--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Great for good, or great for evil." description: "\"Great for good, or great for evil.\" — Robert Burns" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4eb/robert-burns-1511_evil_great-for-good-or-great-for-evil-1742337_1742337.png" --- # Great for good, or great for evil. ![“Great for good, or great for evil.” quote by Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4eb/robert-burns-1511_evil_great-for-good-or-great-for-evil-1742337_1742337.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4eb/robert-burns-1511_evil_great-for-good-or-great-for-evil-1742337_1742337.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4eb/robert-burns-1511_evil_great-for-good-or-great-for-evil-1742337_1742337.png) > “Great for good, or great for evil.” [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The line contrasts actions that can be used for benevolent or malevolent purposes, highlighting moral ambiguity. **In simple terms:** Good can be used for good or evil. Key Takeaway Consider intent behind actions. Themes ethics choice duality Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - technology use - policy making - artistic expression - scientific research Key Concepts moral philosophy intentionality Questions to Reflect On - How do we assess the morality of tools? - Can good intentions justify harmful results? A Different Perspective Intent alone may not determine outcome. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Frailty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frailty/) ## Related quotes > [Go from good to great because good is the enemy of great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/go-from-good-to-great-because-good-is-the-enemy-of-great/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [“But remember, great Good will, more often than not, lead to great Evil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amish-tripathi-the-oath-of-the-vayuputras/but-remember-great-good-will-more-often-than-not-lead-to-great-evil/) Amish Tripathi, The Oath of The Vayuputras > [Selfishness is the root of great evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-scott/selfishness-is-the-root-of-great-evil/) [Richard G. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-scott/) > [not all drugs are good.. some of them are great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/not-all-drugs-are-good-some-of-them-are-great/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [By experience; by a sense of human frailty; by a perception of "the soul of goodness in things evil;" by a cheerful trust in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/by-experience-by-a-sense-of-human-frailty-by-a-perception-of-the-soul/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) > [As long as you are good you will be great. But, if you cease to be good you will cease to be great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-d-taylor/as-long-as-you-are-good-you-will-be-great-but-if-you-cease-to-be-good/) Henry D. Taylor > [Ballet is only good when it is great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-croce/ballet-is-only-good-when-it-is-great/) [Arlene Croce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-croce/) > [My motto for Seoul is 'From Good to Great.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-won-soon/my-motto-for-seoul-is-from-good-to-great/) [Park Won-soon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-won-soon/) > [The difference between average and good. Good and Great! Great and Phenomenal! It's their mindset!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/the-difference-between-average-and-good-good-and-great-great-and/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [When it's good it's great, it's really great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-connelly/when-it-s-good-it-s-great-it-s-really-great/) [Jennifer Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-connelly/) > [There's categories to everything. There's good. There's great and there's like, perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-parsons/there-s-categories-to-everything-there-s-good-there-s-great-and-there/) [Micah Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-parsons/) > [Dont be afraid to give up the good, to go for something great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nessanicolee/dont-be-afraid-to-give-up-the-good-to-go-for-something-great/) [NessaNicolee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nessanicolee/) > [Nothing good or great can be done in the absence of enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/nothing-good-or-great-can-be-done-in-the-absence-of-enthusiasm/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [The difference between something good and something great is attention to detail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/the-difference-between-something-good-and-something-great-is/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [If we all knew how to make that jump from good to great then I think every song would be great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomston/if-we-all-knew-how-to-make-that-jump-from-good-to-great-then-i-think/) [Thomston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomston/) ## More by Robert Burns > [Some wee short hour ayont the twal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/some-wee-short-hour-ayont-the-twal/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [The snowdrop and primrose our woodlands adorn, and violets bathe in the wet o' the morn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/the-snowdrop-and-primrose-our-woodlands-adorn-and-violets-bathe-in/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [Oh my luve's like a red, red rose, That's newly sprung in June; Oh my luve's like the melodie That's sweetly played in tune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/oh-my-luve-s-like-a-red-red-rose-that-s-newly-sprung-in-june-oh-my/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [Again rejoicing Nature sees Her robe assume its vernal hues Her leafy locks wave in the breeze, All freshly steep'd in the morning dews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/again-rejoicing-nature-sees-her-robe-assume-its-vernal-hues-her-leafy/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [Gin a body meet a body Coming thro' the rye, Gin a body kiss a body— Need a body cry?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/gin-a-body-meet-a-body-coming-thro-the-rye-gin-a-body-kiss-a-body/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [“O wad some Power the giftie gie us To see oursels as ithers see us!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/o-wad-some-power-the-giftie-gie-us-to-see-oursels-as-ithers-see-us/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [Liberty's in every blow! Let us do or die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/liberty-s-in-every-blow-let-us-do-or-die/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [Dare to be honest and fear no labor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/dare-to-be-honest-and-fear-no-labor/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [Look abroad through Nature's range, Nature's mighty law is change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/look-abroad-through-nature-s-range-nature-s-mighty-law-is-change/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [ “All-cheering Plenty, with her flowing horn, Led yellow Autumn, wreath'd with nodding corn." \[ Brigs of Ayr \]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/all-cheering-plenty-with-her-flowing-horn-led-yellow-autumn-wreath-d/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [To make three guineas do the work of five.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/to-make-three-guineas-do-the-work-of-five/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [Some books are lies frae end to end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/some-books-are-lies-frae-end-to-end/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [Who made the heart, 'tis He alone Decidedly can try us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/who-made-the-heart-tis-he-alone-decidedly-can-try-us/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [Nursing her wrath to keep it warm.--Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/nursing-her-wrath-to-keep-it-warm-robert-burns/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [It is cruelty to be humane to rebels, and humanity is cruelty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/it-is-cruelty-to-be-humane-to-rebels-and-humanity-is-cruelty/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) [Explore all 233 Robert Burns quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) ## 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": "Great for good, or great for evil.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Burns" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/great-for-good-or-great-for-evil/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/great-for-good-or-great-for-evil/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4eb/robert-burns-1511_evil_great-for-good-or-great-for-evil-1742337_1742337.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4eb/robert-burns-1511_evil_great-for-good-or-great-for-evil-1742337_1742337.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4eb/robert-burns-1511_evil_great-for-good-or-great-for-evil-1742337_1742337.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Great for good, or great for evil.” — Robert Burns", "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": "Robert Burns", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Great for good, or great for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/great-for-good-or-great-for-evil/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/great-for-good-or-great-for-evil/#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 } } ] } ```