--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Remember that for someone to be so mean…" description: "\"Remember that for someone to be so mean, something must be going on with them. Something must be happening to make them so unhappy that they feel the n..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba6/laura-michelle-kelly-51573_empathy_remember-that-for-someone-to-be-so-mean_2699699.jpg" --- # Remember that for someone to be so mean, something must be… ![“Remember that for someone to be so mean, something must be going on with them. Something must be happening to make them so unhappy that they feel the need to bring others down. I try to have empathy for them.” quote by Laura Michelle Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba6/laura-michelle-kelly-51573_empathy_remember-that-for-someone-to-be-so-mean_2699699.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba6/laura-michelle-kelly-51573_empathy_remember-that-for-someone-to-be-so-mean_2699699.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba6/laura-michelle-kelly-51573_empathy_remember-that-for-someone-to-be-so-mean_2699699.jpg) > “Remember that for someone to be so mean, something must be going on with them. Something must be happening to make them so unhappy that they feel the need to bring others down. I try to have empathy for them.” [Laura Michelle Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-michelle-kelly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Empathy is needed when people act mean because they are likely hurting themselves. **In simple terms:** Mean behavior often hides personal pain. Key Takeaway Offer understanding, not retaliation. Themes empathy psychology behavior compassion Mood sympathetic reflective Type advice psychological When to use this quote - workplace conflict - family gatherings - online interactions - customer service Key Concepts emotional pain defense mechanisms projection Questions to Reflect On - What might be causing their unhappiness? - How can you protect yourself while staying compassionate? A Different Perspective People may act mean despite being kind elsewhere. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy/) [Feel Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-need/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Happenings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happenings/) [Make Unhappy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-unhappy/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Try Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try-empathy-2723066/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Unhappy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappy/) [Unhappy Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappy-feel-2127627/) ## Related quotes > [It is always so, when we are unhappy we feel more strongly the unhappiness of others; our feeling is not shattered, but becomes concentrated...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/it-is-always-so-when-we-are-unhappy-we-feel-more-strongly-the/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“Perhaps it’s better to be unhappy than not to feel anything at all,’ I said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-pym/perhaps-it-s-better-to-be-unhappy-than-not-to-feel-anything-at-all-i/) [Barbara Pym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-pym/) > [You've only got to walk into a pub or a café or anything and you'll find people talking about topics they're very unhappy with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-bean/you-ve-only-got-to-walk-into-a-pub-or-a-caf-or-anything-and-you-ll/) [Sean Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-bean/) > [I could see no reason for being sad. It´s just that it makes me unhappy not to feel happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/i-could-see-no-reason-for-being-sad-it-s-just-that-it-makes-me/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [It used to be so easy living here with you. You were light and breezy and I knew just what to do. Now you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-king/it-used-to-be-so-easy-living-here-with-you-you-were-light-and-breezy/) [Carole King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-king/) > [I want to be happy; why do I do things that make me unhappy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-schrader/i-want-to-be-happy-why-do-i-do-things-that-make-me-unhappy/) [Paul Schrader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-schrader/) > [Remember, Montag, we're the happiness boys. We stand against the small tide of those who want to make everyone unhappy with conflicting theory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/remember-montag-we-re-the-happiness-boys-we-stand-against-the-small/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“I close my eyes I make myself unhappy so you'll go. Without me, oh what's wrong with you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-quin/i-close-my-eyes-i-make-myself-unhappy-so-you-ll-go-without-me-oh-what/) [Sara Quin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-quin/) > [Creating doesn't make us unhappy, unhappiness makes us creative. To create is to live, and in living, we want only to creat more, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-g-wilson/creating-doesn-t-make-us-unhappy-unhappiness-makes-us-creative-to/) [Eric G. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-g-wilson/) > [Progress of a marriage: There was a time when you couldn't make me happy. Now the time has come when you can make me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-layton/progress-of-a-marriage-there-was-a-time-when-you-couldn-t-make-me/) [Irving Layton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-layton/) > [I wonder if people always choose what will make them unhappy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/i-wonder-if-people-always-choose-what-will-make-them-unhappy/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) > [“No happy marriage was, in his estimation, ever based on thoughtless, automatic untruths and exclusions. And the best way to make someone unhappy, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-ryan-hyde/no-happy-marriage-was-in-his-estimation-ever-based-on-thoughtless/) [Catherine Ryan Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ryan-hyde/) > [“And I know that I'd just make myself unhappy by comparing that reality to... something perfect that I built up in my imagination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/and-i-know-that-i-d-just-make-myself-unhappy-by-comparing-that/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [I was happy, then you had to come along and be stupid and make me unhappy, but now I ditched you and your nonsense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-happy-then-you-had-to-come-along-and-be-stupid-and-make-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She said I'd better not make her unhappy because I oughta know that she's never unhappy alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-abbott/she-said-i-d-better-not-make-her-unhappy-because-i-oughta-know-that/) [Megan Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-abbott/) ## More by Laura Michelle Kelly > [Bullies say the things they say because they're unhappy. I also remind myself that what they are saying is not really about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-michelle-kelly/bullies-say-the-things-they-say-because-they-re-unhappy-i-also-remind/) [Laura Michelle Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-michelle-kelly/) > [Being on the stage, you've got to be ready for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-michelle-kelly/being-on-the-stage-you-ve-got-to-be-ready-for-anything/) [Laura Michelle Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-michelle-kelly/) > [When dealing with the internet, I knew that people would have their own opinions, and I went into it with that in mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-michelle-kelly/when-dealing-with-the-internet-i-knew-that-people-would-have-their/) [Laura Michelle Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-michelle-kelly/) > [. . . Umm well all I can say is that Johnny Depp can sing and everyone is going to really pleased. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-michelle-kelly/umm-well-all-i-can-say-is-that-johnny-depp-can-sing-and-everyone-is/) [Laura Michelle Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-michelle-kelly/) > [I've always used humor, but I use humor when coping with things in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-michelle-kelly/i-ve-always-used-humor-but-i-use-humor-when-coping-with-things-in/) [Laura Michelle Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-michelle-kelly/) > [I don't think the victims should be babied, but there should be a counselor to teach them coping mechanisms. The bully needs counseling too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-michelle-kelly/i-don-t-think-the-victims-should-be-babied-but-there-should-be-a/) [Laura Michelle Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-michelle-kelly/) [Explore all 7 Laura Michelle Kelly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-michelle-kelly/) ## More Empathy quotes > [I have a lot of empathy, and I think that's where mothering starts. You are there to empathise and facilitate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viv-albertine/i-have-a-lot-of-empathy-and-i-think-that-s-where-mothering-starts-you/) [Viv Albertine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viv-albertine/) > [When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-you-need-empathy-you-cannot-give-empathy/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [Cinematography speaks to everything that women do inherently well: It's multitasking, it's empathy, and it's channeling visuals into human emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/cinematography-speaks-to-everything-that-women-do-inherently-well-it/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [“God has a way of picking a “nobody” and turning their world upside down, in order to create a “somebody” that will remove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-has-a-way-of-picking-a-nobody-and-turning-their-world-upside-down/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Understanding breeds empathy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/understanding-breeds-empathy/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Making a movie is about following characters and embarking on an adventure with them, seeing their reactions, and seeing what they do, having empathy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franck-khalfoun/making-a-movie-is-about-following-characters-and-embarking-on-an/) [Franck Khalfoun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franck-khalfoun/) > [“A novel is not an allegory...it is a sensual experience of another world. If you don't enter that world, hold your breath with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/a-novel-is-not-an-allegory-it-is-a-sensual-experience-of-another/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [Empathic listening takes time, but it doesn't take anywhere near as much time as it takes to back up and correct misunderstandings when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/empathic-listening-takes-time-but-it-doesn-t-take-anywhere-near-as/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [I try to treat every job with the exact same level of respect. When I go into it, it doesn't matter what the budget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaya-scodelario/i-try-to-treat-every-job-with-the-exact-same-level-of-respect-when-i/) [Kaya Scodelario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaya-scodelario/) > [“CWC (Church Women Concerned) enabled us as women in that part of South Africa, to see ourselves as ordinary citizens who found themselves in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sindiwe-magona/cwc-church-women-concerned-enabled-us-as-women-in-that-part-of-south/) [Sindiwe Magona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sindiwe-magona/) > [Ultimately, my character is defined by the quality of my sensitivity to other people. I exist in equilibrium. I am here to the degree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/ultimately-my-character-is-defined-by-the-quality-of-my-sensitivity/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [I began to use my sensitivity. And I realized I wasn't weird because I cried a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherilyn-fenn/i-began-to-use-my-sensitivity-and-i-realized-i-wasn-t-weird-because-i/) [Sherilyn Fenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherilyn-fenn/) > [“The emotional intelligence model consists of four clusters: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.  ● Self-Awareness is a propensity for self-reflection and thoughtfulness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-bolton/the-emotional-intelligence-model-consists-of-four-clusters-self/) [Chuck Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-bolton/) > [I need voices of reason and of hysteria and of empathy. I need to have an Alanis moment. I need advice from Elizabeth Bennett.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/i-need-voices-of-reason-and-of-hysteria-and-of-empathy-i-need-to-have/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) [Browse all 2,480 Empathy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Remember that for someone to be so mean, something must be going on with them. Something must be happening to make them so unhappy that they feel the need to bring others down. I try to have empathy for them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Laura Michelle Kelly" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-michelle-kelly/remember-that-for-someone-to-be-so-mean-something-must-be-going-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Empathy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-michelle-kelly/remember-that-for-someone-to-be-so-mean-something-must-be-going-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba6/laura-michelle-kelly-51573_empathy_remember-that-for-someone-to-be-so-mean_2699699.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba6/laura-michelle-kelly-51573_empathy_remember-that-for-someone-to-be-so-mean_2699699.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba6/laura-michelle-kelly-51573_empathy_remember-that-for-someone-to-be-so-mean_2699699.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Remember that for someone to be so mean, something must be going on with them. Something must be happening…” — Laura Michelle Kelly", "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": "Laura Michelle Kelly", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-michelle-kelly/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Remember that for someone to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-michelle-kelly/remember-that-for-someone-to-be-so-mean-something-must-be-going-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-michelle-kelly/remember-that-for-someone-to-be-so-mean-something-must-be-going-on/#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 } } ] } ```