When it is dark enough, you can see the stars. But the darkness within will always be there, so we as humans must work to see its value in our lives. With so many tortured geniuses in our world, it can be easy to think darkness is a base requirement for greatness. Yet we must be careful not to glorify our demons. They ask us to look a little deeper, and see how this darkness can be channeled into productivity, creativity, and self-reflection. The quotes below challenge common conceptions of the darkness within us. Without it, we would lose perhaps the most binding thing between all humans: our constant struggle against evil and ignorance in ourselves. This is why our own inner darkness is essential in cultivating empathy, and in understanding the mistakes of others. They would just be good, by default, and thus have no understanding or appreciation for the good in others. A person with no darkness inside wouldn’t have to ever choose to be good. In fact, the darkness within is inherently valuable in that it provides the contrast to our light. We often work to repress this part of ourselves, trying in all of our actions to deny they even exist. We see the darkness within us - through our darkest impulses and emotions - and wonder what stops us from acting on them.

Each one of us contains the potential for tremendous acts of cruelty, or kindness. No human being is entirely “good-natured”, or entirely “bad”. The dark side within us has long been a subject of much discussion, debate, and fear.

Darkness within darkness awaits you