The link is to an essay about how Edmund Burke's quote has been rewritten across the Internet. It then proceeds to dissect what it might actually mean and how the various versions make subtle changes to the meaning.
I was reminded of this famous quote while driving. I was trying to decide if I should listen to The Portable Atheist audiobook or some Christmas music.
As I considered the famous quote, and Christopher Hitchens' compendium of agnostic and/or atheist literature, a modification of Mr. Burke's quote came to me:
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for an omnipotent being to do nothing.I think that about sums it up.
BTW, I chose the Christmas music.
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I'm wondering if you read the article to its ending conclusion: the quote (in all it's forms) is bogus -- Burke never said/wrote it. It seems like an important thing to mention when summarizing the article. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I like your version of the quote for taking it in an unexpected direction.
I'll mash it up with another internet phenomenon: "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for Chuck Norris to do nothing."
:-p
Lucky for us it is impossible for Chuck Norris to do nothing!
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