Compassion Quote by Andre P. Brink
““Everything one used to take for granted, with so much certainty that one never even bothered to enquire about it, now turns out to be illusion. Your certainties are proven lies. And what happens if you start probing? Must you learn a wholly new language first? 'Humanity'. Normally one uses it as a synonym for compassion; charity; decency; integrity. 'He is such a human person.' Must one now go in search of an entirely different set of synonyms: cruelty; exploitation; unscrupulousness; or whatever?””
About This Quote
Source Novel: “A Dry White Season” by André Brink, 1979
Assumed certainties often prove false; probing reality may require new language and redefining concepts like humanity, exposing both compassion and its opposites.
In simple terms: Questioning assumptions reveals hidden truths and forces new definitions.
Key Takeaway
Challenge your assumptions and explore deeper meanings.
Themes
philosophy
critical thinking
human nature
truth
language
illusion
Mood
thoughtful
provocative
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- personal introspection
- social activism
Key Concepts
epistemology
ethics
semantic shift
Questions to Reflect On
- What assumptions are you ready to question?
- How does redefining humanity affect your actions?
A Different Perspective
Changing language can be confusing and alienating.
![“Initially, you grasp [knowledge] through the ‘light’ of the intellect and then the understanding arises, and thereafter a state in which there is absence of anger-pride-deceit-greed and attachment-abhorrence arises.” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/69a/dada-bhagwan-31_anger_initially-you-grasp-knowledge-through-th_2573015.jpg)
