--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As painful as it is to receive contempt…" description: "\"“As painful as it is to receive contempt from another, it is more debilitating by far to be filled with contempt for another.”\" — Arbinger Institute" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5e/arbinger-institute-24841_contempt_as-painful-as-it-is-to-receive-contempt_117236.jpg" --- # As painful as it is to receive contempt from another, it… ![“As painful as it is to receive contempt from another, it is more debilitating by far to be filled with contempt for another.” quote by Arbinger Institute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5e/arbinger-institute-24841_contempt_as-painful-as-it-is-to-receive-contempt_117236.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5e/arbinger-institute-24841_contempt_as-painful-as-it-is-to-receive-contempt_117236.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5e/arbinger-institute-24841_contempt_as-painful-as-it-is-to-receive-contempt_117236.jpg) > ““As painful as it is to receive contempt from another, it is more debilitating by far to be filled with contempt for another.”” [Arbinger Institute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arbinger-institute/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Receiving contempt harms, but harboring contempt toward others inflicts deeper psychological damage and erodes relationships. **In simple terms:** Being contemptuous is more harmful than being despised. Key Takeaway Contempt towards others is self‑destructive. Themes psychology relationships emotional health self‑awareness Mood reflective cautionary Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - workplace conflicts - family disputes - online arguments Key Concepts projection emotional intelligence Practical Applications - practice reflective listening - cultivate compassion Questions to Reflect On - What internal triggers lead us to feel contempt? - How can we replace contempt with curiosity? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contempt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contempt/) ## Related quotes > [“He didn’t even look at Lizzie, just stared at Emily, his cold blue eyes filled with such contempt she feared she might cry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bev-pettersen/he-didn-t-even-look-at-lizzie-just-stared-at-emily-his-cold-blue-eyes/) [Bev Pettersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bev-pettersen/) > [“opprobrious term, employed to impose contempt upon”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jabari-asim/opprobrious-term-employed-to-impose-contempt-upon/) [Jabari Asim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jabari-asim/) > [Those with a gift for action, for their part, often express contempt for those whose gifts are more reflective. Men of action like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/those-with-a-gift-for-action-for-their-part-often-express-contempt/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [Every person of any rank in the left, from voter on up to cabinet member to elected official in the Democrat Party, has contempt.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/every-person-of-any-rank-in-the-left-from-voter-on-up-to-cabinet/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Statuettes of drunken sailors, velvet pictures of island maidens, plastic seashell lamps made in Taiwan. What contempt the people who think up souvenirs have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-johnson/statuettes-of-drunken-sailors-velvet-pictures-of-island-maidens/) [Diane Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-johnson/) > [Contempt for an assailant is best shown by bravery in action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/contempt-for-an-assailant-is-best-shown-by-bravery-in-action/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [Much of the same sort of degraded and filthy talk can still be heard among the orc-minded; dreary and repetitive with hatred and contempt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/much-of-the-same-sort-of-degraded-and-filthy-talk-can-still-be-heard/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Unless a man gives himself entirely to the Cross, in a spirit of humility and self-abasement; unless he casts himself down to be trampled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-the-evangelist/unless-a-man-gives-himself-entirely-to-the-cross-in-a-spirit-of/) [Mark the Evangelist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-the-evangelist/) > [Somebody once told me that if you laugh at a George Bush joke, or you send an email cartoon to your friends that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/somebody-once-told-me-that-if-you-laugh-at-a-george-bush-joke-or-you/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [Boasting and bravado may exist in the breast even of the coward, if he is successful through a mere lucky hit; but a just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/boasting-and-bravado-may-exist-in-the-breast-even-of-the-coward-if-he/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [There is no real elevation of mind in a contempt of little things; it is, on the contrary, from too narrow views that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/there-is-no-real-elevation-of-mind-in-a-contempt-of-little-things-it/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [Our security depends on having good relationships with our allies. Donald Trump mainly shows contempt for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/our-security-depends-on-having-good-relationships-with-our-allies/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [The contempt for law and the contempt for the human consequences of lawbreaking go from the bottom to the top of American society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-contempt-for-law-and-the-contempt-for-the-human-consequences-of/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) ## More by Arbinger Institute > [“So if we are going to find lasting solutions to difficult conflicts or external wars we find ourselves in, we first need to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbinger-institute/so-if-we-are-going-to-find-lasting-solutions-to-difficult-conflicts/) [Arbinger Institute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arbinger-institute/) > [“Most wars between individuals are of the 'cold' rather than the 'hot' variety---lingering resentment, for example, grudges long held, resources clutched rather than shared,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbinger-institute/most-wars-between-individuals-are-of-the-cold-rather-than-the-hot/) [Arbinger Institute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arbinger-institute/) > [“...no conflict can be solved so long as all parties are convinced they are right. Solution is possible only when at least one party…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbinger-institute/no-conflict-can-be-solved-so-long-as-all-parties-are-convinced-they/) [Arbinger Institute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arbinger-institute/) > [“But like many who are lonely, I was more preoccupied with others than were those who lived to socialize...Everyone I hated was always with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbinger-institute/but-like-many-who-are-lonely-i-was-more-preoccupied-with-others-than/) [Arbinger Institute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arbinger-institute/) > [“always remember that it is progress, not perfection, you should be looking for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbinger-institute/always-remember-that-it-is-progress-not-perfection-you-should-be/) [Arbinger Institute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arbinger-institute/) > [“My disability was my justification! It was my excuse for failing to engage with the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbinger-institute/my-disability-was-my-justification-it-was-my-excuse-for-failing-to/) [Arbinger Institute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arbinger-institute/) > [“Most problems in life are not solved merely by correction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbinger-institute/most-problems-in-life-are-not-solved-merely-by-correction/) [Arbinger Institute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arbinger-institute/) > [“...when I betray myself, others' faults become immediately inflated in my heart and mind. I begin to 'horribilize' others. That is, I begin to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbinger-institute/when-i-betray-myself-others-faults-become-immediately-inflated-in-my/) [Arbinger Institute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arbinger-institute/) > [“Because if you are the mess, you can clean it. Improvement doesn't depend on others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbinger-institute/because-if-you-are-the-mess-you-can-clean-it-improvement-doesn-t/) [Arbinger Institute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arbinger-institute/) > [“... if I'm sure I'm right, there is little hope of seeing where I am failing. So I keep trying the same old things-”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbinger-institute/if-i-m-sure-i-m-right-there-is-little-hope-of-seeing-where-i-am/) [Arbinger Institute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arbinger-institute/) > [“If we have deep problems, it's because we are failing at the deepest part of the solution. And when we fail at this deepest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbinger-institute/if-we-have-deep-problems-it-s-because-we-are-failing-at-the-deepest/) [Arbinger Institute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arbinger-institute/) > [“If you see people of a particular race or culture as objects, your view of them is racist, whatever your color or lack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbinger-institute/if-you-see-people-of-a-particular-race-or-culture-as-objects-your/) [Arbinger Institute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arbinger-institute/) > [“If we are poor learners, our teaching will be ineffective.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbinger-institute/if-we-are-poor-learners-our-teaching-will-be-ineffective/) [Arbinger Institute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arbinger-institute/) > [“There is a question I have learned to ask myself when I am feeling bothered about others: am I holding myself to the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbinger-institute/there-is-a-question-i-have-learned-to-ask-myself-when-i-am-feeling/) [Arbinger Institute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arbinger-institute/) > [“Seeing an equal person as an inferior object is an act of violence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbinger-institute/seeing-an-equal-person-as-an-inferior-object-is-an-act-of-violence/) [Arbinger Institute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arbinger-institute/) [Explore all 24 Arbinger Institute quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arbinger-institute/) ## More Contempt quotes > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [The contempt for law and the contempt for the human consequences of lawbreaking go from the bottom to the top of American society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-contempt-for-law-and-the-contempt-for-the-human-consequences-of/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Our security depends on having good relationships with our allies. Donald Trump mainly shows contempt for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/our-security-depends-on-having-good-relationships-with-our-allies/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [There is no real elevation of mind in a contempt of little things; it is, on the contrary, from too narrow views that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/there-is-no-real-elevation-of-mind-in-a-contempt-of-little-things-it/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [Boasting and bravado may exist in the breast even of the coward, if he is successful through a mere lucky hit; but a just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/boasting-and-bravado-may-exist-in-the-breast-even-of-the-coward-if-he/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [Somebody once told me that if you laugh at a George Bush joke, or you send an email cartoon to your friends that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/somebody-once-told-me-that-if-you-laugh-at-a-george-bush-joke-or-you/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [Unless a man gives himself entirely to the Cross, in a spirit of humility and self-abasement; unless he casts himself down to be trampled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-the-evangelist/unless-a-man-gives-himself-entirely-to-the-cross-in-a-spirit-of/) [Mark the Evangelist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-the-evangelist/) > [Much of the same sort of degraded and filthy talk can still be heard among the orc-minded; dreary and repetitive with hatred and contempt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/much-of-the-same-sort-of-degraded-and-filthy-talk-can-still-be-heard/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Contempt for an assailant is best shown by bravery in action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/contempt-for-an-assailant-is-best-shown-by-bravery-in-action/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [Statuettes of drunken sailors, velvet pictures of island maidens, plastic seashell lamps made in Taiwan. What contempt the people who think up souvenirs have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-johnson/statuettes-of-drunken-sailors-velvet-pictures-of-island-maidens/) [Diane Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-johnson/) > [Every person of any rank in the left, from voter on up to cabinet member to elected official in the Democrat Party, has contempt.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/every-person-of-any-rank-in-the-left-from-voter-on-up-to-cabinet/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Those with a gift for action, for their part, often express contempt for those whose gifts are more reflective. Men of action like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/those-with-a-gift-for-action-for-their-part-often-express-contempt/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [“opprobrious term, employed to impose contempt upon”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jabari-asim/opprobrious-term-employed-to-impose-contempt-upon/) [Jabari Asim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jabari-asim/) > [Heterosexual intercourse is the pure, formalized expression of contempt for women's bodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-dworkin/heterosexual-intercourse-is-the-pure-formalized-expression-of/) [Andrea Dworkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-dworkin/) [Browse all 1,034 Contempt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contempt/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As painful as it is to receive contempt from another, it is more debilitating by far to be filled with contempt for another.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Arbinger Institute" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbinger-institute/as-painful-as-it-is-to-receive-contempt-from-another-it-is-more/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Contempt" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbinger-institute/as-painful-as-it-is-to-receive-contempt-from-another-it-is-more/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5e/arbinger-institute-24841_contempt_as-painful-as-it-is-to-receive-contempt_117236.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5e/arbinger-institute-24841_contempt_as-painful-as-it-is-to-receive-contempt_117236.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5e/arbinger-institute-24841_contempt_as-painful-as-it-is-to-receive-contempt_117236.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As painful as it is to receive contempt from another, it is more debilitating by far to be filled with…” — Arbinger Institute", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Arbinger Institute", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arbinger-institute/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“As painful as it is to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbinger-institute/as-painful-as-it-is-to-receive-contempt-from-another-it-is-more/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbinger-institute/as-painful-as-it-is-to-receive-contempt-from-another-it-is-more/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```