--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a rule, beaten, tormented, and…" description: "\"“As a rule, beaten, tormented, and humiliated children who have never received support from a helping witness later develop a high degree of tolerance ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/alice-miller-3713_children_as-a-rule-beaten-tormented-and-humiliate_2195996.jpg" --- # As a rule, beaten, tormented, and humiliated children who… ![“As a rule, beaten, tormented, and humiliated children who have never received support from a helping witness later develop a high degree of tolerance for the cruelties perpetrated by parent figures and a remarkable indifference to the sufferings borne by children exposed to inhumane treatment. The…” quote by Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/alice-miller-3713_children_as-a-rule-beaten-tormented-and-humiliate_2195996.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/alice-miller-3713_children_as-a-rule-beaten-tormented-and-humiliate_2195996.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/alice-miller-3713_children_as-a-rule-beaten-tormented-and-humiliate_2195996.jpg) > ““As a rule, beaten, tormented, and humiliated children who have never received support from a helping witness later develop a high degree of tolerance for the cruelties perpetrated by parent figures and a remarkable indifference to the sufferings borne by children exposed to inhumane treatment. The last thing they wish to be told is that they themselves once belonged to the same group. Indifference is a way of preserving them from opening their eyes to reality. In this way they become advocates of evil, however convinced they may be of their humane intentions. From an early age they were forced to suppress and ignore their true feelings. They were forced to put their trust not in those feelings but solely in the regulations imposed on them by their parents, their teachers, and the church authorities. Now the tasks facing them in their adult lives leave them no time to perceive their own feelings, unless those feelings happen to fit in precisely with the patriarchal value system in which they live and which prescribes compassion for the father, however destructive and dangerous he may be. The more comprehensive a tyrant's catalogue of crimes is, the more he can count on tolerance, provided his admirers are hermetically closed off from access to the suffering of their own childhood.”” [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early trauma can produce a tolerance for cruelty, leading individuals to become indifferent or even supportive of oppression. **In simple terms:** Trauma can make people indifferent to suffering and support oppression. Key Takeaway Beware how early suffering can shape harmful tolerance. Themes trauma indifference oppression Mood somber thoughtful Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - childhood abuse - authoritarian regimes - family dynamics - social activism Key Concepts psychological conditioning moral disengagement Questions to Reflect On - What early experiences shape your moral compass? - Can empathy be rebuilt after trauma? A Different Perspective Tolerance may be a coping mechanism, not moral endorsement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Indifference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indifference/) [True feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-feelings/) [Value system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value-system/) ## Related quotes > [If I remember the suffering of my childhood and youth, it could make me sad. But if one thinks of the benefits, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suharto/if-i-remember-the-suffering-of-my-childhood-and-youth-it-could-make/) [Suharto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suharto/) > [If you sit kids down, hour after hour, doing low-grade clerical work, don't be surprised if they start to fidget. 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The last thing they wish to be told is that they themselves once belonged to the same group. Indifference is a way of preserving them from opening their eyes to reality. In this way they become advocates of evil, however convinced they may be of their humane intentions. From an early age they were forced to suppress and ignore their true feelings. They were forced to put their trust not in those feelings but solely in the regulations imposed on them by their parents, their teachers, and the church authorities. Now the tasks facing them in their adult lives leave them no time to perceive their own feelings, unless those feelings happen to fit in precisely with the patriarchal value system in which they live and which prescribes compassion for the father, however destructive and dangerous he may be. 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