Acquaintances Quote by Dorothy L. Sayers
““Harriet had long ago discovered that one could not like people any the better, merely because they were ill, or dead—still less because one had once liked them very much.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Nine Tailors, Dorothy L. Sayers, 1934
Human affection is not intensified by another’s suffering; empathy does not increase love.
In simple terms: Suffering doesn’t deepen love.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate compassion without expectation.
Themes
empathy
love
humanity
Mood
reflective
somber
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- grief counseling
- conflict resolution
- friendship dynamics
Key Concepts
ethical philosophy
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- Can you love someone while they suffer?
- How does grief affect relationships?
A Different Perspective
People may still feel detached despite empathy.
![“I started crying when the group [therapy] was over because the last thing we did upset me - we all held a piece of the same cloth, leaned back and supported each other's weight. I couldn't do it. I bent my legs and elbows and stood very firm, yet . . . I needed to feel supported, as i do in life…” quote by Carol Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c4e/carol-lee-39506_anxiety_i-started-crying-when-the-group-therapy_1525377.jpg)
![“See that the mind is honest, first; the rest may follow or not as God wills. [That] the fundamental treason to the mind ... is the one fundamental treason which the scholar's mind must not allow is the bond uniting all the Oxford people in the last resort.” quote by Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c74/dorothy-l-sayers-738_academia_see-that-the-mind-is-honest-first-the-re_16293.jpg)
![“Perhaps [the critics are right and] the drama is played out now and Jesus is safely dead and buried. Perhaps. It is ironical and entertaining to consider that at least once in the world's history those words might have been said with complete conviction, and that was on the eve of the Resurrection.” quote by Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/467/dorothy-l-sayers-738_buried_perhaps-the-critics-are-right-and-the-dr_43252.jpg)
