Tzvetan Todorov Quotes

The worst people on earth are not only those who commit evil, but those who stand by and turn a blind eye

Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.

Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted, the indifference of those who should have known better, the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most, that has made it possible for evil to triumph.

For evil to take place, the acts of a few people are not sufficient; the great majority also has to remain indifferent.

I have no love for those who consider themselves 'good people' but stand idly by as the world crumbles around them. It's not enough to personally not do damage. If you're present as someone else destroys what's around you and you do nothing, you helped them.

The silence of the good people is more dangerous than the brutality of the bad people

Bullies may be the perpetrators of evil, but it is the evil of passivity of all those who know what is happening and never intervene that perpetuates such abuse.

Evil prospers when good men do nothing.

Men are accomplices to that which leaves them indifferent.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

For all the evils in the world, I think apathy is one of the most dangerous.

The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.

The worst sin... is... to be indifferent.

To remain silent and indifferent is the greatest sin of all.

Those who choose not to empathize enable real monsters, for without ever committing an act of outright evil ourselves we collude with it through our apathy.

Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.

Evil prevails when good people do nothing.

Nobody did nothin' to nobody.

'Indifference to evil is equal to evil' because it strengthens people.

Most evil in the world is only partly because of an evil person. Most of it is because of the complicity of bystanders.

I make little distinction between those who commit evil and those who stand by and do nothing.

If moderation is a fault, then indifference is a crime.

To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.

If we sit by and become complacent and put our heads in the sand, we're complicit.

A man may well be condemned, not for doing something, but for doing nothing.