Bad thing Quote by Terry Pratchett
““It was much better to imagine men in some smokey room somewhere, made mad and cynical by privilege and power, plotting over brandy. You had to cling to this sort of image, because if you didn't then you might have to face the fact that bad things happened because ordinary people, the kind who brushed the dog and told the children bed time stories, were capable of then going out and doing horrible things to other ordinary people. It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was Us, then what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Discworld series, 1990
People blame external groups to avoid confronting ordinary capacity for evil; recognizing “Us” as capable of harm is unsettling.
In simple terms: We often blame others to avoid guilt.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge shared responsibility for wrongdoing.
Themes
morality
psychology
social perception
Mood
somber
provocative
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- education
- policy making
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
blame shifting
collective guilt
human nature
Questions to Reflect On
- What biases affect your judgment?
- How can societies foster collective accountability?
A Different Perspective
Denial can hinder accountability.
