Humility Quote by J.M. Coetzee
““He is not, he hopes, a sentimentalist. He tries not to sentimentalize the animals he kills, or to sentimentalize Bev Shaw. He avoids saying to her 'I don't know how you do it,' in order not to have to hear her say in return, 'Someone has to do it.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee, 1999
He resists emotional attachment to his violent acts and to others, fearing the pain of empathy.
In simple terms: Avoids feeling empathy to protect himself.
Key Takeaway
Recognize when avoidance blocks compassion.
Themes
emotional avoidance
violence
empathy
Mood
somber
introspective
Type
literary
ethical
When to use this quote
- war zones
- hunting
- medical ethics
- personal relationships
Key Concepts
psychology
morality
humanism
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we distance ourselves from painful truths?
- Can controlled empathy coexist with necessary detachment?
A Different Perspective
Avoidance can lead to emotional numbness and moral disengagement.
![“Very often, those who express concern about (or even interest in) the conditions in which farmed animals are raised are disregarded as sentimentalists. But it’s worth taking a step back to ask who is the sentimentalist and who is the realist. […] Two friends are ordering lunch. One says, “I’m in…” quote by Jonathon Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/61d/jonathon-safran-foer-63650_sentimentalism_very-often-those-who-express-concern-abo_202760.jpg)
