Empathy Quote by Ernst Toller
““Most people have no imagination. If they could imagine the sufferings of others, they would not make them suffer so. What separated a German mother from a French mother? Slogans which deafened us so that we could not hear the truth.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Political Commentary, 1919
Lack of imagination prevents empathy; propaganda blinds people to others’ suffering.
In simple terms: Imagination fuels empathy; slogans block truth.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate imagination to see others’ pain.
Themes
empathy
imagination
propaganda
humanity
social justice
Mood
reflective
urgent
Type
philosophical
activist
When to use this quote
- activism
- education
- media literacy
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
psychology
political theory
ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you practice imagining others’ suffering?
- What strategies counteract dehumanizing slogans?
A Different Perspective
Changing deep‑seated attitudes is difficult.
![“That is another theme in the book [Dreams from My Father]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we get the black to see through the eyes of the white? Or the citizen to see through the eyes of the immigrant? Or the straight to see through the eyes of the gay? That has…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/00d/barack-obama-17_black_that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams_10185.jpg)
