A person who has chosen evil is to a certain extent better than who was forced to good.
The quote from Anthony Burgess's "A Clockwork Orange" suggests that the moral choices a person makes hold significant value. According to this perspective, an individual who willingly chooses evil demonstrates a degree of autonomy and personal agency, which has its own merit. This person's decision acknowledges a fundamental human capacity for choice, even if the choice is deemed negative.
In contrast, a person who is compelled to perform good acts lacks this freedom of choice, raising questions about the authenticity of their morality. Such coercion may lead to a façade of virtue without the underlying conscience that comes from making a deliberate, moral decision. Thus, the essence of morality may be intertwined with the concept of choice, making free will integral to ethical behavior.
