---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Orphans are easier to ignore before you…"
description: "\"Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names; but once you know, everything changes.\" — David Platt"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d8/david-platt-1251_easier_orphans-are-easier-to-ignore-before-you_749487.png"
---

#  Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names…

![“Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names; but once you know, everything changes.” quote by David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d8/david-platt-1251_easier_orphans-are-easier-to-ignore-before-you_749487.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d8/david-platt-1251_easier_orphans-are-easier-to-ignore-before-you_749487.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d8/david-platt-1251_easier_orphans-are-easier-to-ignore-before-you_749487.png)

> “Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names; but once you know, everything changes.”

[David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Knowing a person's identity creates empathy and responsibility, shifting perception from abstract to personal.

**In simple terms:** Names create empathy.

Key Takeaway

Recognize individuals to act compassionately.

Themes

empathy responsibility identity

Mood

reflective compassionate

Type

ethical motivational

When to use this quote

- charitable work
- community outreach
- personal relationships

Key Concepts

human connection social awareness

Questions to Reflect On

- How does personal knowledge alter your actions?
- What barriers keep you from learning others' stories?

A Different Perspective

Ignoring names can still perpetuate systemic neglect.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Easier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easier/) [Ignore Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignore-know-2024845/) [Know Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-names-289159/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Names Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names-know-822657/) [Orphan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orphan/) [Orphans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orphans/) [Orphans Easier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orphans-easier-3411050/) [Things change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-change/)

## Related quotes

> [We learned that orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/we-learned-that-orphans-are-easier-to-ignore-before-you-know-their/)

[David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

> [When you find somewhere that's the best place to be, you kind of ignore everything else, you know what I mean?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-bellingham/when-you-find-somewhere-that-s-the-best-place-to-be-you-kind-of/)

[Jude Bellingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-bellingham/)

> [“Trust what feels true even if that truth requires you to ignore what you know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-greenlee/trust-what-feels-true-even-if-that-truth-requires-you-to-ignore-what/)

[Gina Greenlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-greenlee/)

> [When something comes to my brain, I don't ignore it. You never know what it's going to turn into.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kacey-musgraves/when-something-comes-to-my-brain-i-don-t-ignore-it-you-never-know/)

[Kacey Musgraves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kacey-musgraves/)

> [There are none so blind as those who will not see. The most deluded people are those who choose to ignore what they already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-none-so-blind-as-those-who-will-not-see-the-most-deluded/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When you're in your twenties in a new city where no one's from here, we're all sort of orphans. The only people that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-in-a-new-city-where-no-one-s-from-here/)

[Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/)

> [Is this a generation of orphans who are going to the improv to do stand-up?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/is-this-a-generation-of-orphans-who-are-going-to-the-improv-to-do/)

[Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/)

> [Houses of evil similarity appeared like rows of disciplined, humiliated orphans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hardwick/houses-of-evil-similarity-appeared-like-rows-of-disciplined/)

[Elizabeth Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hardwick/)

> [I've never had much sympathy for orphans, I mean, when I was their age I would have killed to have no parents to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-ve-never-had-much-sympathy-for-orphans-i-mean-when-i-was-their-age/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [There are orphans who can be cared for; but this some will not venture to undertake; for it brings them more work than they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/there-are-orphans-who-can-be-cared-for-but-this-some-will-not-venture/)

[Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/)

> [I write sets of books, but I've also written a lot of orphans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-abbey/i-write-sets-of-books-but-i-ve-also-written-a-lot-of-orphans/)

[Lynn Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-abbey/)

> [Without me, rap is just a bunch of orphans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/without-me-rap-is-just-a-bunch-of-orphans/)

[Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/)

> [Wow. What'd he do to deserve that? Rescue orphans from a burning building? If so, you might want to make sure he didn't set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/wow-what-d-he-do-to-deserve-that-rescue-orphans-from-a-burning/)

[Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/)

> [Your God loves your people and hates mine; he folds his strong arms lovingly around the white man and leads him as a father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-seattle/your-god-loves-your-people-and-hates-mine-he-folds-his-strong-arms/)

[Chief Seattle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-seattle/)

> [We tend to think of orphans as being the protagonist of stories we read when we're kids, and yet here you are: you're an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/we-tend-to-think-of-orphans-as-being-the-protagonist-of-stories-we/)

[Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/)

## More by David Platt

> [Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/every-saved-person-this-side-of-heaven-owes-the-gospel-to-every-lost/)

[David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

> [He (Jesus) came so that we might receive new life through supernatural regeneration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/he-jesus-came-so-that-we-might-receive-new-life-through-supernatural/)

[David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

> [The road that leads to heaven is risky, lonely, and costly in this world, and few are willing to pay the price. Following Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/the-road-that-leads-to-heaven-is-risky-lonely-and-costly-in-this/)

[David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

> [Some people think that if they will do certain things, they will somehow earn the favor of God, but this misses the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/some-people-think-that-if-they-will-do-certain-things-they-will/)

[David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

> [What if the word of God was enough to inspire passionate worship among his people?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/what-if-the-word-of-god-was-enough-to-inspire-passionate-worship/)

[David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

> [May even the concept of unreached peoples be totally intolerable to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/may-even-the-concept-of-unreached-peoples-be-totally-intolerable-to-us/)

[David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

> [“Disciples like Peter, Andrew, James, and John show us that the call to follow Jesus is not simply an invitation to pray a prayer;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/disciples-like-peter-andrew-james-and-john-show-us-that-the-call-to/)

[David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

> [A materialistic world will not be won to Christ by a materialistic church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/a-materialistic-world-will-not-be-won-to-christ-by-a-materialistic/)

[David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

> [“Note the contrast, however, when you diagnose the problem biblically. The modern-day gospel says, “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/note-the-contrast-however-when-you-diagnose-the-problem-biblically/)

[David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

> [And ultimately, If you sin against an infinitely holy and eternal God, you are infinitely guilty and worthy of eternal punishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/and-ultimately-if-you-sin-against-an-infinitely-holy-and-eternal-god/)

[David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

> [Instead of trying to conquer sin by working hard to change our actions, we can conquer sin by trusting Christ to change our affections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/instead-of-trying-to-conquer-sin-by-working-hard-to-change-our/)

[David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

> [Jesus came to live the life we could not live and to die the death we deserve to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/jesus-came-to-live-the-life-we-could-not-live-and-to-die-the-death-we/)

[David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

> [The Bible clearly reminds us that left to ourselves, we would be lost forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/the-bible-clearly-reminds-us-that-left-to-ourselves-we-would-be-lost/)

[David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

> [The boss says that games in hand are no good unless you turn them into points. What he's getting at is that games in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/the-boss-says-that-games-in-hand-are-no-good-unless-you-turn-them/)

[David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

> [God beckons storm clouds and they come. He tells the wind to blow and the rain to fall, and they obey immediately. He speaks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/god-beckons-storm-clouds-and-they-come-he-tells-the-wind-to-blow-and/)

[David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

[Explore all 266 David Platt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

## More Easier quotes

> [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/)

[Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/)

> [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/)

[Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/)

> [I think hair gel was invented to make it easier to identify assholes from a distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-think-hair-gel-was-invented-to-make-it-easier-to-identify-assholes/)

[Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/)

> [It is easier to say you're mad, rather than admitting you're hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-easier-to-say-you-re-mad-rather-than-admitting-you-re-hurt/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Nothing is easier than yesterday's solutions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-sperry/nothing-is-easier-than-yesterday-s-solutions/)

[Roger Sperry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-sperry/)

> [When you have a cavity in your tooth and you let it get worse, eventually you have to get a root canal. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/when-you-have-a-cavity-in-your-tooth-and-you-let-it-get-worse/)

[Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

> [Generally, I like all islands. There, it is easier to rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/generally-i-like-all-islands-there-it-is-easier-to-rule/)

[Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/)

> [It's funny, everything is so much easier when you do it yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carine-roitfeld/it-s-funny-everything-is-so-much-easier-when-you-do-it-yourself/)

[Carine Roitfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carine-roitfeld/)

> [It is easier to perceive error than to find truth, for the former lies on the surface and is easily seen, while the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/it-is-easier-to-perceive-error-than-to-find-truth-for-the-former-lies/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [I'm truly, 100% guided by the characters and my Muse. If one of the characters suddenly decided to do something very different, I'd just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/i-m-truly-100-guided-by-the-characters-and-my-muse-if-one-of-the/)

[Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/)

> [The easier it is to quantify, the less it's worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-easier-it-is-to-quantify-the-less-it-s-worth/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [“it is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didnt”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-buren/it-is-easier-to-do-a-job-right-than-to-explain-why-you-didnt/)

[Martin Van Buren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-buren/)

> [“Often we find it easier to think our way around things rather than to feel our way through them:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/often-we-find-it-easier-to-think-our-way-around-things-rather-than-to/)

[Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/)

> [I know it is easier said than done, but you have to find a way to surround yourself with positivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-deprince/i-know-it-is-easier-said-than-done-but-you-have-to-find-a-way-to/)

[Michaela DePrince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-deprince/)

> [God puts you where God needs you. You are where you are supposed to be. The job you are doing may not be any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kushner/god-puts-you-where-god-needs-you-you-are-where-you-are-supposed-to-be/)

[Lawrence Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kushner/)

[Browse all 5,480 Easier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easier/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names; but once you know, everything changes.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Platt"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/orphans-are-easier-to-ignore-before-you-know-their-names-but-once-you/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Easier"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/orphans-are-easier-to-ignore-before-you-know-their-names-but-once-you/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d8/david-platt-1251_easier_orphans-are-easier-to-ignore-before-you_749487.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d8/david-platt-1251_easier_orphans-are-easier-to-ignore-before-you_749487.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d8/david-platt-1251_easier_orphans-are-easier-to-ignore-before-you_749487.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names; but once you know, everything changes.” — David Platt",
                "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": "David Platt",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Orphans are easier to ignore before...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/orphans-are-easier-to-ignore-before-you-know-their-names-but-once-you/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/orphans-are-easier-to-ignore-before-you-know-their-names-but-once-you/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
