Appropriate Quote by Frans de Waal
“Empathy as a complex emotion is different. It requires awareness of the other person's feelings and of one's own reactions. The appropriate reaction may not be to cry when another person cries, but to reassure them, or even to leave them alone.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Good Natured: The Origins of Right and Wrong in Humans and Other Animals, Frans de Waal, 2019
Empathy involves recognizing both others' emotions and one's own, then choosing an appropriate response beyond mirroring feelings.
In simple terms: Empathy = awareness + appropriate response.
Practice mindful empathy.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- counseling
- team leadership
- conflict resolution
- parenting
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- When have you responded with reassurance instead of mirroring?
- How do you balance self‑care when empathizing?
Empathy can be misread as over‑involvement.