Agony Quote by Erich Maria Remarque
“A man can gasp out his life beside you-and you feel none of it. Pity, Sympathy, sure-but you don't feel the pain. Your belly is whole and that's what counts. A half-yard away someone's world is snuffled out in roaring agony-and you feel nothing. That's the misery of the world.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: All Quiet on the Western Front, 1929
A narrator observes the emotional disconnect from others' pain, noting that physical wholeness shields one from empathy.
In simple terms: He feels detached from others' agony because he is physically unharmed.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and bridge emotional distance with others.
Themes
detachment
empathy
war trauma
human disconnection
Mood
reflective
somber
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- war veterans
- medical professionals
- conflict resolution training
Key Concepts
psychology
philosophy
social cognition
Questions to Reflect On
- How does your own "wholeness" affect your empathy?
- What steps can you take to feel others' pain?
A Different Perspective
Even when physically unharmed, emotional numbness can be a coping mechanism, not indifference.
![“[W]e must learn to accommodate ourselves to the discovery that some of those cunningly-fashioned instruments called human souls have only a very limited range of music, and will not vibrate in the least under a touch that fills others with tremulous rapture or quivering agony.” quote by George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9be/george-eliot-84_agony_w-e-must-learn-to-accommodate-ourselves_12409.jpg)
