Demonic Quote by Neil Gaiman
““They seemed to have a talent for it. It was built into the design, somehow. They were born into a world that was against them in a thousand little ways, and then devoted most of their energies to making it worse. Over the years Crowley had found it increasingly difficult to find anything demonic to do which showed up against the natural background of generalized nastiness.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: American Gods by Neil Gaiman, 2001
A character’s innate darkness is amplified by a hostile world, leading them to intensify their own negativity.
In simple terms: Innate darkness grows when the world is hostile.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and resist self‑reinforcing negativity.
Themes
human nature
self‑destruction
environment
identity
power
Mood
cynical
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal relationships
- creative work
- social activism
- mental health
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
psychology
determinism
existentialism
Questions to Reflect On
- Can hostility ever be transformed into constructive force?
- How do we prevent self‑destructive cycles?
A Different Perspective
The quote may overgeneralize evil as inherent, ignoring capacity for good.
![“I would say that Edgar Allan Poe, [Georges] Perec, Thomas Pynchon, and [Jorge Luis] Borges are all boy-writers. These are writers who take... a kind of demonic joy in writing.” quote by Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c94/paul-auster-351_allan-poe_i-would-say-that-edgar-allan-poe-georges_292858.jpg)
![“[T]hey could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does.” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/19e/neil-gaiman-29_amused_t-hey-could-not-help-being-amused-every_4551.jpg)
![“We have no clear ideas of the agency of [demonic] spirits, nor is it necessary. The Scripture says little to satisfy our curiosity; but tells us plainly that he is always watching us, and desiring to sift us as wheat. I believe we give him no more than his due, when we charge him with having a…” quote by John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c75/john-newton-6629_abundance_we-have-no-clear-ideas-of-the-agency-of_2907.jpg)
