--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Evil has always been there; it's always a…" description: "\"Evil has always been there; it's always a part of us. Evil is no big surprise. But what about the people who gave freely, who stood up for human dignit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/rithy-panh-11040_big-sur_evil-has-always-been-there-it-s-always-a_281672.jpg" --- # Evil has always been there; it's always a part of us. Evil… ![“Evil has always been there; it's always a part of us. Evil is no big surprise. But what about the people who gave freely, who stood up for human dignity? Even in the most extreme and terrible situations, these acts of dignity existed. And for me, that is the banality of good.” quote by Rithy Panh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/rithy-panh-11040_big-sur_evil-has-always-been-there-it-s-always-a_281672.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/rithy-panh-11040_big-sur_evil-has-always-been-there-it-s-always-a_281672.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/rithy-panh-11040_big-sur_evil-has-always-been-there-it-s-always-a_281672.jpg) > “Evil has always been there; it's always a part of us. Evil is no big surprise. But what about the people who gave freely, who stood up for human dignity? Even in the most extreme and terrible situations, these acts of dignity existed. And for me, that is the banality of good.” [Rithy Panh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithy-panh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even in dire circumstances, ordinary people can act with dignity, showing that goodness is a conscious, everyday choice. **In simple terms:** Goodness appears in small, brave acts. Key Takeaway Recognize and nurture everyday dignity. Themes humanity morality resilience ethics compassion Mood reflective hopeful inspirational Type philosophical inspirational cultural When to use this quote - war zones - refugee camps - community rebuilding - personal crises Key Concepts moral philosophy social psychology civic responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What small actions can you take to uphold dignity? - How does ordinary kindness challenge evil? A Different Perspective Good deeds may be overlooked or suppressed by larger forces. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big sur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-sur/) [Dignity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity/) [Dignity Existed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity-existed-2731113/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-evil-407074/) [Existed Banality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existed-banality-2731114/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Human dignity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-dignity/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/) ## Related quotes > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) [Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/) > [Muslim leaders around the globe have to continue working with us to decisively and unequivocally reject the hateful ideology that groups like ISIL and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/muslim-leaders-around-the-globe-have-to-continue-working-with-us-to/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“We can talk about human dignity, but where is it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/we-can-talk-about-human-dignity-but-where-is-it/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) > [Nothing is more destructive of human dignity than a rule which imposes a mute and blind obedience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-eden/nothing-is-more-destructive-of-human-dignity-than-a-rule-which/) [Anthony Eden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-eden/) > [Freedom is one of the deepest and noblest aspirations of the human spirit. People, worldwide, hunger for the right of self-determination, for those inalienable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/freedom-is-one-of-the-deepest-and-noblest-aspirations-of-the-human/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Democracy is the absolute value that makes for human dignity, as well as the only road to sustained economic development and social justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/democracy-is-the-absolute-value-that-makes-for-human-dignity-as-well/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Human dignity should be without borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-rocero/human-dignity-should-be-without-borders/) [Geena Rocero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-rocero/) > [Torture anywhere is an affront to human dignity everywhere... I call on all governments to join with the United States and the community of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/torture-anywhere-is-an-affront-to-human-dignity-everywhere-i-call-on/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [If our free society is to endure, those who govern must recognize human dignity and accept the enforcement of constitutional limitations on their power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/if-our-free-society-is-to-endure-those-who-govern-must-recognize/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [I've come to understand and to believe that each of us is more than the worst thing we've ever done. I believe that for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/i-ve-come-to-understand-and-to-believe-that-each-of-us-is-more-than/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [Contrary to what certain governments say, human rights are universal. Arbitrary detention, torture and discrimination hurt the human dignity of anybody, whatever his or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/contrary-to-what-certain-governments-say-human-rights-are-universal/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [In an age of interdependence, global citizenship - based on trust and sense of shared responsibility - is a crucial pillar of progress. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/in-an-age-of-interdependence-global-citizenship-based-on-trust-and/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [ “In this confusion we begin to see what lies behind John Paul II's startling warning about democracy "effectively mov\[ing\] towards a form of totalitarianism."… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-cardinal-pell/in-this-confusion-we-begin-to-see-what-lies-behind-john-paul-ii-s/) [George Cardinal Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-cardinal-pell/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [“Fundamentally, poverty is a denial of choices and opportunities, a violation of human dignity. It means lack of basic capacity to participate effectively in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-karlan/fundamentally-poverty-is-a-denial-of-choices-and-opportunities-a/) [Dean Karlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-karlan/) ## More by Rithy Panh > [What I like to do with every film is to bring a form, like a cinematographic proposal. If you watch 'S21,' it's a form;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rithy-panh/what-i-like-to-do-with-every-film-is-to-bring-a-form-like-a/) [Rithy Panh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithy-panh/) > [We need creativity. We need more poetry after Auschwitz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rithy-panh/we-need-creativity-we-need-more-poetry-after-auschwitz/) [Rithy Panh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithy-panh/) > [It's better to live a world where you can hear different languages and sensibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rithy-panh/it-s-better-to-live-a-world-where-you-can-hear-different-languages/) [Rithy Panh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithy-panh/) > [Sometimes if you can tell one personal story with a lot of sincerity, it can become a universal story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rithy-panh/sometimes-if-you-can-tell-one-personal-story-with-a-lot-of-sincerity/) [Rithy Panh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithy-panh/) > [I didn't survive because I was stronger than others. I survived because my family and friends helped me to survive. 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You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rithy-panh/every-time-you-are-getting-ready-to-make-a-shot-in-a-documentary-film/) [Rithy Panh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithy-panh/) > [If you can keep something very personal, like a song, like a color, like a story, deep in your heart, then nobody can destroy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rithy-panh/if-you-can-keep-something-very-personal-like-a-song-like-a-color-like/) [Rithy Panh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithy-panh/) > [The most beautiful thing in Cambodia isn't the country - it's the Cambodian people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rithy-panh/the-most-beautiful-thing-in-cambodia-isn-t-the-country-it-s-the/) [Rithy Panh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithy-panh/) > [As children, we did not have toys. We invented characters and animals; we invented stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rithy-panh/as-children-we-did-not-have-toys-we-invented-characters-and-animals/) [Rithy Panh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithy-panh/) > [Cinema is not truth. Even when you make documentary films, you can choose to show this shot and not the other shot - this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rithy-panh/cinema-is-not-truth-even-when-you-make-documentary-films-you-can/) [Rithy Panh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithy-panh/) > [“But I’ve never seen a free exchange. A gift is something else. I lived for four years in a society without currency, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rithy-panh/but-i-ve-never-seen-a-free-exchange-a-gift-is-something-else-i-lived/) [Rithy Panh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithy-panh/) > [I have never been political in a partisan sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rithy-panh/i-have-never-been-political-in-a-partisan-sense/) [Rithy Panh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithy-panh/) > [In all of my films, there is a desire to testify, to interrogate the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rithy-panh/in-all-of-my-films-there-is-a-desire-to-testify-to-interrogate-the/) [Rithy Panh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithy-panh/) [Explore all 62 Rithy Panh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithy-panh/) ## More Big sur quotes > [We don't have a farm-to-table food safety system. I keep saying this. 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Just when you think you know where the plot is going, it goes somewhere else. Big surprise ending!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-a-milman/great-mystery-novel-for-the-beach-just-when-you-think-you-know-where/) [Harry A. Milman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-a-milman/) > [“Yes?” he said impatiently. There was a pause. “You wouldn’t believe how many people I had to bribe to get this new number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-palmer/yes-he-said-impatiently-there-was-a-pause-you-wouldn-t-believe-how/) [Diana Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-palmer/) > [I see the passion in your eyes. Sometimes it's all a big surprise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-meadows/i-see-the-passion-in-your-eyes-sometimes-it-s-all-a-big-surprise/) [Marion Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-meadows/) > [How the girl's body may be lower than the clothes,Fashion designers are constantly working, The big surprise, it is also easy to find them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/how-the-girl-s-body-may-be-lower-than-the-clothes-fashion-designers/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [This is the way life goes in Big Sur. Waiting for the mail, watching the sea-lions in the surf or the freighters on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/this-is-the-way-life-goes-in-big-sur-waiting-for-the-mail-watching/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Remember when I cried to you a thousand times I told you everything, you know my feelings It never crossed my mind that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/remember-when-i-cried-to-you-a-thousand-times-i-told-you-everything/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For me, poetry has a strong link to my filmmaking. My films learn from my poetry. In poetry, you're free. 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Why we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/the-one-big-surprise-is-that-as-it-turns-out-god-is-the-sun-it-makes/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) [Browse all 110 Big sur quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-sur/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Evil has always been there; it's always a part of us. Evil is no big surprise. But what about the people who gave freely, who stood up for human dignity? Even in the most extreme and terrible situations, these acts of dignity existed. 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