Most of us have learned to be dispassionate about evil, to look it in the face and find, as often as not, our own grinning reflections with which we do not argue, but good is another matter. Few have stared at that long enough to accept that its face too is grotesque, that in us the good is something under construction. The modes of evil usually receive worthy expression. The modes of good have to be satisfied with a cliche or a smoothing down that will soften their real look.

Summary

This quote explores the disparity in how society views and represents evil compared to good. It suggests that we have become desensitized to evil, accepting it as a familiar part of ourselves. Conversely, the concept of good is not fully comprehended, constantly evolving, and rarely represented authentically. Evil is often depicted in vivid detail, while representations of good are often oversimplified and lacking depth. The quote urges us to recognize that good is a complex and flawed concept, still in the process of being developed within each individual.