“What would your good do if evil didn't exist, and what would the earth look like if all the shadows disappeared?”

—  Mikhail Bulgakov

Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "What would your good do if evil didn't exist, and what would the earth look like if all the shadows disappeared?" by Mikhail Bulgakov?
Mikhail Bulgakov photo
Mikhail Bulgakov 63
Russian author primarily known for his novel "Master and Ma… 1891–1940

Related quotes

Dinesh D'Souza photo

“Imagine the unimaginable… What would the world look like if America did not exist?”

Dinesh D'Souza (1961) Indian-American political commentator, filmmaker, author

Documentary films, America: Imagine the World Without Her (2014)

Walt Disney photo

“Life is composed of lights and shadows, and we would be untruthful, insincere, and saccharine if we tried to pretend there were no shadows. Most things are good, and they are the strongest things; but there are evil things too, and you are not doing a child a favor by trying to shield him from reality. The important thing is to teach a child that good can always triumph over evil, and that is what our pictures attempt to do.”

Walt Disney (1901–1966) American film producer and businessman

Deeds Rather Than Words (1963)
Context: I don't believe in playing down to children, either in life or in motion pictures. I didn't treat my own youngsters like fragile flowers, and I think no parent should.
Children are people, and they should have to reach to learn about things, to understand things, just as adults have to reach if they want to grow in mental stature. Life is composed of lights and shadows, and we would be untruthful, insincere, and saccharine if we tried to pretend there were no shadows. Most things are good, and they are the strongest things; but there are evil things too, and you are not doing a child a favor by trying to shield him from reality. The important thing is to teach a child that good can always triumph over evil, and that is what our pictures attempt to do.

Steven Wright photo

“What would a chair look like if your knees bent the other way?”

Steven Wright (1955) American actor and author

“Definition of Good and Evil: Good is what you like. Evil is what you don't like.”

Anton LaVey book The Devil's Notebook

The Devil's Notebook (1992)

Ben Gibbard photo

“As the flashbulbs burst she holds a smile Like someone would hold a crying child Soon everybody will ask what became of you
Your heart was dying fast and you didn't know what to do.”

Ben Gibbard (1976) American singer, songwriter and guitarist

Cath…
Narrow Stairs (2008)

James Brown photo

“To make it in life, you and your wife need to be in the same business. That has been my problem all along. My wives didn't know what I was doing. I would come back home from the road to a stranger. That's no good.”

James Brown (1933–2006) American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist

Brown, J. & Tucker, B. (2003). James Brown: The Godfather of Soul, p. 266. Thunder's Mouth Press: New York. ISBN 1-56025-388-6

“Here are a few questions to stir your vision: Why does your organization exist? What can your organization be the best in the world at? If you could do only one thing, what would it be? If you left your organization tomorrow, what would you hope would continue forever? What breaks your heart, keeps you awake at night, wrecks you?”

Craig Groeschel (1967) American priest

It – How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It (2008, Zondervan)

Jane Roberts photo

“If you would have some idea of what the probable universe is like, then examine your own dreams, looking for those events which do not have any strong resemblances to the physical events of waking existence. Look for dream individuals with whom you are not acquainted in normally conscious life. Look for landscapes that appear bizarre or alien, for all of these exist somewhere. You have perceived them. They do not exist in the space you know but neither are they non-existant (sic), mere imaginative toys of the dreaming mind, without substance.”

Jane Roberts (1929–1984) American Writer

Source: Seth, Dreams & Projections of Consciousness, (1986), p. 305-306, quoting from Session 235

“It would certainly be better if a writer like Leacock knew always what was best to do and what would look best in the eyes of posterity, but such unnatural foresight cannot be required of any man.”

Robertson Davies book A Voice from the Attic

A Voice from the Attic (1960)

Jordan Peterson photo

“What does opening your eyes and realizing your vulnerability have to do with the knowledge of good and evil?”

Jordan Peterson (1962) Canadian clinical psychologist, cultural critic, and professor of psychology

Here's the key: You know you're vulnerable. No other animal knows that. You know what hurts you, because you're vulnerable. And now that you know what hurts you, you can figure out what hurts someone else. And as soon as you know what can hurt someone as, and you can use that, then you have the knowledge of good and evil. Well it's a pretty good trick that the snake pulled because it doesn't seem like the thing that we would have exactly wanted if we knew what the consequence was going to be. As soon as a human being is self conscious and aware of his nakedness, then he has the capacity for evil. That's introduced into the world right at that point."
Concepts

Related topics