Evil Quote by T. S. Eliot
“So far as we are human, what we do must be either evil or good: so far as we do evil or good, we are human: and it is better, in a paradoxical way, to do evil than to do nothing: at least we exist.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: "The Hollow Men", 1925
Argues that human action, even if evil, is preferable to inaction, emphasizing existence over moral perfection.
In simple terms: Doing something, even flawed, is better than doing nothing.
Key Takeaway
Act, even imperfectly.
Themes
ethics
existence
paradox
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- political activism
- personal decisions
- social engagement
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
human nature
Questions to Reflect On
- Is it ever justified to act immorally for a cause?
- What responsibilities come with choosing action over inaction?
A Different Perspective
Evil actions can cause harm.
![“[Abortion] is an evil in and of itself, but it is not a religious evil in the beginning, no, it's a human evil. Then obviously, as with every human evil, each killing is condemned.” quote by Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/41e/pope-francis-85_abortion_abortion-is-an-evil-in-and-of-itself-but_1804103.jpg)
![“the ordinary man's experience is chaotic, irregular, fragmentary. [He] falls in love or reads Spinoza, and these two experiences have nothing to do with each other, or with the noise of the typewriter, or the smell of cooking; in the mind of the poet these experiences are always forming new wholes” quote by T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/18e/t-s-eliot-633_art_the-ordinary-man-s-experience-is-chaotic_93688.jpg)
![“Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to [be] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is in play. Society has no obligation to try to rehabilitate evil.” quote by Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b89/bill-o-reilly-1019_destroyed_evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be_3597.jpg)
