---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that no matter how dark a person…"
description: "\"I think that no matter how dark a person is, the more you learn about them, the more you understand about their life, the more you can sympathize with ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/john-hawkes-9917_about_i-think-that-no-matter-how-dark-a-person_1228101.jpg"
---

#  I think that no matter how dark a person is, the more you…

![“I think that no matter how dark a person is, the more you learn about them, the more you understand about their life, the more you can sympathize with them or even root for them.” quote by John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/john-hawkes-9917_about_i-think-that-no-matter-how-dark-a-person_1228101.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/john-hawkes-9917_about_i-think-that-no-matter-how-dark-a-person_1228101.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/john-hawkes-9917_about_i-think-that-no-matter-how-dark-a-person_1228101.jpg)

> “I think that no matter how dark a person is, the more you learn about them, the more you understand about their life, the more you can sympathize with them or even root for them.”

[John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Understanding a person's darkness deepens empathy, allowing us to support or champion them despite flaws.

**In simple terms:** Learning about darkness builds compassion.

Key Takeaway

Seek to understand before judging.

Themes

empathy humanity judgment

Mood

reflective hopeful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- counseling
- conflict resolution
- leadership
- community building

Key Concepts

psychology social connection

Questions to Reflect On

- How does knowing someone's struggles change your view?
- Can empathy become misplaced?

A Different Perspective

People may hide aspects that remain unknowable, limiting true empathy.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Dark Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-person-639488/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Sympathize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-sympathize-3786977/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/root/) [Sympathize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sympathize/) [Sympathize Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sympathize-root-3786978/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/)

## Related quotes

> [My son, a perfect little boy of five years and three months, had ended his earthly life. You can never sympathize with me; you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/my-son-a-perfect-little-boy-of-five-years-and-three-months-had-ended/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [I'm actually a very dark person, so I really want to get into some really dark roles, maybe some thrillers. I've never done one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cierra-ramirez/i-m-actually-a-very-dark-person-so-i-really-want-to-get-into-some/)

[Cierra Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cierra-ramirez/)

> [I'm not a dark person or anything, but it would be a challenge to be someone who's messed up in the head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-wood/i-m-not-a-dark-person-or-anything-but-it-would-be-a-challenge-to-be/)

[Elijah Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-wood/)

> [I was a pretty dark person to begin with. I have always been more drawn to darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rooney-mara/i-was-a-pretty-dark-person-to-begin-with-i-have-always-been-more/)

[Rooney Mara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rooney-mara/)

> [I am not a dark person and I don't consider myself dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-burton/i-am-not-a-dark-person-and-i-don-t-consider-myself-dark/)

[Tim Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-burton/)

> [Be The Splash Of Color That Brightens Their Day, Be The Superhero That Takes The Villains Away. Be The Light That Ends The Dark,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chardonnay-tyson/be-the-splash-of-color-that-brightens-their-day-be-the-superhero-that/)

[Chardonnay Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chardonnay-tyson/)

> [I've never really had a chance to play a bad guy, and that's something I've always really, really wanted to do. I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-ludwig/i-ve-never-really-had-a-chance-to-play-a-bad-guy-and-that-s-something/)

[Alexander Ludwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-ludwig/)

> [I'm not a very dark person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-jones/i-m-not-a-very-dark-person/)

[Norah Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-jones/)

> [I'm not a dark person at all, so those roles are the most challenging. I don't think I'm necessarily drawn to dark things. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camilla-belle/i-m-not-a-dark-person-at-all-so-those-roles-are-the-most-challenging/)

[Camilla Belle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camilla-belle/)

> [My wife would probably tell you I'm quite a dark person all the time!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-thorne/my-wife-would-probably-tell-you-i-m-quite-a-dark-person-all-the-time/)

[Jack Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-thorne/)

> [“Sometimes it’s all about finding the person who won’t let you go dark. When you find that person, you can’t let them go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lexi-blake/sometimes-it-s-all-about-finding-the-person-who-won-t-let-you-go-dark/)

[Lexi Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lexi-blake/)

> [“Consequently, we sympathize. We identify. We care. In fact, most writers would like you to identify”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-prose/consequently-we-sympathize-we-identify-we-care-in-fact-most-writers/)

[Francine Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-prose/)

> [It's hard to get people to empathize with the poor. You can get some people to sympathize with the poor, but to empathize is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sendhil-mullainathan/it-s-hard-to-get-people-to-empathize-with-the-poor-you-can-get-some/)

[Sendhil Mullainathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sendhil-mullainathan/)

> [“People, like Sybell, believe one can only sympathize with what one has experienced. That is why they are always saying, 'as a mother,' or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-cholmondeley/people-like-sybell-believe-one-can-only-sympathize-with-what-one-has/)

[Mary Cholmondeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-cholmondeley/)

> [I shall commit my thoughts to paper, it is true; but that is a poor medium for the communication of feeling. I desire the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-shall-commit-my-thoughts-to-paper-it-is-true-but-that-is-a-poor/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by John Hawkes

> [I maintain that if you're a novelist and you go into an art museum, you'll come out a better novelist. And if you paint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/i-maintain-that-if-you-re-a-novelist-and-you-go-into-an-art-museum/)

[John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/)

> [“One and all they are driven by the twin engines of ignorance and willful barbarism. You nod, you also are familiar with these two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/one-and-all-they-are-driven-by-the-twin-engines-of-ignorance-and/)

[John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/)

> [It seems like every year Hollywood makes an attempt to retell the Manson story, and I just couldn't be less interested in it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/it-seems-like-every-year-hollywood-makes-an-attempt-to-retell-the/)

[John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/)

> [When something gets attention so quickly, people sometimes will look for reasons to find fault and tear it down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/when-something-gets-attention-so-quickly-people-sometimes-will-look/)

[John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/)

> [Some friends of mine bothered me for a long time about getting on the social networking pages. They were close friends that I liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/some-friends-of-mine-bothered-me-for-a-long-time-about-getting-on-the/)

[John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/)

> [It's probably odd for someone to read an interview where the interviewee is worried about exposure while they're talking in an interview.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/it-s-probably-odd-for-someone-to-read-an-interview-where-the/)

[John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/)

> [For the last 20 years of my life, I've had the mantra to do amazing parts with amazing people in amazing projects, so I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/for-the-last-20-years-of-my-life-i-ve-had-the-mantra-to-do-amazing/)

[John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/)

> [I don't have actor training myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/i-don-t-have-actor-training-myself/)

[John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/)

> [A lot of times, you just don't get the jobs you want to get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/a-lot-of-times-you-just-don-t-get-the-jobs-you-want-to-get/)

[John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/)

> [“I began to write fiction on the assumption that the true enemies of the novel were plot, character, setting and theme.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/i-began-to-write-fiction-on-the-assumption-that-the-true-enemies-of/)

[John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/)

> [“I began to write fiction on the assumption that the true enemies of the novel were plot, character, setting and theme, and having once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/i-began-to-write-fiction-on-the-assumption-that-the-true-enemies-of-2/)

[John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/)

> [When I realized that you can't necessarily be cast in a really great part living in Austin, even when Hollywood comes to town, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/when-i-realized-that-you-can-t-necessarily-be-cast-in-a-really-great/)

[John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/)

> [As an actor, you don't often get a chance to know exactly the impact of what the audience is seeing, even though you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/as-an-actor-you-don-t-often-get-a-chance-to-know-exactly-the-impact/)

[John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/)

> [I'd said to my sweetheart a couple of days before that the SAG and Spirit Award nomination was amazing and I had no attachment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/i-d-said-to-my-sweetheart-a-couple-of-days-before-that-the-sag-and/)

[John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/)

> [I don't mean to be highfalutin about it, but I try to limit my visibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/i-don-t-mean-to-be-highfalutin-about-it-but-i-try-to-limit-my/)

[John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/)

[Explore all 69 John Hawkes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/)

## More About quotes

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/)

[Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/)

> [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/)

[Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/)

> [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/)

[Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/)

> [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/)

[Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/)

> [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/)

[Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/)

> [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/)

[Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/)

> [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/)

[Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/)

> [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/)

[Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/)

> [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/)

[Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/)

> [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/)

[Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/)

> [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/)

[John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/)

> [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/)

[Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/)

[Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I think that no matter how dark a person is, the more you learn about them, the more you understand about their life, the more you can sympathize with them or even root for them.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Hawkes"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/i-think-that-no-matter-how-dark-a-person-is-the-more-you-learn-about/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "About"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/i-think-that-no-matter-how-dark-a-person-is-the-more-you-learn-about/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/john-hawkes-9917_about_i-think-that-no-matter-how-dark-a-person_1228101.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/john-hawkes-9917_about_i-think-that-no-matter-how-dark-a-person_1228101.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/john-hawkes-9917_about_i-think-that-no-matter-how-dark-a-person_1228101.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I think that no matter how dark a person is, the more you learn about them, the more you understand about…” — John Hawkes",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "John Hawkes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I think that no matter how...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/i-think-that-no-matter-how-dark-a-person-is-the-more-you-learn-about/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/i-think-that-no-matter-how-dark-a-person-is-the-more-you-learn-about/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
