--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: While pity shows a lack of respect for…" description: "\"“While pity shows a lack of respect for other human beings, compassion has its roots in a deep respect for others. Pity is an emotion; compassion is a ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/matt-litton-66807_compassion_while-pity-shows-a-lack-of-respect-for-o_1808336.jpg" --- # While pity shows a lack of respect for other human beings… ![“While pity shows a lack of respect for other human beings, compassion has its roots in a deep respect for others. Pity is an emotion; compassion is a connection. Compassion sees the other as equal. Compassion happens when we care for another person enough to make his or her problems our own.” quote by Matt Litton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/matt-litton-66807_compassion_while-pity-shows-a-lack-of-respect-for-o_1808336.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/matt-litton-66807_compassion_while-pity-shows-a-lack-of-respect-for-o_1808336.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/matt-litton-66807_compassion_while-pity-shows-a-lack-of-respect-for-o_1808336.jpg) > ““While pity shows a lack of respect for other human beings, compassion has its roots in a deep respect for others. Pity is an emotion; compassion is a connection. Compassion sees the other as equal. Compassion happens when we care for another person enough to make his or her problems our own.”” [Matt Litton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-litton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Compassion respects others as equals, turning their problems into our own concerns, unlike pity which merely feels for them. **In simple terms:** Compassion respects others and shares their problems. Key Takeaway Treat others’ struggles as your own. Themes empathy respect connection Mood reflective compassionate Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - counseling - team leadership - volunteering - conflict resolution Key Concepts human dignity emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How can you help without losing yourself? - When does pity become harmful? A Different Perspective Compassion can lead to burnout if boundaries aren’t set. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beings Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beings-compassion-499194/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Compassion Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion-happens-1237532/) [Emotion Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion-compassion-2093373/) [Lack of respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lack-of-respect/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Respect for others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect-for-others/) [Respect Pity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect-pity-2093372/) ## Related quotes > [We must each lead a way of life with self-awareness and compassion, to do as much as we can. Then, whatever happens we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/we-must-each-lead-a-way-of-life-with-self-awareness-and-compassion-to/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [To be loved at first sight, a man should have at the same time something to respect and something to pity in his face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/to-be-loved-at-first-sight-a-man-should-have-at-the-same-time/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [“Compassion is, by definition, relational. Compassion literally means 'to suffer with,' which implies a basic mutuality in the experience of suffering. The emotion of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-neff/compassion-is-by-definition-relational-compassion-literally-means-to/) [Kristin Neff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-neff/) > [When you master love and make your life an ocean of emotion and your compassion your only fashion the things you see will set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/when-you-master-love-and-make-your-life-an-ocean-of-emotion-and-your/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [It's great that mixed martial arts allows people to still be in touch with their animal side and duke it out in a cage,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-namajunas/it-s-great-that-mixed-martial-arts-allows-people-to-still-be-in-touch/) [Rose Namajunas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-namajunas/) > [“Compassion is a mind that focuses on the sentient beings that are miserable and wishes them to be free from suffering. Compassion can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/compassion-is-a-mind-that-focuses-on-the-sentient-beings-that-are/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [Empathy and fellow feeling form the very basis of morality. The capacities for empathy, for feeling responsibility toward others and for reaching out to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sissela-bok/empathy-and-fellow-feeling-form-the-very-basis-of-morality-the/) [Sissela Bok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sissela-bok/) > [“We must throw out the old, fear-based thought-forms and evolve, and begin to live as higher beings of compassion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/we-must-throw-out-the-old-fear-based-thought-forms-and-evolve-and/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“This style of teaching reflects the business community,” one fifth-grade teacher in a Manhattan public school told me, “where people’s respect for others is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/this-style-of-teaching-reflects-the-business-community-one-fifth/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [Respect for ourselves guides our morals, respect for others guides our manners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/respect-for-ourselves-guides-our-morals-respect-for-others-guides-our/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [Being classy is NOT about being stuck up, but more so about having a simply unique style that will never be forgotten. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-classy-is-not-about-being-stuck-up-but-more-so-about-having-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [By developing a sense of respect for others and a concern for their welfare, we reduce our own selfishness, which is the source of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/by-developing-a-sense-of-respect-for-others-and-a-concern-for-their/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Sportsmanship is the ethical and moral dimension of sports. It is demonstrated by a number of attributes and attitudes such as fair play, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-josephson/sportsmanship-is-the-ethical-and-moral-dimension-of-sports-it-is/) [Michael Josephson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-josephson/) > [Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/remember-the-three-r-s-respect-for-self-respect-for-others-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ It is important to me to instill in \[kids\] a sense of compassion and respect for others. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriana-lima/it-is-important-to-me-to-instill-in-kids-a-sense-of-compassion-and/) [Adriana Lima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriana-lima/) ## More by Matt Litton > [“When hiding ourselves behind religiosity becomes the order of the day, grace is left by the wayside; without being honest about our own sin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-litton/when-hiding-ourselves-behind-religiosity-becomes-the-order-of-the-day/) [Matt Litton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-litton/) > [“Scripture is wrought with a clear message of Jesus’ utter disregard for appearance and social rank. In Judean society, it was a major taboo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-litton/scripture-is-wrought-with-a-clear-message-of-jesus-utter-disregard/) [Matt Litton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-litton/) > [“When we dedicate our talent to serving a neighbor, it is possibly one of the highest forms of worship; something sacred transpires when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-litton/when-we-dedicate-our-talent-to-serving-a-neighbor-it-is-possibly-one/) [Matt Litton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-litton/) [Explore all 4 Matt Litton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-litton/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) [Segun Magbagbeola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/segun-magbagbeola/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. (Madoc) You’d better be glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/may-the-gods-have-mercy-on-whoever-pisses-them-off-because-zarek-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [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/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“la ilaha ilallah muhammadun rasulullah, alaihi salatullah wa alihi wal ahibba "shine your mercy like the sun, and be gracious as the earth let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-al-habib/la-ilaha-ilallah-muhammadun-rasulullah-alaihi-salatullah-wa-alihi-wal/) [Talib al Habib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-al-habib/) > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) [Browse all 9,892 Compassion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“While pity shows a lack of respect for other human beings, compassion has its roots in a deep respect for others. 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