The common idea that success spoils people by making them vain, egotistic and self-complacent is erroneous; on the contrary it makes them, for the most part, humble, tolerant and kind.
W. Somerset MaughamRead
Evil can be condoned only if in the beyond it is compensated by good and god himself needs immortality to vindicate his ways to man.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Evil may be accepted if ultimate justice is served through good in the afterlife, suggesting a need for divine validation.
In this quote, W. Somerset Maugham explores the complex nature of evil and the moral implications of our choices. He suggests that while evil actions might be tolerable in the short term, their reconciliation comes through the eventual triumph of good in the afterlife. This perspective introduces a divine element, proposing that even God requires immortality to justify and explain the presence of evil in the world to humanity.
Themes
EvilGoodJusticeImmortalityDivinePhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate on morality, one might use this quote to emphasize the balance of good and evil in life.
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I don't think of the past. The only thing that matters is the everlasting present.
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The world is quickly bored by the recital of misfortune, and willing avoids the sight of distress.
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There in the mist, enormous, majestic, silent and terrible, stood the Great Wall of China. Solitarily, with the indifference of nature herself, it crept up the mountain side and slipped down to the depth of the valley.
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