--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first lesson of history is that evil…" description: "\"The first lesson of history is that evil is good.\" — Ralph Waldo Emerson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfc/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_evil_the-first-lesson-of-history-is-that-evil_2877593.png" --- # The first lesson of history is that evil is good. ![“The first lesson of history is that evil is good.” quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfc/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_evil_the-first-lesson-of-history-is-that-evil_2877593.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfc/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_evil_the-first-lesson-of-history-is-that-evil_2877593.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfc/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_evil_the-first-lesson-of-history-is-that-evil_2877593.png) > “The first lesson of history is that evil is good.” [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. History shows that what is labeled evil can be perceived as good, urging critical examination of moral labels. **In simple terms:** Evil can be seen as good; question moral judgments. Key Takeaway Critically assess moral narratives. Themes philosophy ethics historical analysis critical thinking morality Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - political discourse - ethical debates - educational curricula Key Concepts moral relativism historical patterns social critique Questions to Reflect On - How do we differentiate true good from perceived good? - What historical examples challenge moral assumptions? A Different Perspective Simplifying evil as good may ignore nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Lesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lesson/) [Lessons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lessons/) ## Related quotes > [To do no evil is good, to intend none better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudius/to-do-no-evil-is-good-to-intend-none-better/) [Claudius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudius/) > [Corrupt fantasy points us, or forms us, in a consciousness that can lead to thinking that evil is good and good is evil. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-brien/corrupt-fantasy-points-us-or-forms-us-in-a-consciousness-that-can/) [Michael O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-brien/) > [“Romans 12:17–21 tells us that the only weapon strong enough to overcome evil is good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedd-tripp/romans-12-17-21-tells-us-that-the-only-weapon-strong-enough-to/) [Tedd Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedd-tripp/) > [All evil is good become cancerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/all-evil-is-good-become-cancerous/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [To do nothing evil is good; to wish nothing evil is better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudius/to-do-nothing-evil-is-good-to-wish-nothing-evil-is-better/) [Claudius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudius/) > [As you know, human history is full of evil deeds, and maybe we ought to think of them with tears, not fascination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-kostova/as-you-know-human-history-is-full-of-evil-deeds-and-maybe-we-ought-to/) [Elizabeth Kostova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-kostova/) > [“Indeed, the lesson of our history is that the task of merely maintaining strong and sturdy the structures of a constitutional order is unending,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/indeed-the-lesson-of-our-history-is-that-the-task-of-merely/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [The lesson of history is that no one learns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/the-lesson-of-history-is-that-no-one-learns/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [The first and last lesson of religion is, 'The things that are seen are temporal; the things that are not seen are eternal.' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-first-and-last-lesson-of-religion-is-the-things-that-are-seen-are/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Let us draw a lesson from nature, which always works by short ways. When the fruit is ripe, it falls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/let-us-draw-a-lesson-from-nature-which-always-works-by-short-ways/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The chief beginning of evil is goodness in excess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/the-chief-beginning-of-evil-is-goodness-in-excess/) [Menander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/) > [“The New World Order is an attempt to overthrow God and replace Him with Satan. It says black is white, evil is good. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-makow/the-new-world-order-is-an-attempt-to-overthrow-god-and-replace-him/) [Henry Makow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-makow/) > [There's a lot we should be able to learn from history. And yet history proves that we never do. In fact, the main lesson…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-whitney-brown/there-s-a-lot-we-should-be-able-to-learn-from-history-and-yet-history/) [A. Whitney Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-whitney-brown/) > [“That hope is little more than the premonition of regret. This is the first lesson of history.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/that-hope-is-little-more-than-the-premonition-of-regret-this-is-the/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Trust the people -- that is the crucial lesson of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/trust-the-people-that-is-the-crucial-lesson-of-history/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## More by Ralph Waldo Emerson > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Consideration is the soil in which wisdom may be expected to grow, and strength be given to every up-springing plant of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/consideration-is-the-soil-in-which-wisdom-may-be-expected-to-grow-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“There is then creative reading as well as creative writing. When the mind is braced by labor and invention, the page of whatever book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/there-is-then-creative-reading-as-well-as-creative-writing-when-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The order of things consents to virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-order-of-things-consents-to-virtue/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Life only avails, not the having lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/life-only-avails-not-the-having-lived/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Another success is the post-office, with its educating energy augmented by cheapness and guarded by a certain religious sentimentin mankind; so that the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/another-success-is-the-post-office-with-its-educating-energy/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A child reminds us that playtime is an essential part of our daily routine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-child-reminds-us-that-playtime-is-an-essential-part-of-our-daily/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. Do not, then, read the reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-can-be-criticised-but-by-a-greater-than-he-do-not-then-read/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Coal lay in ledges under the ground since the Flood, until a laborer with pick and windlass brings it to the surface. We may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/coal-lay-in-ledges-under-the-ground-since-the-flood-until-a-laborer/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I am; therefore, I had nothing better to do than to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-am-therefore-i-had-nothing-better-to-do-than-to-think/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In a library we are surrounded by many hundreds of dear friends, but they are imprisoned by an enchanter in these paper and leathern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/in-a-library-we-are-surrounded-by-many-hundreds-of-dear-friends-but/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. A fever, a mutilation, a cruel disappointment, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-compensations-of-calamity-are-made-apparent-to-the-understanding/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Explore all 4,802 Ralph Waldo Emerson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More Evil quotes > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [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/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-done-out-of-love-always-takes-place-beyond-good-and-evil/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to \[be\] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be-evil-has-to-be-confronted-and/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) James Nayler > [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“Water is so friendly when you have it on your palms, but so evil when they have you on theirs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/water-is-so-friendly-when-you-have-it-on-your-palms-but-so-evil-when/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [THE ART OF PEACE is not easy. It is a fight to the finish, the slaying of evil desires and all falsehood within. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-art-of-peace-is-not-easy-it-is-a-fight-to-the-finish-the-slaying/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) [Browse all 11,163 Evil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first lesson of history is that evil is good.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ralph Waldo Emerson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-first-lesson-of-history-is-that-evil-is-good/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-first-lesson-of-history-is-that-evil-is-good/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfc/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_evil_the-first-lesson-of-history-is-that-evil_2877593.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfc/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_evil_the-first-lesson-of-history-is-that-evil_2877593.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfc/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_evil_the-first-lesson-of-history-is-that-evil_2877593.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first lesson of history is that evil is good.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson", "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": "Ralph Waldo Emerson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first lesson of history is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-first-lesson-of-history-is-that-evil-is-good/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-first-lesson-of-history-is-that-evil-is-good/#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 } } ] } ```