--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we choose a generality, an idea, a…" description: "\"“When we choose a generality, an idea, a cause, instead of a person, when this becomes the accepted, the required thing to do, then it doesn’t matter i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/949/madeleine-l-engle-345_death_when-we-choose-a-generality-an-idea-a-ca_584439.jpg" --- # When we choose a generality, an idea, a cause, instead of… ![“When we choose a generality, an idea, a cause, instead of a person, when this becomes the accepted, the required thing to do, then it doesn’t matter if villages are destroyed by bombs; traffic deaths become statistics; starving babies can be forgotten when the television is turned off; and there…” quote by Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/949/madeleine-l-engle-345_death_when-we-choose-a-generality-an-idea-a-ca_584439.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/949/madeleine-l-engle-345_death_when-we-choose-a-generality-an-idea-a-ca_584439.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/949/madeleine-l-engle-345_death_when-we-choose-a-generality-an-idea-a-ca_584439.jpg) > ““When we choose a generality, an idea, a cause, instead of a person, when this becomes the accepted, the required thing to do, then it doesn’t matter if villages are destroyed by bombs; traffic deaths become statistics; starving babies can be forgotten when the television is turned off; and there will no longer be anybody who will read or write a poem or a story, who will look at or paint a picture, who will listen to or compose a symphony. No young man will walk whistling up the street. No young girl will sing about the love in her heart. 2”” [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When abstract causes replace personal responsibility, human suffering becomes abstract statistics, eroding empathy and culture. **In simple terms:** Abstract causes erase empathy and culture. Key Takeaway Prioritize personal stories over abstract causes. Themes empathy culture responsibility dehumanization Mood somber reflective Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - media consumption - policy making - education - humanitarian work Key Concepts ethical philosophy social critique Questions to Reflect On - How does personalizing suffering change your response? - What stories can you share to restore empathy? A Different Perspective Abstract ideas can overlook concrete needs and solutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ## Related quotes > [First something is a great idea, then it becomes a cause, then it becomes a business and finally it becomes a racket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/first-something-is-a-great-idea-then-it-becomes-a-cause-then-it/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“Do you really want to look at the idea that you are the cause of the world? That the world is literally you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/master-teacher/do-you-really-want-to-look-at-the-idea-that-you-are-the-cause-of-the/) Master Teacher > [The idea that we cause harm by doing what we perceive to be the right thing, that's another theme that interests me. Because most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/the-idea-that-we-cause-harm-by-doing-what-we-perceive-to-be-the-right/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [To the generality of men you cannot give a stronger hint for them to impose upon you than by imposing upon yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/to-the-generality-of-men-you-cannot-give-a-stronger-hint-for-them-to/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [Generality is, indeed, an indispensable ingredient of reality; for mere individual existence or actuality without any regularity whatever is a nullity. Chaos is pure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-sanders-peirce/generality-is-indeed-an-indispensable-ingredient-of-reality-for-mere/) [Charles Sanders Peirce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-sanders-peirce/) > [I think there is a blossom about me of something more distinguished than the generality of mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/i-think-there-is-a-blossom-about-me-of-something-more-distinguished/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [...the source of all great mathematics is the special case, the concrete example. It is frequent in mathematics that every instance of a concept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/the-source-of-all-great-mathematics-is-the-special-case-the-concrete/) [Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/) > [The generality of men have, like plants, latent properties, which chance brings to light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-generality-of-men-have-like-plants-latent-properties-which-chance/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The opinion I have of the generality of women--who appear to me as children to whom I would rather give a sugar plum than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/the-opinion-i-have-of-the-generality-of-women-who-appear-to-me-as/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [Conventions of generality and mathematical elegance may be just as much barriers to the attainment and diffusion of knowledge as may contentment with particularity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/conventions-of-generality-and-mathematical-elegance-may-be-just-as/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) > [It is good sense applied with diligence to what was at first a mere accident, and which by great application grew to be called,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-good-sense-applied-with-diligence-to-what-was-at-first-a-mere/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [This idea that there is generality in the specific is of far-reaching importance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-idea-that-there-is-generality-in-the-specific-is-of-far-reaching/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Since the generality of persons act from impulse, much more than from principle, men are neither so good nor so bad as we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-hare/since-the-generality-of-persons-act-from-impulse-much-more-than-from/) [Augustus Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-hare/) > [God is basic Fact. He must not be thought of as a featureless generality. He is the most concrete thing there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/god-is-basic-fact-he-must-not-be-thought-of-as-a-featureless/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Don’t become a wandering generality. Be a meaningful specific.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/don-t-become-a-wandering-generality-be-a-meaningful-specific/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) ## More by Madeleine L'Engle > [“One of the hardest lessons I have to learn is how not to be judgmental about people who are judgmental. When I see how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/one-of-the-hardest-lessons-i-have-to-learn-is-how-not-to-be/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [Inspiration more often comes during the work than before it, because the largest part of the job of an artist is to listen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/inspiration-more-often-comes-during-the-work-than-before-it-because/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/you-have-to-write-the-book-that-wants-to-be-written-and-if-the-book/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [Severe illness isolates those in close contact with it, because it inevitably narrows the focus of concern. 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He's the oxygen in my air, the sun in my universe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/i-feel-as-though-i-m-not-breathing-when-i-m-out-of-his-presence-he-s/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [Rather than feeling lost and unimportant and meaningless, set against galaxies which go beyond the reach of the furthest telescopes, I feel that my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/rather-than-feeling-lost-and-unimportant-and-meaningless-set-against/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [My husband is my most ruthless critic... sometimes he will say, 'It's been said better before.' Of course it has. It's all been said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/my-husband-is-my-most-ruthless-critic-sometimes-he-will-say-it-s-been/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [If we aren't capable of being hurt we aren't capable of feeling joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/if-we-aren-t-capable-of-being-hurt-we-aren-t-capable-of-feeling-joy/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) [Explore all 660 Madeleine L'Engle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. 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Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When we choose a generality, an idea, a cause, instead of a person, when this becomes the accepted, the required thing to do, then it doesn’t matter if villages are destroyed by bombs; traffic deaths become statistics; starving babies can be forgotten when the television is turned off; and there will no longer be anybody who will read or write a poem or a story, who will look at or paint a picture, who will listen to or compose a symphony. No young man will walk whistling up the street. 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