Q0516
“The evil we do is obscured and embellished by imagination.” — Simone Weil (Gravity and Grace)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Gravity and Grace. Theme: self.
English
The evil we do is obscured and embellished by imagination.
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
To ask about the self is to ask what persists through experience, what can be known from the first-person point of view, and how character is formed. Some traditions treat the self as a substantial soul; others as a stream of experience, a social role, or a practical center of agency. This passage enters that discussion through self.
Concepts in this quote
- Self
- Philosophy quotes about self explore identity, responsibility, and the examined life—from Socrates’ unexamined life to modern phenomenology and existential authenticity.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Simone Weil. (n.d.). The evil we do is obscured and embellished by imagination. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0516
MLA: Simone Weil. “The evil we do is obscured and embellished….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0516.
Chicago: Simone Weil. “The evil we do is obscured and embellished….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0516.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “The evil we do is obscured and embellished…”?
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 self?
To ask about the self is to ask what persists through experience, what can be known from the first-person point of view, and how character is formed. Some traditions treat the self as a substantial soul; others as a stream of experience, a social role, or a practical center of agency. This passage enters that discussion through self.