Children Quote by Laura Van Dernoot Lipsky
““Which reality should we focus on? Should we focus on the trauma itself? Should we focus on the heroism of women, men, and children who continue to struggle? Should we focus on the economic, environmental, and political practices, past and present, that have created conditions in which violence and destruction thrive? Or should we focus on the amazing capacity of humans to survive, help, love, repent? If we choose wrong—or, worse yet, if our attention strays—how much more suffering will go unnoticed””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Keynote at UN Women Forum, 2019
The quote urges careful consideration of where we direct attention—whether on suffering, heroism, systemic causes, or human resilience—highlighting the impact of focus on recognizing or overlooking further suffering.
In simple terms: Choose focus wisely to avoid missing deeper issues.
Key Takeaway
Mindful attention shapes outcomes.
Themes
attention
responsibility
humanity
systems
resilience
Mood
reflective
concerned
thoughtful
Type
analytical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- humanitarian work
- policy making
- community advocacy
- media reporting
Key Concepts
ethical reflection
social justice
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What aspect of a crisis do you tend to overlook?
- How can balanced attention improve response?
A Different Perspective
Focusing solely on one aspect can obscure other crucial problems.
