Q0512
“Imaginary evil is romantic and varied; real evil is gloomy, monotonous, barren,…” — Simone Weil (Gravity and Grace)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Gravity and Grace. Theme: being.
English
Imaginary evil is romantic and varied; real evil is gloomy, monotonous, barren, boring.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Gravity and Grace and files it under Religious Existentialism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Simone Weil
Simone Weil (1909–1943) was a French philosopher, mystic, and political activist who taught, worked in factories, and engaged labor and anti-fascist causes. A brilliant Normalienne, she sought experiential solidarity with the oppressed.
How to read this passage
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Paul Tillich and Avicenna), being is framed through Africana Philosophy and Religious Existentialism. Some passages define being; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through being, attention.
Concepts in this quote
- Being
- Being appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat being as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
- Attention
- Attention appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat attention as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Simone Weil. (n.d.). Imaginary evil is romantic and varied; real evil is gloomy, monotonous, barren, boring. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0512
MLA: Simone Weil. “Imaginary evil is romantic and varied; real evil….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0512.
Chicago: Simone Weil. “Imaginary evil is romantic and varied; real evil….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0512.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Imaginary evil is romantic and varied; real evil…”?
The passage is attributed to Simone Weil, Gravity and Grace. The archive attributes this English wording to Gravity and Grace and files it under Religious Existentialism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Simone Weil mean by being?
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Paul Tillich and Avicenna), being is framed through Africana Philosophy and Religious Existentialism. Some passages define being; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through being, attention.