Empathy Quote by Leslie Jamison
“Empathy requires knowing that you know nothing.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Empathy Gap”, Leslie Jamison, 2014
Empathy involves acknowledging one's own ignorance, fostering humility and openness to others' experiences.
In simple terms: Empathy starts with admitting you know nothing.
Key Takeaway
Embrace humility to understand others.
Themes
humility
empathy
learning
Mood
thoughtful
compassionate
Type
psychological
philosophical
When to use this quote
- conflict resolution
- therapy
- education
Key Concepts
epistemic humility
perspective taking
Questions to Reflect On
- How does humility affect your relationships?
- What steps help you stay open to new viewpoints?
A Different Perspective
Admitting ignorance can feel uncomfortable.
![“That is another theme in the book [Dreams from My Father]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we get the black to see through the eyes of the white? Or the citizen to see through the eyes of the immigrant? Or the straight to see through the eyes of the gay? That has…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/00d/barack-obama-17_black_that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams_10185.jpg)
