It may not be nice to be good, 6655321. It may be horrible to be good. And when I say that to you I realize how self-contradictory that sounds. I know I shall have many sleepless nights about this. What does God want? Does God want goodness or the choice of goodness? Is a man who chooses the bad perhaps in some way better than a man who has the good imposed upon him?
The quote from Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange reflects the complex nature of morality and choice. It suggests that being good might not always be a pleasant experience and raises questions about the nature of goodness itself. The idea that it might be "horrible" to be good indicates that moral choices often come with difficulties and challenges that can lead to internal conflict.
Moreover, the quote dives into the philosophical debate about free will versus imposed goodness. By questioning whether God desires inherent goodness or the freedom to choose it, Burgess highlights the tension between moral obligation and individual agency. This raises an intriguing point: does the act of choosing to do bad hold a deeper significance than simply being conditioned to behave well? Such reflections provoke thought about the essence of humanity and ethical behavior.
