect-world/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Elric knew that everything that existed had its opposite. In danger he might find peace. And yet, of course, in peace there was danger. Being an imperfect creature in an imperfect world he would always know paradox. And that was why in paradox there was always a kind of truth. That was why philosophers and soothsayers flourished. In a perfect world there would be no place for them. In an imperfect world the mysteries were always without solution and that was why there was always a great choice of solutions.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michael Moorcock"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/elric-knew-that-everything-that-existed-had-its-opposite-in-danger-he/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "A perfect world"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/elric-knew-that-everything-that-existed-had-its-opposite-in-danger-he/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/michael-moorcock-8974_a-perfect-world_elric-knew-that-everything-that-existed_3202105.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/michael-moorcock-8974_a-perfect-world_elric-knew-that-everything-that-existed_3202105.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/michael-moorcock-8974_a-perfect-world_elric-knew-that-everything-that-existed_3202105.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Elric knew that everything that existed had its opposite. In danger he might find peace. And yet, of course…” — Michael Moorcock",
                "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": "Michael Moorcock",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Elric knew that everything that existed...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/elric-knew-that-everything-that-existed-had-its-opposite-in-danger-he/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/elric-knew-that-everything-that-existed-had-its-opposite-in-danger-he/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
