Andrew Sullivan has this fine quote on the opening night of Return of the King:
"Evil, that is, has every advantage but one--it is inferior in imagination. Good can imagine the possibility of becoming evil--hence the refusal of Gandalf and Aragorn to use the Ring--but Evil, defiantly chosen, can no longer imagine anything but itself. Sauron cannot imagine any motives except lust for domination and fear so that, when he has learned that his enemies have the Ring, the thought that they might try to destroy it never enters his head, and his eye is kept toward Gondor and away from Mordor and the Mount of Doom." - W. H. AudenAnd here are good and evil, separated at birth.

Hat tip to Big Arm Woman.

