--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most people don't relate to and can't…" description: "\"Most people don't relate to and can't generate concern for something they don't encounter personally or feel personally affected by. People have to hav..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a05/edward-norton-2203_affected_most-people-don-t-relate-to-and-can-t-ge_3148417.jpg" --- # Most people don't relate to and can't generate concern for… ![“Most people don't relate to and can't generate concern for something they don't encounter personally or feel personally affected by. People have to have the palpable negatives in their lives dissected for them in ways that let them understand the root causes of unhealthy, unhappy conditions in…” quote by Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a05/edward-norton-2203_affected_most-people-don-t-relate-to-and-can-t-ge_3148417.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a05/edward-norton-2203_affected_most-people-don-t-relate-to-and-can-t-ge_3148417.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a05/edward-norton-2203_affected_most-people-don-t-relate-to-and-can-t-ge_3148417.jpg) > “Most people don't relate to and can't generate concern for something they don't encounter personally or feel personally affected by. People have to have the palpable negatives in their lives dissected for them in ways that let them understand the root causes of unhealthy, unhappy conditions in their lives and then be allowed to really see and feel the positive alternatives.” [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People need personal relevance and clear negative examples to empathize and consider healthier alternatives. **In simple terms:** Personal impact drives concern and change. Key Takeaway Show real impacts. Themes empathy awareness health change Mood thoughtful concerned Type educational reflective When to use this quote - public health campaigns - education programs - personal counseling Key Concepts Psychology behavioral economics Questions to Reflect On - How can you make distant issues feel personal? - What negatives can you highlight responsibly? A Different Perspective Not all issues can be made personally relevant. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affected/) [Alternatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alternatives/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Causes Unhealthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes-unhealthy-5641706/) [Concern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concern/) [Conditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conditions/) [Encounters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encounters/) [Feel Personally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-personally-1055550/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Personally Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personally-feel/) [Relate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relate/) [Root cause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/root-cause/) [Roots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roots/) [Unhappy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappy/) [Unhappy Conditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappy-conditions-5641707/) [Unhealthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhealthy/) [Unhealthy Unhappy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhealthy-unhappy-5641705/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [The truth is, I hadn't grown up really wanting to be a writer. The whole thing was a weird aberration in some ways, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-garland/the-truth-is-i-hadn-t-grown-up-really-wanting-to-be-a-writer-the/) [Alex Garland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-garland/) > [When I shoot at the range, I don't feel personally powerful but like the custodian of something powerful. I feel like a successful disciplinarian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/when-i-shoot-at-the-range-i-don-t-feel-personally-powerful-but-like/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [I feel real ownership in this show. I feel very invested in it. I care very much about it. I don't feel any more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/i-feel-real-ownership-in-this-show-i-feel-very-invested-in-it-i-care/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [I used so much hairspray that I feel personally responsible for global warming!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dusty-springfield/i-used-so-much-hairspray-that-i-feel-personally-responsible-for/) [Dusty Springfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dusty-springfield/) > [I've got an eye for off-kilter projects, probably because I feel personally quite off-kilter as a human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/i-ve-got-an-eye-for-off-kilter-projects-probably-because-i-feel/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) > [I relate to those characters - and any character I play - in as much as I put myself in their positions and feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-fillion/i-relate-to-those-characters-and-any-character-i-play-in-as-much-as-i/) [Nathan Fillion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-fillion/) > [I guess that in a lot of ways, my writing is more of a character to me than something that I feel personally attached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/i-guess-that-in-a-lot-of-ways-my-writing-is-more-of-a-character-to-me/) [Angel Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/) > [What I feel personally and what I can act are two different things. Maybe one of the great pleasures of my job is being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/what-i-feel-personally-and-what-i-can-act-are-two-different-things/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [People feel personally slighted if you don't respond to them in 30 seconds and treat email as instant messenger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/people-feel-personally-slighted-if-you-don-t-respond-to-them-in-30/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) > [The movies that are really big, at least in my experience, oftentimes don't have characters that I feel as personally connected to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/the-movies-that-are-really-big-at-least-in-my-experience-oftentimes/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [My favorite art, or whatever you want to call it, is art that makes you feel personally addressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matty-healy/my-favorite-art-or-whatever-you-want-to-call-it-is-art-that-makes-you/) [Matty Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matty-healy/) > [“As the Daoists pointed out, we often identify with our ideas so strongly that we feel personally assaulted if these are criticized or corrected.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/as-the-daoists-pointed-out-we-often-identify-with-our-ideas-so/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [I realise that sometimes things go well and sometimes they don't. But it is very important for me I feel personally, even selfishly, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-cahill/i-realise-that-sometimes-things-go-well-and-sometimes-they-don-t-but/) [Gary Cahill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-cahill/) > [I never put my heart into anything I don't believe in, or can't feel personally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/i-never-put-my-heart-into-anything-i-don-t-believe-in-or-can-t-feel/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) > [It takes a little work to be a vegan, but now it's really possible to have tasty stuff and it's better for you. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-slick/it-takes-a-little-work-to-be-a-vegan-but-now-it-s-really-possible-to/) [Grace Slick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-slick/) ## More by Edward Norton > [I don't feel insecure about any of this work anymore. Maybe I don't have what I had when I was younger. I'm not really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/i-don-t-feel-insecure-about-any-of-this-work-anymore-maybe-i-don-t/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [ As an actor, if you step to the side and you look at \[Thornton's performance\] technically, and you try to imagine doing what he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/as-an-actor-if-you-step-to-the-side-and-you-look-at-thornton-s/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [It's better for people to miss you than to have seen too much of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/it-s-better-for-people-to-miss-you-than-to-have-seen-too-much-of-you/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [You can't control everything that comes to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/you-can-t-control-everything-that-comes-to-you/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [The incentive for business is not, and cannot, be anything other than the root incentive for all business: they must profit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/the-incentive-for-business-is-not-and-cannot-be-anything-other-than/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [My greatest hope is that we transcend the most fearful thing, which is that we are rapidly degrading the ecological systems on this planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/my-greatest-hope-is-that-we-transcend-the-most-fearful-thing-which-is/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [David Fincher is probably the best comprehensive director in terms of being a manger of a process that must drive forward. He has such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/david-fincher-is-probably-the-best-comprehensive-director-in-terms-of/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [Sometimes their oppression of emotion and the weird way it comes out is more interesting than painting it in bold primary colors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/sometimes-their-oppression-of-emotion-and-the-weird-way-it-comes-out/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [The thing I'm absolutely convinced of, no matter how crazy - technological the world is getting, is that people feel more connected through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/the-thing-i-m-absolutely-convinced-of-no-matter-how-crazy/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [Making really great music, making really great films, writing great books is an antidote to all of that. And, as people, as artists, some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/making-really-great-music-making-really-great-films-writing-great/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [I like music, but I need to get outside more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/i-like-music-but-i-need-to-get-outside-more/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [I've always liked the idea of taking old dramatic ideas and devices and making them feel relevant or contemporary or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/i-ve-always-liked-the-idea-of-taking-old-dramatic-ideas-and-devices/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [I don't think you should sit around and wait for people to give you an opportunity to express yourself or do your work, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/i-don-t-think-you-should-sit-around-and-wait-for-people-to-give-you/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [To cite my own alma mater, it's shocking to me that Yale University can teach what it teaches at the Yale School of Environmental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/to-cite-my-own-alma-mater-it-s-shocking-to-me-that-yale-university/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [I had a huge advantage with Edward Norton because he's directed a movie before, so one thing he appreciates is how hard my job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/i-had-a-huge-advantage-with-edward-norton-because-he-s-directed-a/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) [Explore all 179 Edward Norton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) ## More Affected quotes > [To tell you the truth I am hard put to think of anyone who's career was affected significantly by making all those phone calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dabney-coleman/to-tell-you-the-truth-i-am-hard-put-to-think-of-anyone-who-s-career/) [Dabney Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dabney-coleman/) > [First, climate change is the greatest long-term threat faced by humanity. It could cause more human and financial suffering than the two world wars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-miliband/first-climate-change-is-the-greatest-long-term-threat-faced-by/) [David Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-miliband/) > [Be a pattern to others, and then all will go well; for as a whole city is affected by the licentious passions and vices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/be-a-pattern-to-others-and-then-all-will-go-well-for-as-a-whole-city/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [At first I thought I would have to put on an English accent and try a sort of affected Shakespeare thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/at-first-i-thought-i-would-have-to-put-on-an-english-accent-and-try-a/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [Every culture, if its natural development is not too much affected by political restrictions, experiences a perpetual renewal of the formative urge, and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-rocker/every-culture-if-its-natural-development-is-not-too-much-affected-by/) [Rudolf Rocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-rocker/) > [Don't show them that you are affected.. Instead, show them that you are happy even without them.. To put a sad face on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharlene05/don-t-show-them-that-you-are-affected-instead-show-them-that-you-are/) [Sharlene05](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharlene05/) > [I wish we could go back to the time when the private lives of our public figures were relevant only if they directly affected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-wish-we-could-go-back-to-the-time-when-the-private-lives-of-our/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [Don't be intimidated by people who seem to be experts. Hear their points of view and get their judgements. But at the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/don-t-be-intimidated-by-people-who-seem-to-be-experts-hear-their/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [Who what am I? My answer: I am the sum total of everything that went before me, of all I have been seen done,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/who-what-am-i-my-answer-i-am-the-sum-total-of-everything-that-went/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I have wondered why is it that some people are less affected and torn by the verities of life and death that others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-wondered-why-is-it-that-some-people-are-less-affected-and-torn/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Then, the other thing that affected my interest in choices growing up was the fact that I was going blind and that meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/then-the-other-thing-that-affected-my-interest-in-choices-growing-up/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [I don't think Wayne Rooney would be affected if you booed him, that's just how he is, but others go under. 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My gift is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/i-m-not-good-at-standing-on-platforms-and-persuading-people-to-my/) [David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/) > [I was trying to hold up a mirror to this country, to reflect the past years or so, and the varying degrees in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/said-sayrafiezadeh/i-was-trying-to-hold-up-a-mirror-to-this-country-to-reflect-the-past/) [Said Sayrafiezadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/said-sayrafiezadeh/) > [We know COVID-19 hasn't affected communities equally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-cooper/we-know-covid-19-hasn-t-affected-communities-equally/) [Roy Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-cooper/) [Browse all 1,050 Affected quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affected/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Most people don't relate to and can't generate concern for something they don't encounter personally or feel personally affected by. 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