Sympathy Quotes | Beyond Motive

top of page

Sympathy Quotes

"If there was less sympathy in the world, there would be less trouble in the world."

"If there was less sympathy in the world, there would be less trouble in the world."

Oscar Wilde, Irish Dramatist

Sympathy, Trouble, World

91

"Children, even infants, are capable of sympathy. But only after adolescence are we capable of compassion."

"Children, even infants, are capable of sympathy. But only after adolescence are we capable of compassion."

Louise J. Kaplan, American Psychoanalyst

Sympathy, Adolescence, Children, Compassion

52

"The novelist must look on humanity without partiality or prejudice. His sympathy, like that of the historian, must be unbounded, and untainted by sect or party."

"The novelist must look on humanity without partiality or prejudice. His sympathy, like that of the historian, must be unbounded, and untainted by sect or party."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

Sympathy, Humanity, Party, Prejudice

49

"The more sympathy you give, the less you need."

"The more sympathy you give, the less you need."

Malcolm Forbes, American Publisher

47

"Our sympathy is cold to the relation of distant misery."

"Our sympathy is cold to the relation of distant misery."

Edward Gibbon, English Historian

Sympathy, Misery

46

"Families with babies and families without babies are sorry for each other."

"Families with babies and families without babies are sorry for each other."

Edgar Watson Howe, American Editor

Sympathy, Babies

44

"And whoever walks a furlong without sympathy walks to his own funeral drest in his shroud."

"And whoever walks a furlong without sympathy walks to his own funeral drest in his shroud."

Walt Whitman, American Poet

44

"Sympathy is something that shouldn't be bestowed upon the Yankees. Apparently it angers them."

"Sympathy is something that shouldn't be bestowed upon the Yankees. Apparently it angers them."

Bob Feller, American Athlete

41

"Sympathy is the first condition of criticism."

"Sympathy is the first condition of criticism."

Henri Frederic Amiel, Swiss Philosopher

Sympathy, Criticism, First

39

"The humanitarian lays stress almost solely upon breadth of knowledge and sympathy."

"The humanitarian lays stress almost solely upon breadth of knowledge and sympathy."

Irving Babbitt, American Critic

Sympathy, Knowledge, Stress

39

"To desire and expect nothing for oneself and to have profound sympathy for others is genuine holiness."

"To desire and expect nothing for oneself and to have profound sympathy for others is genuine holiness."

Ivan Turgenev, Russian Novelist

Sympathy, Desire, Holiness, Nothing

38

"There is something so awe-inspiring in great afflictions that even in the worst times the first emotion of a crowd has generally been to sympathise with the sufferer in a great catastrophe."

"There is something so awe-inspiring in great afflictions that even in the worst times the first emotion of a crowd has generally been to sympathise with the sufferer in a great catastrophe."

Alexandre Dumas, French Dramatist

Sympathy, Affliction, Emotion, Humanity

38

"Some of the people we feel sorry for feel sorry for us for thinking that they are the ones who should be felt sorry for."

"Some of the people we feel sorry for feel sorry for us for thinking that they are the ones who should be felt sorry for."

Mokokoma Mokhonoana, South African Philosopher

Sympathy, Truth, Regret, Life, Happiness

38

"I'm in total sympathy with Dick Smith's sentiments; I only wish there were grounds for saying we Australians would never tolerate such appalling treatment of refugees being carried out in our name."

"I'm in total sympathy with Dick Smith's sentiments; I only wish there were grounds for saying we Australians would never tolerate such appalling treatment of refugees being carried out in our name."

Hugh Mackay, Australian Psychologist

Sympathy, Being, Name, Saying

37

"Recognition of belligerency as an expression of sympathy is all very well."

"Recognition of belligerency as an expression of sympathy is all very well."

Henry Cabot Lodge, American Politician

Sympathy, Expression

37

"California must be all American or all Chinese. We are resolved that it shall be American, and are prepared to make it so. May we not rely upon your sympathy and assistance?"

"California must be all American or all Chinese. We are resolved that it shall be American, and are prepared to make it so. May we not rely upon your sympathy and assistance?"

Denis Kearney, American Politician

37

"We must not permit our respect for the dead or our sympathy for the living to lead us into an act of injustice to the balance of the living."

"We must not permit our respect for the dead or our sympathy for the living to lead us into an act of injustice to the balance of the living."

Davy Crockett, American Explorer

Sympathy, Act, Balance, Injustice

36

"Interest does not tie nations together; it sometimes separates them. But sympathy and understanding does unite them."

"Interest does not tie nations together; it sometimes separates them. But sympathy and understanding does unite them."

Woodrow Wilson, American President

Sympathy, Interest, Nations, Understanding

36

"It is in our faults and failings, not in our virtues, that we touch each other, and find sympathy. It is in our follies that we are one."

"It is in our faults and failings, not in our virtues, that we touch each other, and find sympathy. It is in our follies that we are one."

Jerome K. Jerome, English Author

Sympathy, Faults

35

"My guitar was loud as hell, and I had no sympathy for anybody else."

"My guitar was loud as hell, and I had no sympathy for anybody else."

Brownie McGhee, American Musician

Sympathy, Guitar, Hell

35

"The true humanist maintains a just balance between sympathy and selection."

"The true humanist maintains a just balance between sympathy and selection."

Irving Babbitt, American Critic

Sympathy, Balance

34

"Although I'm Australian, I find myself much more in sympathy with the Austrian version!"

"Although I'm Australian, I find myself much more in sympathy with the Austrian version!"

David Chalmers, American Philosopher

34

"Deliberately seek opportunities for kindness, sympathy, and patience."

"Deliberately seek opportunities for kindness, sympathy, and patience."

Evelyn Underhill, English Writer

Sympathy, Kindness, Patience

34

"Sympathy is charming, but it does not make up for pain."

"Sympathy is charming, but it does not make up for pain."

Lillie Langtry, British Actress

34

"He bit his lip in a manner which immediately awakened my maternal sympathy, and I helped him bite it."

"He bit his lip in a manner which immediately awakened my maternal sympathy, and I helped him bite it."

S. J. Perelman, American Writer

34

"All sympathy not consistent with acknowledged virtue is but disguised selfishness."

"All sympathy not consistent with acknowledged virtue is but disguised selfishness."

Samuel Taylor Coleridge, English Poet

Sympathy, Virtue, Selfishness

33

"Because I select my players from a feeling that comes to me when I am with them, a certain sympathy you might call it, or a vibration that exists between us that convinces me they are right."

"Because I select my players from a feeling that comes to me when I am with them, a certain sympathy you might call it, or a vibration that exists between us that convinces me they are right."

Erich von Stroheim, Austrian Actor

Sympathy, Feeling, Right

33

"They weren't impatient for the boys to turn into cartoons again. They awarded sympathy, gave compassion. Because deep down they had found parts of themselves in the characters. You said it George."

"They weren't impatient for the boys to turn into cartoons again. They awarded sympathy, gave compassion. Because deep down they had found parts of themselves in the characters. You said it George."

Audrey Meadows, American Actress

Sympathy, Boys, Cartoons, Compassion

32

"I have the greatest sympathy with the growth of the socialist party. I think they understand the evils that surround us and hammer them into people's minds better than we Liberals."

"I have the greatest sympathy with the growth of the socialist party. I think they understand the evils that surround us and hammer them into people's minds better than we Liberals."

Charles E. Trevelyan, British Politician

Sympathy, People, Growth, Liberals

32

"I joined the Party definitely in 1923 after having already been in sympathy with it before."

"I joined the Party definitely in 1923 after having already been in sympathy with it before."

Fritz Sauckel, German Soldier

Sympathy, Party

32

"A crowd always thinks with its sympathy, never with its reason."

"A crowd always thinks with its sympathy, never with its reason."

William R. Alger, American Writer

Sympathy, Reason

32

"We do not learn by inference and deduction and the application of mathematics to philosophy, but by direct intercourse and sympathy."

"We do not learn by inference and deduction and the application of mathematics to philosophy, but by direct intercourse and sympathy."

Richard M. Nixon, American President

Sympathy, Mathematics, Philosophy

32

"More negatives write than call. It's a cheap shot for me to go on the air with the critical letters or E-mail I get because the reaction of the listeners is always an instantaneous expression of sympathy for me and contempt for the poor critic."

"More negatives write than call. It's a cheap shot for me to go on the air with the critical letters or E-mail I get because the reaction of the listeners is always an instantaneous expression of sympathy for me and contempt for the poor critic."

John Hall, American Politician

Sympathy, Contempt, Expression, Letters

31

"Motherhood is at its best when the tender chords of sympathy have been touched."

"Motherhood is at its best when the tender chords of sympathy have been touched."

Paul Harris, American Entertainer

Sympathy, Motherhood

31

"Criticism in the universities, I'll have to admit, has entered a phase where I am totally out of sympathy with 95% of what goes on. It's Stalinism without Stalin."

"Criticism in the universities, I'll have to admit, has entered a phase where I am totally out of sympathy with 95% of what goes on. It's Stalinism without Stalin."

Harold Bloom, American Critic

Sympathy, Criticism

30

"I would rather be kept alive in the efficient if cold altruism of a large hospital than expire in a gush of warm sympathy in a small one."

"I would rather be kept alive in the efficient if cold altruism of a large hospital than expire in a gush of warm sympathy in a small one."

Aneurin Bevan, Welsh Politician

Sympathy, Altruism

30

"We were united not only by political respect for each other, but also by deep mutual sympathy as people."

"We were united not only by political respect for each other, but also by deep mutual sympathy as people."

Helmut Kohl, German Politician

Sympathy, People, Deep, Respect

30

"Children require guidance and sympathy far more than instruction."

"Children require guidance and sympathy far more than instruction."

Anne Sullivan, American Educator

Sympathy, Children, Guidance

29

"The community stagnates without the impulse of the individual. The impulse dies away without the sympathy of the community."

"The community stagnates without the impulse of the individual. The impulse dies away without the sympathy of the community."

William James, American Philosopher

Sympathy, Community

29

"It's no good being nice and young and naive. There's no good in that at all. You've got to do it all yourself, and you've gotta learn quick. And you can't look for sympathy either."

"It's no good being nice and young and naive. There's no good in that at all. You've got to do it all yourself, and you've gotta learn quick. And you can't look for sympathy either."

Johnny Rotten, English Musician

Sympathy, Being, Quick

29

"It is the right of our people to organize to oppose any law and any part of the Constitution with which they are not in sympathy."

"It is the right of our people to organize to oppose any law and any part of the Constitution with which they are not in sympathy."

Alfred E. Smith, American Politician

Sympathy, People, Constitution, Law

29

"I learnt pity, sympathy, and what it was like to be at the other end of the stick. Such lessons can't be learnt in lecture halls."

"I learnt pity, sympathy, and what it was like to be at the other end of the stick. Such lessons can't be learnt in lecture halls."

Lionel Blue, British Clergyman

Sympathy, End, Pity

29

"Sympathy for victims is always counter-balanced by an equal and opposite feeling of resentment towards them."

"Sympathy for victims is always counter-balanced by an equal and opposite feeling of resentment towards them."

Ben Elton, British Comedian

Sympathy, Feeling, Resentment, Victims

29

"Autumn wins you best by this its mute appeal to sympathy for its decay."

"Autumn wins you best by this its mute appeal to sympathy for its decay."

Robert Browning, English Poet

Sympathy, Autumn

28

"There's no greater way to gain an audience's sympathy than by being unfortunate."

"There's no greater way to gain an audience's sympathy than by being unfortunate."

Seth Green, American Actor

Sympathy, Being, Gain

28

"I take people very seriously. People are all I take seriously, in fact. Therefore, I have nothing but sympathy for how people behave - and nothing but laughter to console them with."

"I take people very seriously. People are all I take seriously, in fact. Therefore, I have nothing but sympathy for how people behave - and nothing but laughter to console them with."

John Irving, American Novelist

Sympathy, People, Fact, Laughter

27

"I have a theory because I was being beaten up a lot by people outside of school, it was almost like if I could make myself sick enough they'd take sympathy on me."

"I have a theory because I was being beaten up a lot by people outside of school, it was almost like if I could make myself sick enough they'd take sympathy on me."

Daniel Johns, Australian Musician

Sympathy, People, Being, School

26

"September 11th was a moment when America had the sympathy of the world."

"September 11th was a moment when America had the sympathy of the world."

Tom Ford, American Designer

Sympathy, America, World

26

"A creative element is surely present in all great systems, and it does not seem possible that all sympathy or fundamental attitudes of will can be entirely eliminated from any human philosophy."

"A creative element is surely present in all great systems, and it does not seem possible that all sympathy or fundamental attitudes of will can be entirely eliminated from any human philosophy."

Morris Raphael Cohen, Russian Philosopher

Sympathy, Philosophy, Present, Will

26

"There's a certain amount of sympathy here for the Bush administration's problem, which is they would like to get rid of Saddam Hussein and they would like to have the Kurds autonomous."

"There's a certain amount of sympathy here for the Bush administration's problem, which is they would like to get rid of Saddam Hussein and they would like to have the Kurds autonomous."

Les Aspin, American Politician

25

bottom of page