A Quote by Friedrich Nietzsche

My brother, are war and battle evil? Necessary, however, is the evil; necessary are the envy and the distrust and the back-biting among the virtues.

Friedrich Nietzsche

Quote Topics

Among Back Battle Biting Brother Distrust Envy Evil However My Brother Necessary Virtues War

Quote Author

Friedrich Nietzsche
German - Philosopher
October 15, 1844 - August 25, 1900

What is evil? Killing is evil, lying is evil, slandering is evil, abuse is evil, gossip is evil, envy is evil, hatred is evil, to cling to false doctrine is evil; all these things are evil. And what is the root of evil? Desire is the root of evil, illusion is the root of evil.

Gautama Buddha

War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other's children.

Jimmy Carter

It may be necessary temporarily to accept a lesser evil, but one must never label a necessary evil as good.

Margaret Mead

It is said that government is a necessary evil, but it is far more evil than it is necessary.

James Cook

Any communitys arm of force - military, police, security - needs people in it who can do necessary evil, and yet not be made evil by it. To do only the necessary and no more. To constantly question the assumptions, to stop the slide into atrocity.

Lois McMaster Bujold

Religion is a by-product of fear. For much of human history it may have been a necessary evil, but why was it more evil than necessary? Isn’t killing people in the name of god a pretty good definition of insanity?

Arthur C. Clarke

I've heard it said that umpires are necessary evil. Well, we are necessary, but we are not evil. We are hard-working and dedicated people whose primary interest is to make sure the game is played fairly. We are the integrity of the game.

Doug Harvey

Once we assuage our conscience by calling something a "necessary evil", it begins to look more and more necessary and less and less evil.

Sydney J. Harris

Politics is a necessary evil, or a necessary annoyance, a necessary conundrum.

P. J. O'Rourke

Most "necessary evils" are far more evil than necessary.

Richard Branson

Doubtless there are times when controversy becomes a necessary evil. But let us remember that it is an evil.

Arthur Penrhyn Stanley

Controversy, though always an evil in itself, is sometimes a necessary evil.

Richard Whately

Psychology doesn't like to talk about evil. It likes to talk about bad childhoods. But I very much believe that some people are evil and motivation is not necessary for evil.