--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nothing that we despise in other men is…" description: "\"“Nothing that we despise in other men is inherently absent from ourselves. We must learn to regard people less in the light of what they do or don't do..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_compassion_nothing-that-we-despise-in-other-men-is_2765877.jpg" --- # Nothing that we despise in other men is inherently absent… ![“Nothing that we despise in other men is inherently absent from ourselves. We must learn to regard people less in the light of what they do or don't do, and more in light of what they suffer.” quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_compassion_nothing-that-we-despise-in-other-men-is_2765877.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_compassion_nothing-that-we-despise-in-other-men-is_2765877.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_compassion_nothing-that-we-despise-in-other-men-is_2765877.jpg) > ““Nothing that we despise in other men is inherently absent from ourselves. We must learn to regard people less in the light of what they do or don't do, and more in light of what they suffer.”” [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We reflect others' suffering; judging by actions alone is incomplete. **In simple terms:** Judge people by their pain, not deeds. Key Takeaway Cultivate empathy. Themes empathy judgment humanity reflection Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - conflict resolution - personal growth - social work Key Concepts psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can you recognize hidden suffering? - What steps foster compassionate judgment? A Different Perspective People may resist acknowledging their own suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Despise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despise/) [Despise Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despise-men-3205780/) [Hypocrisy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hypocrisy/) [Inherently Absent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inherently-absent-3205782/) [Men Inherently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-inherently-3205781/) [Regard People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regard-people-534380/) ## Related quotes > [“Nothing we despise in the other man is entirely absent from ourselves. We must learn to regard people less in the light of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-we-despise-in-the-other-man-is-entirely-absent-from-ourselves/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It is not that I despise men. If I did I should have no right, and no reason, to try to govern.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-yourcenar/it-is-not-that-i-despise-men-if-i-did-i-should-have-no-right-and-no/) [Marguerite Yourcenar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-yourcenar/) > [We must learn to regard people less in light of what they do or omit to do, and more in the light of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/we-must-learn-to-regard-people-less-in-light-of-what-they-do-or-omit/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I think we must be very careful not to make our daughters despise men. For example, there is too much comedy around where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-lipman/i-think-we-must-be-very-careful-not-to-make-our-daughters-despise-men/) [Maureen Lipman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-lipman/) > [I feel that the world is increasingly about the bottom line, and not so much about human respect or human dignity. In that regard,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gilroy/i-feel-that-the-world-is-increasingly-about-the-bottom-line-and-not/) [Dan Gilroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gilroy/) > [“Accordingly, the one respect in which I depart from my younger self is that I now regard those people who have little or no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/accordingly-the-one-respect-in-which-i-depart-from-my-younger-self-is/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [Compassion automatically invites you to relate with people because you no longer regard people as a drain on your energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/compassion-automatically-invites-you-to-relate-with-people-because/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [“It is a shame when we must regard a people as an enemy. 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Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-r-snow/) > [I regard the people as a great being, inspired by a single idea. This is my problem. 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The reason is, quite simply, because in singing together it is possible for them to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/why-do-christians-sing-when-they-are-together-the-reason-is-quite/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [...Gratitude transforms the torment of memory of good things now gone into silent joy. One bears what was lovely in the past not as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/gratitude-transforms-the-torment-of-memory-of-good-things-now-gone/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Only he who believes is obedient and only he who is obedient believes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/only-he-who-believes-is-obedient-and-only-he-who-is-obedient-believes/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Who can really be faithful in great things if he has not learned to be faithful in the things of daily life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/who-can-really-be-faithful-in-great-things-if-he-has-not-learned-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“The church can only defend its own space by fighting, not for space, but for the salvation of the world. Otherwise the church becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-church-can-only-defend-its-own-space-by-fighting-not-for-space/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [There remains an experience of incomparable value . . . to see the great events of world history from below; from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/there-remains-an-experience-of-incomparable-value-to-see-the-great/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“To endure the cross is not a tragedy; it is the suffering which is the fruit of an exclusive allegiance to Jesus Christ. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/to-endure-the-cross-is-not-a-tragedy-it-is-the-suffering-which-is-the/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“There is only one church, the church of faith ruled by the word of Jesus Christ alone. This is the true catholic church that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/there-is-only-one-church-the-church-of-faith-ruled-by-the-word-of/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“As Christians, we needn’t be at all ashamed of some impatience, longing, opposition to what is unnatural, and our full share of desire for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/as-christians-we-needn-t-be-at-all-ashamed-of-some-impatience-longing/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Those who love their dream of a Christian community more than the Christian community itself become destroyers of that Christian community even though their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/those-who-love-their-dream-of-a-christian-community-more-than-the/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“From now on there can be no more wars of faith. The only way to overcome our enemy is by loving him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/from-now-on-there-can-be-no-more-wars-of-faith-the-only-way-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“The scriptures do not present us with a series of Christian types to be imitated according to choice; they preach to us in every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-scriptures-do-not-present-us-with-a-series-of-christian-types-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/we-are-not-to-simply-bandage-the-wounds-of-victims-beneath-the-wheels/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) [Explore all 711 Dietrich Bonhoeffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) [Segun Magbagbeola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/segun-magbagbeola/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. 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Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“la ilaha ilallah muhammadun rasulullah, alaihi salatullah wa alihi wal ahibba "shine your mercy like the sun, and be gracious as the earth let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-al-habib/la-ilaha-ilallah-muhammadun-rasulullah-alaihi-salatullah-wa-alihi-wal/) [Talib al Habib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-al-habib/) > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) [Browse all 9,892 Compassion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Nothing that we despise in other men is inherently absent from ourselves. 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