--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe it's true that there's good and…" description: "\"I believe it's true that there's good and evil in everyone and it's a constant struggle to have your better angels prevail.\" — William Friedkin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/william-friedkin-10094_angel_i-believe-it-s-true-that-there-s-good-an_12541.jpg" --- # I believe it's true that there's good and evil in everyone… ![“I believe it's true that there's good and evil in everyone and it's a constant struggle to have your better angels prevail.” quote by William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/william-friedkin-10094_angel_i-believe-it-s-true-that-there-s-good-an_12541.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/william-friedkin-10094_angel_i-believe-it-s-true-that-there-s-good-an_12541.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/william-friedkin-10094_angel_i-believe-it-s-true-that-there-s-good-an_12541.jpg) > “I believe it's true that there's good and evil in everyone and it's a constant struggle to have your better angels prevail.” [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects the internal moral conflict each person faces, emphasizing that both virtuous and harmful impulses coexist and must be consciously managed. **In simple terms:** Inner moral struggle Key Takeaway Self‑control shapes character Themes morality human nature self‑discipline conflict growth Mood reflective determined Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - making ethical decisions - overcoming temptations - leading others - personal development Key Concepts good vs. evil personal responsibility psychology Practical Applications - self‑help coaching - ethical leadership training Questions to Reflect On - What habits help your better angels win? - How do you recognize your darker impulses? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angel/) [Better Angels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-angels/) [Constant struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constant-struggle/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Good and evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-and-evil/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) ## Related quotes > [Inside each of us, there is the seed of both good and evil. It's a constant struggle as to which one will win. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-burdon/inside-each-of-us-there-is-the-seed-of-both-good-and-evil-it-s-a/) [Eric Burdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-burdon/) > [All of the films I have made, that I have chosen to make, are all about the thin line between good and evil. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/all-of-the-films-i-have-made-that-i-have-chosen-to-make-are-all-about/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [“Could it be that goodness waxes and wanes like the moon, and that only evil is constant?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bradley/could-it-be-that-goodness-waxes-and-wanes-like-the-moon-and-that-only/) [Alan Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bradley/) > [“intended to repel Evil, which are the constant Accompaniment to their Conversations with myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/intended-to-repel-evil-which-are-the-constant-accompaniment-to-their/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [One of my themes is that there is good and evil in everyone. I was not out to make these guys heroes. I really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/one-of-my-themes-is-that-there-is-good-and-evil-in-everyone-i-was-not/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [“Because good and evil weren’t inborn traits. They were choices we made.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-thalassa/because-good-and-evil-weren-t-inborn-traits-they-were-choices-we-made/) [Laura Thalassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-thalassa/) > [“It was granted me to carry away from my prison years on my bent back, which nearly broke beneath its load, this essential experience;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/it-was-granted-me-to-carry-away-from-my-prison-years-on-my-bent-back/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [I like to see the difference between good and evil as kind of like the foul line at a baseball game. It's very thin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-coben/i-like-to-see-the-difference-between-good-and-evil-as-kind-of-like/) [Harlan Coben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-coben/) > [“This is perhaps what has made some suspect that the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was really a banana.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-grigson/this-is-perhaps-what-has-made-some-suspect-that-the-tree-of-knowledge/) [Jane Grigson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-grigson/) > [“We learn that there are in creation, Beings - perhaps very numerous - both good and evil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whatley/we-learn-that-there-are-in-creation-beings-perhaps-very-numerous-both/) Richard Whatley > [Compassion alone stands apart from the continuous traffic between good and evil proceeding within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/compassion-alone-stands-apart-from-the-continuous-traffic-between/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The meaning of good and bad, of better and worse, is simply helping or hurting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-meaning-of-good-and-bad-of-better-and-worse-is-simply-helping-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In fine, a life of good or evil, the hope of Heaven or the despair of Hell, Faustus stands as a reminder that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-fine-a-life-of-good-or-evil-the-hope-of-heaven-or-the-despair-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He was not Evil, for even Evil has a certain vitality — Bel-Shamharoth was the flip side of the coin of which Good and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/he-was-not-evil-for-even-evil-has-a-certain-vitality-bel-shamharoth/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [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/) ## More by William Friedkin > [All of the films I have made, that I have chosen to make, are all about the thin line between good and evil. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/all-of-the-films-i-have-made-that-i-have-chosen-to-make-are-all-about/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [None of the chase scenes that I did had any opticals. We had to do all of that physically. The first thing you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/none-of-the-chase-scenes-that-i-did-had-any-opticals-we-had-to-do-all/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [I'm not a fan of Star Wars. That is not for me. That is for my nephews and nieces. I don't get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/i-m-not-a-fan-of-star-wars-that-is-not-for-me-that-is-for-my-nephews/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [The studios are making fewer films. They are making more expensive films. Profits are tougher to come by. Not only because of the expense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/the-studios-are-making-fewer-films-they-are-making-more-expensive/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [I'm not a fan of 3D. But I am a huge fan of digital imagery. Because it allows a filmmaker much more latitude to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/i-m-not-a-fan-of-3d-but-i-am-a-huge-fan-of-digital-imagery-because-it/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [There are films that I've made that I like a little bit more than the others. But the films that I mostly watch, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/there-are-films-that-i-ve-made-that-i-like-a-little-bit-more-than-the/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [If Star Wars had failed, you wouldn't have 90 percent of what's out there today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/if-star-wars-had-failed-you-wouldn-t-have-90-percent-of-what-s-out/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [I have seen lampoons of my work. And I have really enjoyed them. But I would never do another version of The Exorcist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/i-have-seen-lampoons-of-my-work-and-i-have-really-enjoyed-them-but-i/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [Technique is of less interest than character and story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/technique-is-of-less-interest-than-character-and-story/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [I don't like 3D. I don't believe there is any film that I have seen and loved that would have been improved by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/i-don-t-like-3d-i-don-t-believe-there-is-any-film-that-i-have-seen/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [But the audience is right. They're always, always right. You hear directors complain that the advertising was lousy, the distribution is no good, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/but-the-audience-is-right-they-re-always-always-right-you-hear/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [God knows, as a minority, gay people have taken serious lumps for their sexual preferences. As has every minority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/god-knows-as-a-minority-gay-people-have-taken-serious-lumps-for-their/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [I don't believe that Citizen Kane or Gone With the Wind, or any damn picture that you can name, would be better off in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/i-don-t-believe-that-citizen-kane-or-gone-with-the-wind-or-any-damn/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [The Blu-ray is the real cinematech of world cinema. That's how it's being preserved. All of these guys that are trying to preserve 35mm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/the-blu-ray-is-the-real-cinematech-of-world-cinema-that-s-how-it-s/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [The informing idea of what you want to say and do, that's what will take you from film school to professional - the idea.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/the-informing-idea-of-what-you-want-to-say-and-do-that-s-what-will/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) [Explore all 68 William Friedkin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) ## More Angel quotes > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [If I wer an angel,i would make all your wishes come true..but I'm only a girl a girl who loves you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix/if-i-wer-an-angel-i-would-make-all-your-wishes-come-true-but-i-m-only/) [Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Behind my eyelids, I saw him dancing in spirals of coloured light, emerald, blue, and brilliant purple, enfolding him like the wings of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-hall/behind-my-eyelids-i-saw-him-dancing-in-spirals-of-coloured-light/) [Alexis Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-hall/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't think people will ever forget I was an 'Angel,' anymore than they'll forget Sally Field was 'The Flying Nun.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-ladd/i-don-t-think-people-will-ever-forget-i-was-an-angel-anymore-than/) [Cheryl Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-ladd/) > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [I believe in UFOs, I believe in extraterrestrials, and I believe in angels. And maybe they'll protect all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-believe-in-ufos-i-believe-in-extraterrestrials-and-i-believe-in/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [Sometimes we have the absolute certainty there's something inside us that's so hideous and monstrous that if we ever search it out we won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-selby-jr/sometimes-we-have-the-absolute-certainty-there-s-something-inside-us/) [Hubert Selby, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-selby-jr/) > [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [You should never feel lonely, neglected, fearful, or defeated when you remember that there are the shining ones. They are watching with keen interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flower-a-newhouse/you-should-never-feel-lonely-neglected-fearful-or-defeated-when-you/) [Flower A. Newhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flower-a-newhouse/) > [Hark the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the new-born king.' Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wesley/hark-the-herald-angels-sing-glory-to-the-new-born-king-peace-on-earth/) [Charles Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wesley/) > [Man was created a little lower than the angels and has been getting a little lower ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/man-was-created-a-little-lower-than-the-angels-and-has-been-getting-a/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Mooner was walking around laying his hands on the cars, divining karma. "this is it", he said, standing by a small khaki-colored jeep."this car…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/mooner-was-walking-around-laying-his-hands-on-the-cars-divining-karma/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) [Browse all 4,625 Angel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angel/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I believe it's true that there's good and evil in everyone and it's a constant struggle to have your better angels prevail.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Friedkin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/i-believe-it-s-true-that-there-s-good-and-evil-in-everyone-and-it-s-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Angel" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/i-believe-it-s-true-that-there-s-good-and-evil-in-everyone-and-it-s-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/william-friedkin-10094_angel_i-believe-it-s-true-that-there-s-good-an_12541.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/william-friedkin-10094_angel_i-believe-it-s-true-that-there-s-good-an_12541.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/william-friedkin-10094_angel_i-believe-it-s-true-that-there-s-good-an_12541.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I believe it's true that there's good and evil in everyone and it's a constant struggle to have your better…” — William Friedkin", "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": "William Friedkin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I believe it's true that there's...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/i-believe-it-s-true-that-there-s-good-and-evil-in-everyone-and-it-s-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/i-believe-it-s-true-that-there-s-good-and-evil-in-everyone-and-it-s-a/#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 } } ] } ```